Alzheimer’s Disease

No treatment has been found yet

The number of dementia patients is increasing rapidly, with an increase in life expectancy, according to World Health Organization (WHO). It is anticipated that the numbers will rise to 75.6 million by 2030.

Although doctors have yet to fully understand the causes of Alzheimer’s disease, ongoing research has shown that it is caused by brain cell death. It is a neurodegenerative disease, which means there is progressive brain cell death that happens over a course of time.  The total brain size shrinks with Alzheimer’s – the tissue has progressively fewer nerve cells and connections. Alzheimer’s disease is caused by a combination of genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors that affect the brain over time. Symptoms include memory loss that disrupts daily life, challenges in planning or solving problems, difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure, confusion with time or place, trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships, new problems with words in speaking or writing, misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps, decreased or poor judgment, withdrawal from work or social activities, changes and mood and personality.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia that can affect memory, change in behavior and the ability to perform daily activities, among other issues. It is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually the ability to carry out the simplest tasks.

In most people with Alzheimer’s, symptoms first appear in their mid-60s. Alzheimer’s is a disease that evokes great fear in many people as they age since there is still no treatment for this disease. Recent research reported that taking care of the patient and standing by him/her will result in better outcomes along with the available medications.

Can we prevent it?

Here are seven effective ways to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, according to Boldsky website:

1. Being fit

Weight loss is one of the best natural ways to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, as a study has shown that obesity and overweight may lead to Alzheimer’s disease with age.

2. Eating healthy

Eating healthy foods rich in nutrients and minerals, especially foods containing omega-3 fatty acids, helps keep your brain cells healthy.

3. Lowering cholesterol levels

When cholesterol level is high, it may accumulate in the arteries and may reach the brain cells causing damage and leading to Alzheimer’s disease.

4. Controlling blood pressure

A natural way to avoid Alzheimer’s disease is to maintain a normal blood pressure. High blood pressure causes damage to the arteries and obstructs blood flow to the brain, damaging nerve cells.

5. Keep learning new things

A recent study found that learning new things and skills, playing chess and solving puzzles make you less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.

6. Treating depression

The treatment of depression and anxiety quickly contributes to the prevention of Alzheimer’s, as mental disorders can rapidly damage brain cells.

7. Avoiding red meat

Not eating too much red meat and trying to avoid it also contributes naturally to the prevention of Alzheimer’s because the amino acid found in them can damage brain cells.

The most common symptoms can be identified as follows:

• Inability to understand and remember new information
• Misplacing things and being unable to retrace steps to find them
• Inability to do simple things or wear appropriate clothing
• Difficulty to think of common words during a conversation
• Poor judgment and decision-making
• Change in personality or behavior
• Poor perception of risks and planning ability