One of the most feared deseases of the elder population is Alzheimer’s. This devastating condition is the most common cause of dementia.
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Do you want to learn more about Alzheimer’s and how to prevent it?
It was first discovered by Dr. Alois Alzheimer, who studied the brain tissue of a woman that had died from a strange dementia causing her language loss and unpredictable behavior. He found that brain tissue was covered in amyloid plaques and bundles of fibers. He also found that the nerve cell connections where lost. Countless studies have been carried out to try to understand better how this fatale disease works but little in known still. The first signs of Alzheimer´s are memory loss, difficulty to find the right word, visual issues or impaired judgement. Nowadays, Alzheimer’s disease affects more than 44 million people worldwide. Although only a quarter of these patients have been diagnosed.
Nevertheless, although Alzheimer’s is a deadly disease, it can be prevented having a healthy lifestyle and surrounding ourselves with the proper aid. Studies show that eating fruits and vegetables and fish rich in fatty acids such as Omega-3 like Salmon can prevent the damage to the nerve cells and provide protection to the myelin sheath of the neurons, which protect the neuronal connections in the brain. One of the best ways to achieve this is simply by having a healthy Mediterranean diet as is rich in olive oil, which is a great source of Omega-3 too. This in turn will help control your blood pressure, which is essential in the prevention of Alzheimer´s.
Regular exercise is another basic tip to reduce the chances of suffering Alzheimer’s.
Keeping a good muscular tone and carrying out activities which require coordination help to keep the whole nerve system healthy. In addition to this, the body is not the only part of the body that you should be exercising. Keeping the brain active is another way of staying healthy and decreasing the chances of suffering Alzheimer’s, simple things like puzzles and riddles can be of great help. It has been proven that something as trivial as taking a different route to work every day can be a substantial brain training to create new neurological pathways in our mind.
It has also been scientifically proven that sleep is essential for the neurons to regenerate and heal from damages that may have been done. Getting enough hours’ sleep is just as important as exercising and eating healthy.
In conclusion, Alzheimer´s is a fatal disease which causes a terrible disruption in the lives of the patients and its relative. For that reason, it is essential that we have a healthy lifestyle and that we protect ourselves and others from it.