Preventing Alzheimer’s (AD)

Do you worry about forgetting things?

Do you wonder if you are getting “All-Timer’s?”

Of course you do; we all do after a certain age. Hopefully you have run across the studies that show it can be prevented. That is the only rational approach to AD because the expensive drugs pushed by Big Pharma don’t work.

How can it be prevented? The answer is by addressing the same factors that lead to heart problems, that is, by optimizing how your neurons metabolize. Yes, METABOLISM, the same word you read practically every time you access this site. It’s all about how we fuel and build our cells through nutrition, how they detoxify, how we avoid outside toxins, and how we use said neurons.

It is very distressing to see these simple facts ignored while we are bombarded by TV commercials about ineffective drugs. But, there is hope. Below you will find two recent articles about lifestyles and AD. There have been many others like them published in the last twelve months. Before you read them take a look at the one immediately below. It was published clear back in 2002. Ask yourself why it was largely ignored, and why the new studies sound like they just made a major discovery.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1454&dat=20020718&id=0A5PAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eR8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=6530,393045&hl=en

July 18th 2002

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Lifestyle changes may delay, slow dementia, report says

ABC World News Tonight (6/22/17) reported, “The National Academies of Sciences” has concluded “that there is no proven way to stop Alzheimer’s, but certain lifestyle decisions may help.”

NBC Nightly News (6/22, story 9, 2:00, Holt) reported, “There hasn’t been solid proof that there’s anything you can do to reduce your risk, but tonight a new report finds there are three good habits you should be practicing now that could delay memory loss.”

The AP (6/22, Neergaard) reports that even though “there are no proven ways to stave off mental decline or dementia…a new report says there are hints that exercise, controlling blood pressure and some forms of brain training might offer help.” In the absence of proof, “the government should not begin a public health campaign pushing strategies for aging brain health, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine said in a report released” June 22 that came in response to a National Institute on Aging (NIA) request.

USA Today (6/22, Toy) reports, “The report’s findings line up with the Alzheimer’s Association’s findings from two years ago, said Keith N. Fargo, the association’s director of Scientific Programs and Outreach.” At that time, “the organization published its own review and identified two things that could help minimize the risk of cognitive decline.” Those two things were “‘increasing physical activity and improving cardiovascular health,’ he said.”

Healthy lifestyle best Alzheimer’s defense, studies show

USA Today (7/27/16) reports several new studies presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Toronto confirmed that “living a healthy, non-smoking, socially active and interesting life remains the best way to prevent dementia.” Moreover, research shows there are currently no “medications that can prevent the fatal disease, or extend the lives of the more than 5 million Americans currently suffering from Alzheimer’s.” However, the piece notes that “one class of drugs, cholinesterase inhibitors such as the drug Aricept, can delay or reduce symptoms in some people.”

  1. Sofi F, Cesari F, Abbate R, Gensini GF, Casini A. Adherence to Mediterranean diet and health status: meta-analysis. BMJ. 2008;337:a1344.
  2. Morris MC, Tangney CC, Wang Y, et al. MIND diet slows cognitive decline with aging. Alzheimers Dement. 2015;11:1015-1022.
  3. Morris MC, Tangney CC, Wang Y, Sacks FM, Bennett DA, Aggarwal NT. MIND diet associated with reduced incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimers Dement. 2015;11:1007-1014.
  4. Estruch R, Ros E, Salas-Salvado J, et al. Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a Mediterranean diet. N Engl J Med. 2013;368:1279-1290.
  5. Martinez-Lapiscina EH, Clavero P, Toledo E, et al. Mediterranean diet improves cognition: the PREDIMED-NAVARRA randomised trial. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2013;84:1318-1325.
  6. Smith PJ, Blumenthal JA, Babyak MA, et al. Effects of the dietary approaches to stop hypertension diet, exercise, and caloric restriction on neurocognition in overweight adults with high blood pressure. Hypertension. 2010;55:1331-1338.
  7. Ngandu T, Lehtisalo J, Solomon A, et al. A 2 year multidomain intervention of diet, exercise, cognitive training, and vascular risk monitoring versus control to prevent cognitive decline in at-risk elderly people (FINGER): a randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2015;385:2255-2263.
  8. Siervo M, Lara J, Chowdhury S, Ashor A, Oggioni C, Mathers JC. Effects of the Dietary Approach to stop Hypertension (DASH) diet on cardiovascular risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Nutr. 2015;113:1-15.
Hugo Rodier, MD
Hugo Rodier, MD is an integrative physician based in Draper, Utah who specializes in healing chronic disease at the cellular level by blending proper nutrition, lifestyle changes, & allopathic practices when necessary.