Hopefully you or a loved one has not been affected by Alzheimer's.? It is very difficult for family members to deal with this because they are basically watching someone they love lose their mind and become helpless.? This is a subject matter that hits home to me since my grandmother had dementia, which is the beginning stage of this disease.? Heredity might be a precursor to this but we are all still learning about the causes and preventions.? The key is to keep your body and mind active.?
Exercise, exercise, and more exercise.? On a regular basis (3-4 times per week), it keeps oxygen and blood flow going to the brain.? It also increases the number of connections among millions of brain cells needed for mental function.? In addition, it raises serotonin levels, which play a vital role as a neurotransmitter in moderating anger, aggression, body temperature, sleep, sexuality, appetite, and metabolism.? So, basically your entire body and mind functions rely on this.?
Education level and how one handles stressful situations seem to be an indicator of this disease.? The more schooling, the less likely your chance of getting it because more educated people tend to eat healthier and receive better medical care.? Our body reacts to stress by producing large quantities of the hormone cortisol.? This significantly reduces the hippocampus, an area of the brain that controls memory.? So, the golden rule is to remain calm, cool, and collected when a crisis arrives.
Consume as little animal fat as possible.? Studies have shown that the Japanese elderly are less likely to develop Alzheimer's than their counterparts in the U.S.? That is no surprise because fat intake is much lower there than in the America.? Smoking also doubles the risk of getting this disease so this is yet another reason to throw away the cigarettes.? Vitamin E has been shown to help as it's good for the heart.? There's no cure for Alzheimer's right now, but these are some proven ways to help your brain stay young.?
