Now You Can Predict Alzheimer's a Decade Before it Happens

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e_it_happens.htm

 

Now You Can Predict Alzheimer's a Decade Before it Happens

 

A new report from Sweden indicates that subtle mental problems can

show up as much as 10 years before an official diagnosis of

Alzheimer's disease. This gives support to the theory that the

progress of the disease starts years before the well-known severe

memory loss symptoms become apparent.

 

47 Studies Reviewed

 

Lars Bläckman, of the Karlinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, led a

team that looked at the findings of 47 scientific studies. The team

compared early cognitive tests of 1,200 older people who were

eventually diagnosed with Alzheimer's with those of 9,100 older people

who had remained healthy.

 

Early Symptoms

 

The ones who eventually developed Alzheimer's showed a number of early

symptoms that those in the other group failed to exhibit. Some of

these symptoms appeared as much as 10 years before their diagnosis,

and included deficits in:

 

* Total mental ability

* Memory of events

* Speed of perception

* The ability to plan ahead or multitask

* Verbal ability

* Visuospatial skills

* Maintaining attention

 

Researchers have not yet developed a means of reliably identifying who

will develop Alzheimer's. Some 4.5 million people have been diagnosed

with the disease, and its prevalence doubles every five years after

age 65. There are some helpful warning signs, though, and those are in

the table below.

 

Alzheimer's Warning Signs

 

*

 

Serious memory loss. People with Alzheimer's frequently forget

appointments, telephone numbers and important information.

*

 

Difficulty performing everyday tasks. They might not remember

how to complete a familiar routine.

*

 

Problems with abstract thinking. Those with Alzheimer's can't do

simple math; they might forget what the numbers represent.

*

 

Confusion. They can get lost coming home from a familiar place.

 

 

American Psychological Association July 31, 2005

 

USA Today August 1, 2005

 

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

 

Alzheimer's disease is an epidemic in this country. While it would

certainly be a good and useful development if a means were created to

identify the disease in its early stages, before the effects become

severe, it's much better by far to keep yourself from getting it in

the first place.

 

It really is tragic when you lose your mind, not so much for you, as

you will be clueless that this is occurring, but you will cause

enormous hardship to those you love most and who will need to care for

you because you can't care for yourself.

 

This is tragic because it simply doesn't have to happen. There are

simple effective solutions you can take now that will radically

reduce, if not virtually eliminate, your risk of ever developing this

illness. To this end, I would recommend the following steps:

 

Five Guidelines to Preventing Alzheimer's Disease

 

1. Eat a Nutritious Diet. One of the most important things you can

do to prevent dementia -- and a just about any other chronic disease

The central premise is to eliminate processed foods in your diet and

replace them with fresh vegetables, which are high in folate.

 

Additionally, you will also need to get your fat balance right.

In line with that principle I advise consuming a high-quality fish or

cod liver oil so you can meet the optimal amount of omega-3 fats

needed to achieve good health and fight Alzheimer's. You can find

good brands at your local health food store.

 

 

2.

 

Exercise. We all know that exercise is good for our

cardiovascular system, but studies have found that exercise can also

protect the brain, thereby warding off Alzheimer's and other forms of

dementia. According to one study, the odds of developing Alzheimer's

were nearly quadrupled in people who were less active during their

leisure time, between the ages of 20 and 60, compared with their peers.

3. Minimize Heavy Metals Exposure. Even trace amounts of mercury or

aluminum have the potential to cause the type of damage to nerves that

is characteristic of the damage found in Alzheimer's disease. Dental

amalgam fillings are one of the major sources of mercury, however you

should be healthy prior to having them removed. you can follow the

mercury detox protocol and then find a biological dentist to possibly

have your amalgams removed.

 

Although nearly any dentist is technically qualified to replace

your amalgam fillings, far less than 95 percent have any clue on how

to do it properly so your risk of mercury exposure is minimized.

Please avoid the mistake I have seen THOUSANDS of patients make and

have your fillings replaced by a non-qualified dentist.

 

I made this mistake myself nearly 20 years ago. Do it right the

first time and save yourself the expense and grief. If you don't

personally know a qualified biological dentist, many people find one

by contacting several of the health food stores in their area and

asking the employees who they know. This is typically an excellent

resource as they are usually networked quite well in the local health

community.

 

Other sources of mercury include most seafood,

thimerosal-containing vaccinations and flu shots, which contain both

mercury and aluminum. Aluminum has been widely associated with

Alzheimer's disease. Your main sources of exposure are likely through

drinking water and antiperspirants.

 

Aluminum cookware may also be a source of exposure. Although

aluminum pots are probably less problematic than the sources mentioned

above, I personally would not use aluminum cookware.

4.

 

Challenge Your Mind. Mental stimulation, such as traveling,

learning to play an instrument or doing crossword puzzles, is

associated with a decreased risk of Alzheimer's. Researchers suspect

that mental challenge helps to build up the brain, making it less

susceptible to the lesions associated with Alzheimer's disease.

5.

 

Finally, try blueberries, which have high anthocyanin and

antioxidant content that are known to guard against Alzheimer's and

other neurological diseases.

 

As I said above, following these preventative steps is really a

proactive way to take control of your mental and physical health and

protect yourself from Alzheimer's disease.

 

If you use these simple, natural and inexpensive methods, you will

vastly increase your chances of keeping a sound, alert,

well-functioning brain for your entire life.

 

Related Articles:

 

Alzheimer's Damage May Be Reversible

 

Keep Active to Avoid Alzheimer's

 

How to Avoid the Coming Alzheimer's Epidemic