There are so many challenges that are faced daily around the world, but the ones that I think would be hardest for me are the ones that involve your mind. How sad it must be to watch someone change so much in this way. TriVita emailed this article recently about alzheimer's and dementia.
Dementia & Alzheimer’s: The Best Hope is Prevention
Who am I? Whatever the answer, that’s our “identity.” One definition of identity is: a set of unique characteristics belonging, for life, to one individual. Another expert defines identity as the total accumulation of all life experiences, built one upon the other, up until this present moment. It’s as if we are an unfinished tower building, with each new story of life experiences being built upon the story below it.
Dementia steals all this − our memories of the past, our ability to reason in the present and our ability to plan for the future. In essence, dementia robs us of our identity.
Vascular dementiaThis is the most common cause of dementia among younger people. It may be caused by poor circulation from vascular inflammation, high cholesterol, viral and other infections, “mini-strokes,” medications, drug and alcohol abuse, or a few other rare conditions related to excessive pressure in the head.
Poor circulation in the brain is directly linked to elevated levels of homocysteine in the blood. In some people, high homocysteine ignites LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol). Thousands of fiery, burning LDL particles pierce the protective lining of the blood vessels and cause the whole artery to inflame. As the inflammation builds, it can block circulation, and thereby starve to death the area of the brain served by the inflamed blood vessel. You can help reduce LDL inflammation by lowering your homocysteine levels with
“Mini-strokes” are associated with nutrient deficiency and inflammation. First, nutrient deficiency causes the blood vessels of the brain to weaken. Then, inflammatory protein slices though the delicate lining in the blood vessels until they cut completely through and a small hemorrhage develops. Though this may quickly seal, tiny clots may form on the scar. These clots break off and block blood flow in random areas throughout the brain. You can toughen up the blood vessels by increasing Vitamin C intake. Vitamin C creates collagen which in turn creates resilient blood vessels that are stroke-resistant.
Alzheimer’s diseaseThe most feared of all the dementias is Alzheimer’s disease. The risk of this disease increases as we age. This is partially due to damages accumulating in the brain over time. One of the primary reasons for Alzheimer’s disease is nutrient deficiency. When there are nutritional deficiencies, the body experiences different types of breakdowns, and some of these contribute to dementia.
Attempts to overcome the nutritional deficiencies can be challenging. In part, the problem is the foods we eat. The foods of today simply do not provide the same level of nutrients as they did in the past. This is partially due to the “nutrient-poor” way in which many foods are grown. Another reason for nutrient deficiencies is that the body’s ability to extract nutrients from foods declines with age. For example, after age 40, the body’s ability to absorb Vitamin B-12 from food declines. As a result, this particular deficiency is one of the most common in older people.
Finally, many of our nutrient deficiencies are based on food choices we make. And these choices, much to our detriment, are often based on cultural conditionings.
As an example of cultural conditionings, the average North American eats about 17 pounds of fish per year. In contrast, the average Japanese person eats over 150 pounds. This culturally developed habit may be one reason why the occurrence of dementia is much lower in Japan than in North America. Coldwater fish contain high levels of a fat called DHA. Much of the human brain is made from this fat. As a result, the more DHA you consume, the greater your potential for optimal brain health. A good way to obtain this is to eat fish every week and supplement your diet with
Four other factors that can help contribute to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease are:
Genetics – The good news here is that the genetic component for Alzheimer’s really only accounts for about 1% of the total contribution to the disease. The gene family that predisposes a person to this disease is called Apolipoprotein E-4. It is the second most common gene in North America. Antioxidants reduce the expression of this gene and are known in medicine to reduce the symptoms of dementia. These specific antioxidants are
Environment – A variety of environmental factors play a significant role in the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. One factor is electromagnetic fields. They are an area of great interest in dementia research because of the impact they have on the brain. Another factor is environmental toxins. Those with Alzheimer’s disease have been found to have an accumulation of metals such as mercury and aluminum in their brains. Toxic accumulations of copper and iron can also contribute to this disease.
Lifestyle – By far the most significant contribution to Alzheimer’s disease comes from lifestyle factors. Smoking, a low nutrient diet, hydrogenated trans-fats, a sedentary lifestyle and an aversion to education and learning are all strong contributors to dementia. And, people that get little or no exercise are placing themselves in the highest risk category for Alzheimer’s disease.
Excess Homocysteine – The human body needs some homocysteine (HCY) to function properly. But elevated HCY levels are very toxic and strongly associated with Alzheimer’s disease. And, the higher the HCY level is in the blood, the more severe the Alzheimer’s disease will be. Thankfully, high homocysteine levels can be dramatically reduced with
The impact of Alzheimer’s disease is powerful and widespread – affecting individuals, families, business and industry, the Medicare/Medicaid system, communities and entire nations. The best hope lies in prevention. Applying TriVita’s 10 Essentials for Health and Wellness can help protect you from a rapid decline in health. And, the recommendations are easy to follow:
Get your exercise: 30 minutes of activity on most days of the week can help prevent Alzheimer’s disease as well as many other conditions.
Eat a diet rich in nutrients, and supplement it with nutrients and brain-specific antioxidants.
Get your rest and develop an interest in helping others.
Start today. The brain you save may be your own.
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