contacts Sign In
author Image

How to Lower Your Risk of Alzheimer’s

SickNWell-How-to-Lower-Your-Risk-of-Alzheimers-2

 

SickNWell-How-to-Lower-Your-Risk-of-Alzheimers-2

Written by
SickNWell Staff Writer

 

Who’s at Risk for AD? | Can Lifestyle Factors Help Prevent AD? | What’s the Takeaway?

 

Overview 

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by progressive loss of critical cognitive functions – particularly memory. With a prevalence of around 20 percent in people aged 65 and over, AD is the most common form of dementia.[1]

Although a decline in cognitive functions is not necessarily unusual as we age, AD is not a normal part of aging. 

There is no cure for the disease at this time. Still, research has begun pointing the way toward hope in developing treatments that can slow the progression of symptoms and finding ways to reduce the risk of developing this debilitating condition with lifestyle changes.

 

Who’s at Risk for AD? 

AD is thought to be caused by the accumulation of a particular amino acid in the brain that is not efficiently cleared and is allowed to build up as plaque.[1] Over time, this destroys the brain regions responsible for cognitive functions such as memory, language, and social skills.

An estimated 6.5 million Americans age 65 and older live with AD today.[2] This number could grow to 13.8 million by 2060 unless there are medical breakthroughs to prevent, slow, or cure the disease.[2] And even though AD is most common in people aged 65 or older, a tiny percentage of people will develop the disease and begin exhibiting symptoms even in their 30s, 40s, and 50s.[3] AD remains the fifth-leading cause of death for Americans aged 65 and older.[2]

Although not definitive yet, there does seem to be an indication that AD has a genetic component in that if you have a first-degree relative (such as a parent or sibling) who has AD, you have a higher chance of developing the disease yourself.[4] 

Individuals with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of developing AD in later life[5], as do people with high LDL cholesterol levels.[6] 

 

SickNWell-How-to-Lower-Your-Risk-of-Alzheimers-1

 

Can Lifestyle Factors Help Prevent AD? 

Although more research is needed to offer proven strategies in AD prevention definitively, there is strong evidence that healthy habits may provide a protective element against developing AD. 

 

Diet: Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, which features vegetables, fruits, lean meats, and whole grains. Eating foods containing omega-3 fatty acids like flax seed, walnuts, fatty fish like salmon, and soybeans like edamame increases learning, memory, cognitive well-being, and blood flow in the brain, making it an ideal brain booster.[7]

Excessive alcohol consumption has been shown to promote a faster cognitive decline in AD patients;[8] it is therefore advised to moderate the consumption of alcohol, especially hard liquor.

 

Watch Your Vascular Risk Factors: Monitor your blood pressure and cholesterol and avoid diabetes. These factors can put you into a higher risk category for AD if uncontrolled. Getting annual checkups is a good idea, especially if you have a first-degree relative who has AD.  

 

No Smoking: As if there weren’t enough compelling reasons to never start smoking or quit if you are, here is another one – according to research, current and even former smokers have a significantly higher risk of developing AD.[9]

 

Exercise: This one just can’t be avoided. There is no question that physical activity can help with every aspect of health, from sleep to cardiovascular health. But exercise becomes a real powerhouse for the brain in its ability to create new brain cells and reduce inflammation,[10] which has shown promise in AD prevention and mitigation of AD progression. 

Along with a healthy diet, exercise also promotes weight maintenance and helps to prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes, which is another AD risk factor. Thirty minutes of moderately vigorous aerobic exercise three to four times weekly is an excellent target. 

 

The Mental Angle: Taking good care of your mental health is essential regardless of the long-term goal. So relax, try breathing exercises or meditation, and practice gratitude. These go a long way in setting the stage for a healthy mind. 

Mental stimulation is also strongly recommended. Learning new things such as another language, working on a crossword puzzle, or Sudoku works great. Participation in this cognitive activity is associated with a slowdown of memory decline.[11]

 

Sleep: There is growing evidence that solid, quality sleep may help prevent AD as it is linked to greater clearance of the amino acid that causes plaque buildup in the brain, a disease hallmark. Studies have shown that people with sleep problems have more than 1.5 times the risk of developing AD than their well-sleeping counterparts,[12] so make sure you get seven to nine hours of continuous sleep every night. 

  

What’s the Takeaway?  

