Fighting the Risk of AlzheimerÛªs Disease – A Caregivers Perspective
The following is a guest blog by Martha Stettinius.
In 2005, at age 40, I became the main caregiver for my mother, Judy, who could no longer balance her checkbook, cook, or clean. I encouraged her to move from her remote lakeside cottage into my small home with my husband and two children. Since then she has lived in assisted living, a ÛÏmemory careÛ facility for people with dementia, and now a nursing home.åÊ
As I watch my motherÛªs health deteriorate with AlzheimerÛªs disease, IÛªve become more determined to protect my own. But what can we do to avoid dementia when scientists have found no proven means of prevention, no treatment, and no cure?
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We do know that scientists agree on certain risk factors. They include old age; a family history; serious head trauma; poor cardiovascular health; high blood pressure; stroke (including small strokes that are barely noticeable); diabetes; high cholesterol; obesity in middle age; a low education level (which predisposes someone to less learning and brain development over their lifetime); and smoking.
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A lesser-known risk factor for dementia is interrupted sleep, such as from obstructive sleep apnea. If you snore, or you feel tired or headachy in the morning, consider getting a referral to a sleep clinic. Research shows that elderly women who have sleep apnea are about twice as likely to develop dementia as those without the condition. People whose nightly sleep is short or disturbed have higher levels of beta amyloid, the protein that causes plaques between brain cells and is widely believed to play a large role in the development of AlzheimerÛªs disease. I am being treated for sleep apnea, and I suspect from her snoring that my mother has always had it. According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, sleep apnea is as common as Type II diabetes.
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åÊA research study also found a connection between AlzheimerÛªs disease and vision. In a study of elderly people over the age of 71, all of whom had normal cognitive functioning at the beginning of the study, those who had undiagnosed or untreated vision problems showed a 9.5-fold increase in the risk of developing AlzheimerÛªs disease.
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åÊSome researchers say that exercise may be our most powerful antidote for AlzheimerÛªs disease. Because aerobic exercise increases blood flow to the brain, stimulates the growth of new brain cells, and decreases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and diabetes, the AlzheimerÛªs Association recommends thirty minutes of daily exercise. A recent study shows that daily activity of all kindsÛÓfrom formal exercise to activities such as washing dishes, cleaning, and cookingÛÓmay reduce the risk of developing AlzheimerÛªs disease, even in people over age 80. People who walk forty minutes a day for a year regain volume in their hippocampus, reversing brain shrinkage. People with mild cognitive impairment who do resistance weight training two times a week over six months show an increase in their memory and executive function (the ability to multi-task).
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Social activity and mental stimulation are also crucial. Sports, cultural activities, emotional support, and close personal relationships are all key. We should work as long as we can, volunteer, join social clubs, and travel. We should turn off the television, read, write, do crosswords and puzzles. Play games, learn a new language, or learn to play an instrument. In fact, if we challenge ourselves regularly, our brains will continue to create new cells and connections.
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As far as diet is concerned, AlzheimerÛªs disease has been called ÛÏType III Diabetes,Û because of the link between diabetes and pre-diabetes (slightly high blood sugar and ÛÏinsulin resistanceÛ) and a higher risk of dementia. I am pre-diabetic and insulin-resistant, and someone like me is 70% more likely than someone with normal blood sugar and insulin levels to develop AlzheimerÛªs disease. While twenty million people in the United States have Type II diabetes, twice that number are insulin resistant and pre-diabetic.
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There is some evidence that a low-carb diet, which lowers the blood sugar and insulin levels in your brain, may help protect your neurons. I have been eating a ÛÏPaleo,Û low-carb diet for a year now. Mainstream views of diet and dementia, however, recommend a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet, with the caveat that HDL, or ÛÏgoodÛ cholesterol, may help protect brain cells. The AlzheimerÛªs Association recommends lots of dark vegetables and fruits that are high in antioxidants; mono- or polyunsaturated fats such as olive oil, cold water fish high in Omega 3Ûªs (salmon, tuna, mackerel); and nuts such as almonds, pecans, and walnuts. Vitamin E, or vitamin E and C together, vitamin B12, and folate may also decrease the risk of AlzheimerÛªs.
