Alzheimer's disease is a disease that affects up to 4.5 million people in the United States. Even though there is no known cure for Alzheimer's disease, studies have shown that there may be ways to stop it from happening.
Symptoms of the disease include forgetfulness, memory loss, and a decreased ability to focus. In the later stages, the person may have anxiety and delusions, lose the ability to speak, and not be able to sit up or walk. It is a slow-moving disease with symptoms that show up and get worse over a long period of time.
The now-famous, ground-breaking "nun study" did a lot to find out what signs could be used to predict who would get Alzheimer's later in life. Since 1991, when the study began, 100 nuns have been watched for 15 years. During that time, their genes have been tested and analysed, and their physical balance and strength have been tracked. They have also taken cognitive tests to see how many words they could remember after reading them, how many animals they could name in a minute, and if they could count coins correctly. The research shows that people who did worse on tests of cognitive ability when they were young were more likely to get Alzheimer's later in life. Nuns' writings in their early 20s were used to figure out how smart people were when they were young. People with better language and grammar skills and more "idea density" (the number of ideas expressed in the fewest number of words) were much less likely to get Alzheimer's later in life. Scientists think that having good cognitive skills early on creates a "neurocognitive reserve" that can be used later, preventing Alzheimer's disease. Writing, reading, and learning new things, or anything else that stimulates the brain, can help people stay active, clear-headed, and graceful as they age.
You can also do a number of other things to help prevent Alzheimer's. Many of these ways to keep from getting Alzheimer's involve keeping the mind active and working on memory skills long before there is a risk of Alzheimer's. Researchers have found a link between having a mentally stimulating job that requires creative thinking or data manipulation and a lower chance of getting Alzheimer's later in life. Researchers found that doing crossword puzzles and playing card games had a big effect on how mentally agile a person was later in life. Use the methods actors use to remember lines. Actors don't just remember a list of lines. They also put together the right movements and judge the meaning of the words to be spoken. This "active-experiencing" method of remembering things was also shown to help older people remember things and think more clearly when they were taught the method. Making your mind more flexible now may help you keep your mind flexible as you get older.
A healthy diet and regular exercise are good for your health in general and may help you avoid many problems, such as Alzheimer's. Studies have shown that adding fish oils, Vitamin E, and Vitamin C to your diet can help lower your risk of Alzheimer's. When cholesterol is at a healthy level, amyloid plaques don't build up in the brain, which is a sign of Alzheimer's. Lastly, it has been shown that physical activity keeps the brain from getting deposits that are linked to Alzheimer's disease.
As of now, the only way to "cure" Alzheimer's is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Even though there may be a genetic factor that makes someone more likely to get Alzheimer's, being aware, planning ahead, keeping your mind active, and making smart food choices can help lower your chances of getting this mysterious and debilitating disease. A healthy body and mind now will lead to a healthy body and mind in the future.