At this time, there may be no definitive, targeted manner in which to prevent AD; however, as more research is done on the disease and what can be done to avoid, treat and perhaps one day even cure it, strong evidence is surfacing that with some lifestyle updates, you may be able to prevent or slow it down. 

So, enjoy a bowl of edamame and go for a walk. Small, simple changes could add up over time into a protective element that will make you clear-minded and healthy for a long time. 

 

References:

  1. Masters CL, Bateman R, Blennow K, Rowe CC, Sperling RA, Cummings JL. Alzheimer’s disease. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2015 Oct 15;1:15056. doi: 10.1038/nrdp.2015.56. PMID: 27188934.
  2. Knopman, D. S., Amieva, H., Petersen, R. C., Chételat, G., Holtzman, D. M., Hyman, B. T., Nixon, R. A., & Jones, D. T. (2021, May 13). Alzheimer disease. Nature reviews. Disease primers. Retrieved April 24, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8574196/
  3. Mendez MF. Early-Onset Alzheimer Disease. Neurol Clin. 2017 May;35(2):263-281. doi: 10.1016/j.ncl.2017.01.005. PMID: 28410659; PMCID: PMC5407192.
  4. Chouraki V, Seshadri S. Genetics of Alzheimer’s disease. Adv Genet. 2014;87:245-94. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-800149-3.00005-6. PMID: 25311924.
  5. Rojas M, Chávez-Castillo M, Bautista J, Ortega Á, Nava M, Salazar J, Díaz-Camargo E, Medina O, Rojas-Quintero J, Bermúdez V. Alzheimer’s disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus: Pathophysiologic and pharmacotherapeutics links. World J Diabetes. 2021 Jun 15;12(6):745-766. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v12.i6.745. PMID: 34168725; PMCID: PMC8192246.
  6. Sáiz-Vazquez O, Puente-Martínez A, Ubillos-Landa S, Pacheco-Bonrostro J, Santabárbara J. Cholesterol and Alzheimer’s Disease Risk: A Meta-Meta-Analysis. Brain Sci. 2020 Jun 18;10(6):386. doi: 10.3390/brainsci10060386. PMID: 32570800; PMCID: PMC7349210.
  7. Dighriri IM, Alsubaie AM, Hakami FM, Hamithi DM, Alshekh MM, Khobrani FA, Dalak FE, Hakami AA, Alsueaadi EH, Alsaawi LS, Alshammari SF, Alqahtani AS, Alawi IA, Aljuaid AA, Tawhari MQ. Effects of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Brain Functions: A Systematic Review. Cureus. 2022 Oct 9;14(10):e30091. doi: 10.7759/cureus.30091. PMID: 36381743; PMCID: PMC9641984.
  8. Heymann D, Stern Y, Cosentino S, Tatarina-Nulman O, Dorrejo JN, Gu Y. The Association Between Alcohol Use and the Progression of Alzheimer’s Disease. Curr Alzheimer Res. 2016;13(12):1356-1362. doi: 10.2174/1567205013666160603005035. PMID: 27628432; PMCID: PMC5526221.
  9. Durazzo TC, Mattsson N, Weiner MW; Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Smoking and increased Alzheimer’s disease risk: a review of potential mechanisms. Alzheimers Dement. 2014 Jun;10(3 Suppl):S122-45. doi: 10.1016/j.jalz.2014.04.009. PMID: 24924665; PMCID: PMC4098701.
  10. Valenzuela PL, Castillo-García A, Morales JS, de la Villa P, Hampel H, Emanuele E, Lista S, Lucia A. Exercise benefits on Alzheimer’s disease: State-of-the-science. Ageing Res Rev. 2020 Sep;62:101108. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2020.101108. Epub 2020 Jun 17. PMID: 32561386.
  11. Pillai JA, Hall CB, Dickson DW, Buschke H, Lipton RB, Verghese J. Association of crossword puzzle participation with memory decline in persons who develop dementia. J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2011 Nov;17(6):1006-13. doi: 10.1017/S1355617711001111. PMID: 22040899; PMCID: PMC3885259.
  12. Bubu OM, Brannick M, Mortimer J, Umasabor-Bubu O, Sebastião YV, Wen Y, Schwartz S, Borenstein AR, Wu Y, Morgan D, Anderson WM. Sleep, Cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer’s disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sleep. 2017 Jan 1;40(1). doi: 10.1093/sleep/zsw032. PMID: 28364458.

 

SicknWell