ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: How to prevent one of the fastest-growing threats to American health?

This article was published in The Mindful Word journal of engaged living (http://www.themindfulword.org)

The number of people with Alzheimer’s disease is expected to triple in the next 40 years, according to a new study published in the February 2013 issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

The study found that by 2050 the total number of people with Alzheimer’s dementia is projected to be 13.8 million (up from 4.7 million in 2010) and of these, around 7 million would be age 85 or older.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. It happens when you lose neurons and their synapses between other neurons. When the brain is scanned it’s possible to see plaques where deposits of proteins accumulate. It’s like the lights are slowly going out over time.

Why is there such an increase in Alzheimer’s disease? The norm is to ask “Is there a drug for that?” but maybe we should be asking if there’s a way of preventing this neurometabolic process, or at least slow it down.

Flu shots

Immuno-geneticist Dr. H. Hugh Fudenberg, MD in 1997 cited a ten-year study conducted in the 1980′s which demonstrated that those who have had five or more consecutive flu shots as opposed to one or two or no flu shots have a tenfold chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Did you get that? Getting the flu shot five or more consecutive times increased the chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease ten times. This is something to seriously consider. There are, or can be, severe metabolic consequences from chemicals and biochemical adjuncts to the human body’s normal metabolism.

Type 3 Diabetes

Another development relates to blood sugar metabolism in the brain. Type 3 diabetes is a title proposed for Alzheimer’s disease which results from resistance to insulin in the brain.

Researchers identified the possibility of this new form of diabetes after discovering that insulin is produced by the brain as well as the pancreas. Resistance in the brain to insulin and insulin-like growth factor is a key part of the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. The brain needs a steady input of oxygen and glucose. How many people have early Type 3 diabetes? We know the incidence of Type 2 diabetes is escalating in the U.S.

These are just two possible causes of dementia and early onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Before we go looking for a cure we best look at these and other basic contributors to this fast-growing threat to American health.

As the number of these cases increase, the strain on the U.S. healthcare system will only rise, increasing calls for greater capacity in nursing homes and demand for skilled healthcare providers. It will also increase the strain on families, who often care for afflicted relatives until that burden becomes too great.

How to prevent Alzheimer’s disease

You can start now to reduce the risks by avoiding the flu vaccine, eating saturated fats that the brain needs for structure and support and drastically reducing (preferably stopping) your extra sugar intake. Physical and mental exercises are also important, so engage in movement activities and do brain exercises like crossword puzzles or word searches.

There’s no time like the present to begin reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

The post ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: How to prevent one of the fastest-growing threats to American health? appeared first on The Mindful Word.

Sign up for a free subscription to The Mindful Word\’s quarterly digital magazine at http://www.themindfulword.org/subscribe