All About Alzheimer's Disease- Causes, Symptoms and Prevention

Alzheimer's disease is a disease of the brain that causes a decline in memory, thinking, judgement and the ability to pay attention. It is much more serious than your typical age related memory loss. It starts off slowly and gets progressively worse over time.

Warning Signs:

One of the first signs of Alzheimer's disease is a difficulty in remembering names and recent events. Memory loss can begin to affect the persons day to day activities. He may begin to have difficulty performing familiar tasks. Expressing himself can be challenging. He may use the wrong words for things, making it difficult for anyone to understand him. Or he may repeat the same story to you over and over again. He may be easily disoriented and get lost easily. Look for any change in personality, typical behaviors or mood. He may anger easily when frustrated. Or he may become very passive and withdraw from daily life. Eventually he may become completely helpless and reliant on a caregiver to help with all daily tasks.

Risk Factors:

Age is the biggest risk factor of Alzheimer's disease. According to www.alzheimer.ca 1 in 20 Canadians over age 65, and 1 in 4 over 85 are affected by this disease. Genetics also plays a role. Females are twice as likely to get it as males. Some researchers think it is due to the declining estrogen levels at menopause. If you have had a head injury at any point you are at a greater risk.  Low levels of formal education are linked to Alzheimer's disease. Long term stress or clinical depression is linked. Health issues such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes can increase your risk too.

Prevention:

There are ways to reduce your risk of getting Alzheimer's or any age related dementia. A healthy diet including lots of antioxidants will reduce free radical damage to the brain tissue. Make sure to get enough B vitamins, especially folic acid. You should also include vitamins C and E, selenium and omega 3 fatty acids in your diet. A well balanced diet that includes lots of fruits, vegetables and some fish should give you what you need. Avoid smoking, alcohol and drugs.

 Keep your mind active. Exercise your brain by always learning new things. Playing games, reading or doing puzzles are all proven to ward off memory problems and keep your mind sharp. Keep an active social life. Exercise keeps blood circulating to the brain so keep moving. Try to get a little exercise every day.