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There are no guarantees, of course, but if we pay attention to these recent studies (and press our federal government for more dementia research) we may find a way to win the war.
Martha Stettinius is the author of the new book Inside the Dementia Epidemic: A DaughterÛªs Memoir. Inside the Dementia Epidemicis available on Amazon and BN.com. For more information, visitåÊwww.insidedementia.comor www.facebook/insidedementia.åÊ
To contact Martha, email her at martha@insidedementia.com.
How You Lose Your Hearing As You Age (VIDEO)
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How You Lose Your Hearing As You Age
The following is a guest post from John O’Connor.
Hearing loss is one of the symptoms of aging. åÊIt should not be taken for granted. åÊThis dysfunction of the hearing organs can be dangerous. åÊIt can also be prevented.
How can hearing loss affect your life?
Sometimes, hearing loss is just a nuisance. åÊIt may cause you to miss out on conversations with family and friends. åÊHowever, it becomes more than a nuisance when say you cannot understand your doctor over the phone or it can be downright dangerous if you cannot hear a car coming. åÊYou should take note of the signs of hearing loss and do what you can to prevent it. Hearing loss is not completely inevitable as you age.
Signs of hearing loss
Many people do not notice when they begin to lose their hearing. åÊYou should become concerned about your hearing if you have trouble following conversations or ask people to repeat themselves often. åÊThe first sign may be that you turn up the TV volume louder than before. åÊMany people notice trouble hearing when the background noise interferes with their comprehension of a conversation. åÊThey may feel like everyone else is mumbling.
Preventing hearing loss
A certain amount of hearing loss cannot be prevented. åÊThis may have to do with your genetic background or it may just be a consequence of the delicate machinery in your ear wearing down. åÊHowever, this natural loss of hearing can be exacerbated by environment, lifestyle and illnesses.
Loud noise is one of the biggest culprits of hearing loss. åÊAn increasing number of young people in their twenties and thirties are reporting problems with their hearing. åÊDoctors believe that this may be caused by exposure to loud music. åÊOne way to preserve your hearing for as long as possible is to avoid loud music as much as possible.
Damage to your hearing can also come from improper care of the ears. åÊSimple ear wax buildup can cause hearing loss over time. åÊInserting things in your ears can also cause damage. åÊYou should keep your ears clean without ever doing anything that might damage the delicate tissues deep inside your ear.
Disease is another factor in hearing loss. åÊBacteria and viruses can damage the inner ear. åÊIt is important to get treatment for these conditions as soon as possible in order to protect your ability to hear.
Types of Hearing Loss
There are a few different types of hearing loss and hearing complications. Presbycusis is the kind of hearing loss that is simply due to aging. It happens slowly and is often unnoticeable until it becomes profound. It results from damage to the nerves inside the ear. It can be exacerbated by injury, illness or loud noise.
Tinnitus is a condition that interferes with hearing rather than reduces it. People with tinnitus hear a constant sound in one or both ears. It may sound like a distant whine or loud crackling. Each case is different. There are no cures for this condition.
Conductive hearing loss occurs when outside factors prevent good hearing. This might be due to earwax buildup or fluid trapped in the ears. These problems can usually be cured without damaging the hearing.
A hearing aidor hearing aids can help reduce the effects of hearing loss.åÊ Being conscious about hearing loss as you age and making some simple lifestyle changes can be beneficial in the long run.åÊ
John O’Connor has been passionate about living a healthy lifestyle and hearing loss. His father and grandfathers are affected by hearing loss.
“I feel their is a general lack of understanding around the issue and it is out job to spread awareness where we can.åÊ Check out my new blog at bloggingwjohno.blogspot.com”!
A New Resource for Finding Information about the Quality of Nursing Homes (VIDEO)
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Good Lifestyle Behaviors May Enhance Life Expectancy Among Our Oldest (VIDEO)
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