Six healthy habits effective for preventing Alzheimer's disease

Sunday, July 17, 2016 by: Wes Maxwell
Tags: Alzheimer''s disease, natural prevention, cognitive health

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(NaturalNews) Brain disorders, including memory loss, are some of the highest-ranking health concerns afflicting the world today. According to research conducted by the Alzheimer's and Dementia Summit, someone gets diagnosed with Alzheimer's or dementia every three seconds.

Aside from being the sixth leading cause of death in the world, Alzheimer's inflicts pain on more than 35 million people and their families each year.

While no definitive cure for Alzheimer's exists, the Alzheimer's and Dementia Summit offers numerous ways to help prevent, slow down, and even reverse the effects of these debilitating diseases.

Hurry and sign up for the no-cost online Alzheimer's and Dementia Summit from July 25 – August 1

Some of the most educational information the Summit offers is a detailed description of six healthy habits effective for preventing Alzheimer's disease.

These habits, labeled the six pillars of Alzheimer's prevention, are based around maintaining a lifestyle that promotes the overall well-being of both the body and mind.

Six pillars of Alzheimer's prevention

The first pillar is making sure to exercise regularly. According to HelpGuide.org, "[R]egular physical exercise can reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's by up to 50 percent." Studies have shown that exercise helps defend the brain against the onset of Alzheimer's by stimulating brain activity, thus slowing down deterioration associated with regularly occurring cognitive problems.

The second pillar focuses on maintaining a healthy diet. Sometimes called "diabetes of the brain," Alzheimer's can be greatly affected by what you put into your body. "Poor food choices can create all kinds of hormonal changes and imbalances that lead to brain fog, poor memory and cognitive function decline," Peter Osborne, DACBN, PscD, said. Doctors recommend eating a Mediterranean diet, consisting of vegetables, beans, whole grains, fish, and olive oil, and focusing on the consumption of healthy fats, like omega-3s, to reduce the creation of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain. Also avoiding trans fats and saturated fats can help reduce inflammation and the production of free radicals in the body, which have been known to cause extra stress on the brain.

Furthermore, constant mental stimulation has been linked to slowing down and reversing the onset of dementia and other memory loss related brain disorders, making it the third pillar of Alzheimer's prevention. Studies have shown people with an inclination to continue learning and challenging themselves throughout life are far less likely to develop Alzheimer's and other debilitating brain diseases. Therefore, make it a point to stay mentally active, and take part in activities that require communicative interaction, organization skills, and multi-tasking, as they provide the greatest measurements of Alzheimer's protection.

Ensuring you get optimal amounts of quality sleep further helps stave off the onset of Alzheimer's and dementia. The fourth pillar of our list, quality uninterrupted sleep is one of the body's most efficient ways to flush out unwanted toxins in the brain. According to HelpGuide.org, "[S]tudies have linked poor sleep to higher levels of beta-amyloid, a sticky brain-clogging protein that in turn further interferes with sleep – especially with the deep sleep necessary for memory formation."

Additionally, the fifth pillar of Alzheimer's prevention, stress management, has been shown to significantly minimize the likelihood of developing dementia and other memory loss related brain disorders. Stress takes a huge toll on the brain. When the brain experiences regular levels of chronic or severe stress, nerve cell growth within the hippocampus, an area of the brain associated with memory, is greatly debilitated. There are lots of easy ways to help manage stress levels, and prevent damage to brain cells affecting memory. Schedule routine relaxation activities, maintain a sense of humor, and be sure to make having fun every now and then a priority.

Finally, social engagement has been shown to help treat and inhibit symptoms of Alzheimer's and dementia. Help Guide reported "Research shows that staying socially engaged may even protect against Alzheimer's disease and dementia later in life, so make developing and maintaining a strong network of friends a priority." That's not to say go, and make friends with every person you see. When it comes to helping stimulate positive brain activity, the quality of social interaction is greater than the quantity. Find ways to spend regular quality time with loved ones or family members, or if you're looking to make new friends, join a club or community center to try to meet people with similar interests as you.

Like most things in life, you get out of a situation what you put into it. While it's almost impossible to maintain optimal levels of performance in all six of the above listed pillars of Alzheimer's prevention, making an effort to improve even just a couple areas of your life can provide enormous mental health benefits that can help prevent Alzheimer's. For more information, sign up for the FREE online Alzheimer's and Dementia Summit being held from July 25 – August 1.

Sources:

HelpGuide.org

NaturalNews.com