Can Weight Age Your Brain?

Reduce Your Alzheimers Risk

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  by Vicki Salemi
  Alzheimers: Reduce Your Risk
  
  Having a senior moment? You're not alone. After all, memory loss is a normal part of aging. When it comes to accelerated and permanent memory loss, however these frequent senior moments interrupt with daily functioning. According to the Alzheimer's Association, as many as five million Americans live with this disease and 500,000 of this population is under the age of 65. While it destroys brain cells and causes programs with memory, thinking and behavior, there's no surefire way to prevent the onset of this disease. However, you can reduce your risks with diet, exercise, environment and more.

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  Heart Healthy Food
  
  According to Laurel Coleman, M.D., a geriatric physician and member of the national board of the Alzheimer's Association, one way to reduce your risk is to implement a heart healthy diet that's low in fat and high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. She explains, "What's good for your heart is also good for your head." Evidence suggests a healthy diet makes a difference in preventing the onset of this disease.

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  Red Red Wine
  
  "Red wine has anti-oxidants so we mention it as one of the many things you can do to reduce your risk of Alzheimer's," says Dr. Coleman. While she emphasizes it's alright to have one to two glasses on most days, this alone will not help prevent the onset of the disease. "We tell people to look at the range of things to do along with the other things such as eating a low fat diet, eating fruits and vegetables, watching your cholesterol, remaining physically active and socially active in general."

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  Mental Gymnastics
  
  Taking your brain out of the comfort zone is one way to make connections and remain stimulated. According to Christopher Calapai, D.O. and board certified in anti-aging medicine, this notion of brain tasking such as doing crossword puzzles for example creates a multi-dimensional connection. "It integrates your brain in a variety of ways," he says. For instance, if a word is asking you to spell Mozart, it's very likely you're making a connection and thinking about listening to the music, the composer, etc.

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  Get Movin'
  
  As if you haven't already heard, evidence clearly points to this little fact: exercise does a body good. With the case of Alzheimer's, it does a brain good, too. Dr. Calapai explains, "There's evidence that exercise brings more oxygen to your brain, it helps burn excess sugar, it enhances hormones and is good for blood flow." The recommendation is to move that body several times a week at least for thirty minutes such as aerobic activity or walking.

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  Avoid Heavy Metal
  
  According to Dr. Calapai, while eating fish is a high source of protein and rich with omega-3 fatty acids it could also be a high source of mercury, too. As for his recommendation? Stay away from shrimp and shellfish. Plus, he emphasizes the importance of staying away from exposure to aluminum in general. "Don't use aluminum foil, pots and pans or deodorant with aluminum as an ingredient."

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  Advil Anyone?
  
  When it comes to naproxens (think Advil, Motrin, and other over the counter drugs) and ibuprofens (as in Aleve), studies have shown that using pain relievers can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's. Essentially these medications block enzymes which promote inflammation, fevers and pain. In a study conducted by Johns Hopkins University and the National Institute on aging, patients who took ibuprofen and nonaspirin non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs lowered their risk of developing the disease by 60.

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  The B-list
  
  Experts say taking vitamins is always important in particular with the case of reducing your risk of the onset of Alzheimer's. As for their recommendation? Well, it depends on the patient and what you're specifically lacking. "It's important to see what your vitamin and mineral intake are and where you're deficient," says Dr. Calapai. Essentially, he suggests working with your doctor to put together a plan such as incorporating Vitamin B.

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  S is for Statins
  
  A commonly prescribed class of cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins may lower the risk for Alzheimer's disease. According to the Archives of Neurology, a 2000 study showed that statins reduced the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by 73. Maintaining a healthy cholesterol level is imperative to overall good health so it also plays a role in reducing the onset of this disease.

  AP

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  Trim Down
  
  According to a recent study, abdominal fat (sometimes described as having an apple shaped body rather than a pear shape) has been linked to boost your risk of getting Alzheimer's disease or dementia down the road in addition to already being linked as a higher risk of developing diabetes, stroke and heart disease. As for our advice? Trim the fat, seriously. "Any deposition of fat is essentially added stress on the body," notes Dr. Coleman.