Probably the most important advice is to stay away from canned goods and aluminum cookware. There have been ties to high aluminum levels and Alzheimer’s. My father was recently diagnosed and they have eaten an extraordingary amount of canned goods throughout life. He prided himself on finding cheap lots of canned goods. They have a storehouse of canned goods in their basement.
But isn’t Alzheimer’s hereditary? My grandmother had it too. She stayed with my dad and step mom until she died. My great grandfather had it too. He stayed with my grandparents until he lost control of body functions.
But my father was horrible.He became not only agressive, but also sexually agressive. He had to be in a home, and even then they had to restrain him. It was awful!
It will be another 20 years before we know whether my not eating canned goods much will have protected me. But why take the chance?
There are certain foods and supplements that will help keep both the cells and the pathways to the brain healthy. While it is my understanding that Alzheimer’s can’t be cured, I have seen people who have functioned nearly normally, and you would never know that they have the disease. The secret for these people is responding early and stopping the development in it’s tracks.
Essential Nutrients for Brain Pathways- are Vitamins B6, B9, and B12, Vitamin E, CoQ10, Ginko, DHA (one of the Omega 3s found in oily fish, like sardines) 3-5 servings of fish per week, or fish oil supplements. Sardines are highly recommended.
The essential fatty acids EPA and DHA found in high quantities in oily fish–can help prevent “senior moments” by protecting the membranes that cover your brain cells. They also help lower blood pressure and reduce heart-disease risk. But while tuna sandwiches are fine (especially if you make them with mustard instead of mayo), sardines have just as much DHA and three times as much EPA by weight.
These are the essential things you need to do to hopefully avoid Alzheimer’s –
Diet high in fresh vegetables and fruits
Get plenty of Omega 3s – fish, fish oil, flax seed, walnuts …
Newest research indicates that B6, B9 (folic acid), B12 and Curcumin are helpful in preventing this debilitating disease.
I’ve recently read conflicting reports on copper, and zinc. In addiiton to high aluminum levels, high copper and zinc levels have also been found in Alzheimer’s patients. Cashews have a high copper content. Bummer.
Exercise every day.
Mental stimulation – do things to make your mind work.
Social network is important for mental and emotional stimulation. Stay active and keep in touch with family and friends.
Now I haven’t seen anything that mentions coordination exercises, but it would seem to me that would be important too. Dancing, golf, playing a musical instrument, video games, things that require mind and motor skills. We lose that ability if we don’t use it. I would think that anything that keeps the neural pathways firing would be good, don’t you?
Also see “Brain Foods” And the NIH report
