Alzheimer’s Disease is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States and the most common cause of dementia. It is also known as Type 3 diabetes because some types are linked to metabolic function. With Alzheimer’s, you slowly lose your memory and thinking skills, which affects your ability to connect with loved ones, and eventually, you can lose the ability to complete normal daily activities on your own. Most people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s also develop dementia which is a further dysfunction of psychological processes. It is a slow and painful disease for both the person diagnosed and their loved ones. Currently, there is no medical cure for this disease. Let’s dive into some of the causes of Alzheimer’s and dementia and how prevention can be supported with lifestyle changes.
What is Alzheimer’s?
Alzheimer’s is characterized by a decline in brain function and is now being linked to Type 3 diabetes. Like any other body part or organ, your brain can become inflamed by the lifestyle choices that you make. When your brain processes insulin, it uses up to 60% of your body’s sugar stores. When the brain loses its ability to use that energy properly, it leads to inflammation in the brain. That inflammation can rapidly decrease brain function and increase the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia. Alzheimer’s is a slow-progressing disease with 3 stages.
Early-stage or Mild Alzheimer’s
During the early stage of Alzheimer’s, a person is able to function normally but they begin to notice a few changes such as having trouble remembering things, misplacing valuable items, forgetting material or things, and difficulty performing tasks. At this stage, it’s possible to help slow the progression of the disease by addressing lifestyle.
Middle Stage or Moderate Alzheimer’s
In the middle stage of Alzheimer’s, the dementia is more noticeable and more care is required as the person will begin to experience greater memory loss and difficulty performing everyday tasks. The person may have trouble remembering personal history or events from their life, controlling their bladder, controlling mood swings or delusions, and handling tasks such as paying bills. They may experience changes in their sleep and personality and begin to hallucinate. At this stage of the disease, there is nerve damage in the brain.
End-stage or Severe Alzheimer’s
In this last stage of Alzheimer’s Disease, a person’s brain tissue has shrunk significantly and there may be plaque and tangles spread throughout their brain. They would require around-the-clock care, as they are no longer able to communicate or control and initiate their movement. They may become completely unresponsive to their environment. During this stage, the person is also more vulnerable to viruses and infections.
Researchers have been stumped by the cause of Alzheimer’s, but there is one common link that cannot be overlooked and if you make changes early in your life, then you can prevent this neurological disease altogether.
What Causes it? What are the risk factors?
Alzheimer’s Disease is thought to be caused by a genetic marker called amyloid. However, studies have shown that amyloid therapies have not been shown to prevent or improve the condition. Other links to the cause of Alzheimer’s include low metabolic rate, abnormal brain glucose, and inflammation in the brain. It’s been linked to conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, high inflammation, high blood pressure, and hypothyroidism as a by-product or outcome. These conditions have been linked to Lifestyle choices which means that with a few changes we can prevent or support these conditions in order to prevent Alzheimer’s. Below are the risk factors you should look out for.
- Poor lifestyle choices
- Heart Disease
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
- Type 2 diabetes
- Obesity
- Genetics
- Inflammation
Symptoms
During each stage of dementia and Alzheimer’s, each symptom may be present and slowly worsen over time. Some symptoms can last for years until the complete function of the capability is lost. These symptoms include:
- Memory loss
- Trouble remembering loved ones, personal history, and events
- Misplacing valuable items
- Difficulty communicating
- Nerve damage in the brain
- Loss of motor skills
- Inability to control movement
- Inability to complete everyday tasks
Alzheimer’s is a slow and devastating disease for both the victim and their loved ones, but there are things you can do now to prevent Alzheimer’s.
Natural Remedies
Here are five natural remedies that you can start today to help reduce your risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease!
Insulin Friendly Lifestyle
How you’re eating and you’re moving through your life, is essential to an insulin-friendly lifestyle. Remember, sugar can inflame our brain just like any other part of our bodies so, it’s important to keep inflammation down by exercising, fasting, and choosing to make cleaner and healthier food choices.
Increase Vascular Blood Flow
It’s also important to increase your vascular blood flow to the brain which will optimize nutrients and oxygen. You can do this daily through exercise and movement such as cardio, walking, and rebounding. Rebounding helps to get the blood flowing to the appropriate areas. It also helps to optimize the nutrients and oxygen flowing to your brain.
Anti-Inflammatory Approach to Pain
Omega 3s and turmeric help to reduce inflammation and to reduce cognitive impairment. Livingood Daily Omegas + Turmeric is a highly concentrated dose of Omegas and Turmeric that fight inflammation and make a great brain health supplement.
Healthy Fats
Our brain is made up primarily of fat. If you give your brain toxic fat, it will inflame, block, and congest cells. It’s important to know the difference between healthy fats and unhealthy fats. Research shows that one of the best healthy fats for your brain is coconut oil. Coconut oil is high in caprylic acid, which can be broken down into ketones. This is like brain food and it also boosts the immune system. 1-2 tbsp of coconut oil food per day is a great way to get your daily brain food. An easy way to get it in is to add it to your Bulletproof coffee in the morning!
Avoid peanut oil, soybean oil, canola, and vegetable oils. These oils are toxic to your body and may create inflammation and congestion!
Sleep
Sleep decreases your dementia risk. We are overusing our brains, an ample amount of sleep each night will give your brain a necessary break. If you have trouble sleeping, there are natural aids that you can take such as lemon balm to help calm your system down. Our Livingood Daily Calm supplement is formulated with natural herbs such as magnesium, chamomile, and lemon balm. You can take it before bed to get into a deeper sleep faster. If you have trouble staying asleep, try Livingood Daily De-Stress to help you get your full night’s rest.
Summary
Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease for all involved but with a dedication to real health changes, you can change you or your family member’s outcome.
Sources
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-disease-fact-sheet
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34829370/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27179961/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jnr.24064
https://thefnc.com/research/do-you-have-brain-inflammation/
