Preventing Alzheimer's
Dear Readers, when I saw this article, it really caught my attention. We know that in the United States, more people die with or from Alzheimer's or another form of dementia than all of the fatalities from breast and prostate cancer combined. Plus, the diagnosis of these diseases is up 36 percent from 20 years ago. It's estimated that at this time, nearly 6.5 million US citizens aged 65 and older have Alzheimer's, the most common type of dementia. By 2050, that number is expected to possibly double. And interestingly, it is the second most feared disease, second only to cancer.
The Global Picture is More Dismal
Worldwide, the numbers are far greater. According to the US National Institutes of Health, more than 25 million people in the world today are affected by dementia, most suffering from Alzheimer's disease. (And honestly, that number seems very low to me.) Now, there is some encouraging new research that will bring clarity to our understanding and may change the way we think about this dreaded disease.
New Information about the Cause
For years, the causes of Alzheimer's and related dementias (ADRDs) have been mysterious. In the past, we believed that Alzheimer's was caused by a buildup of the protein amyloids or tau in the brain, causing plaques around brain cells or tangles within them. But recent several studies, including recent research, have challenged that theory, while other studies have shown that people with amyloid plaque buildup may never develop ADRDs.
Lots of Risk Factors
While experts still don't know the absolute cause of Alzheimer's and other dementias, scientists have recognized a number of considerations that increase the risk. In a study released just six months ago, the findings reinforced earlier results, indicating smoking, depression, Type 2 diabetes and, surprisingly, hearing loss as disorders connected to Alzheimer's. Three of the most conspicuous indicators were physical inactivity, low education, and midlife obesity. Moreover, head trauma, heavy metal toxicity, thyroid dysfunction, diabetes, mental illness, and environmental pollution of air and food were all seen to increase the risk of developing the disease. Interestingly, gender and ethnicity also play a major role.
Gender and Ethnicity
According to this recent research, nearly 66 percent of the millions of Americans living with ADRDs are women. Plus, while most of the people with Alzheimer's and dementia are Caucasians, African Americans are twice as likely to have ADRDs, and people identifying as Hispanic are about one and a half times more likely than non-Hispanic whites. However, these percentages are confusing: Studies have dependably shown that Black and underrepresented patients are less likely to be diagnosed in the early stages of dementia. But then, when the disease is discovered later, it is more advanced. It appears that there are inherent biases in the diagnoses that providers apply to these non-white patients during screenings.
Is Alzheimer's Preventable?
Traditional medicine is still struggling for answers and treatments. Now, new areas of research and new approaches to therapy are producing heartening results. Recent studies have even found that some dementias are reversible, even those caused by head trauma. (Read my Herman Trend Alert from two weeks ago on Neuroplasticity to read more about how the brain can recover from head trauma.) The prevailing belief is that Alzheimer's and other dementias are the results of a combination of physical and environmental conditions.
Early Detection is Critical
Sadly, today many people are diagnosed long after the window for effective treatment has closed. We used to think that mild cognitive impairment (MCI) was regarded as normal cognitive aging. We now understand that MCI is a stage of severe decline far beyond the normal aging process. Once MCI is well underway, it is harder to reverse. Many physicians now believe that the goal is starting a preventive program during the earlier subjective stage, long before more serious effects set in. If this early detection is to happen, patients must learn to recognize their symptoms and trust their own instincts, then, if required, seek help. At the same time, we need to train our doctors better so they can identify the symptoms as well as listen to and trust their patients---without prejudice.
The Importance of Lifestyle Changes to Reduce Risk
Some factors of our lifestyle are beyond our control, including environmental pollution Others are within our power to affect. We can stay away from excessive sugar, unhealthy fats, too much alcohol, and any kind of smoking or vaping. All of those unhealthy behaviors have been implicated in dementia. As in most diseases, the harmful effects of stress have also been correlated as a significant factor in how the brain changes over time. Meanwhile, two diets have been found to increase brain health: the Mediterranean and ketogenic diets.
Exercise makes a Huge Difference
We also know from several 2022 groundbreaking studies in the US and the UK that exercise has a very significant and positive lowering of the risk of dementia, and even reversing cognitive decline. An impressive seven-year study following nearly 80,000 people published in the Journal of the American Medical Association this September reported that people who walked 10,000 steps per day decreased their risk of developing dementia by a tremendous 51 percent. However, there were cognitive benefits associated with even the smallest increase in steps.
What's the Future of Alzheimer's and Dementia?
What this latest research tells us is that small lifestyle changes can have huge positive effects in preventing these diseases. More research into pharmaceuticals will yield more effective treatments. However, the research into lifestyle changes holds promise for today and tomorrow. I believe that we will also discover that nutrition also plays a more important role than researched to date.
Next Week's Herman Trend Alert: The End of the Remote Work?
Many companies would like to end remote work. Their leaders believe that congregate work will be more productive and profitable. Some bosses are no long asking, they are demanding. But is it working? Tune into next week's Herman Trend Alert to find out.
To read the entire article from which this blog was mostly taken, visit https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzGqRPvFVPxJrdJjLfXZqsrqpXNq
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