Can we prevent Alzheimer's?;

The process of cerebral apoptosis leading to Alzheimer's, is now believed to start much earlier than the first symptoms of the disease. Yes, constantly forgetting our keys or the reason for being brought into a room in the house is not ruled out to be the first, very early signs. But maybe not. One thing is for sure, we can catch up Alzheimer's to a certain extent by adopting certain habits in our lives.

New scientific evidence, in fact, says that it is never too early to start the prevention, because in fact Alzheimer's actually starts earlier than experts thought until now. And certainly earlier than the first symptoms.

When does Alzheimer's begin?;

For most people, the first symptoms of the disease usually start to appear around the time of the first 60s. It is estimated to affect at least 50 million people over 65 worldwide. However, the decline in brain function is believed to starts 10 years earlier, maybe more.

And yet, the disease is not a consequence of age. In most forms of dementia - the most common form is Alzheimer's - brain cells slow down and, for reasons that are currently mysterious, the connections between brain centres weaken. This results in a blurring of the memory and other cognitive functions.

So, we go from «where did I put my keys?» to crisis discount, the unjustified confusion and disorientation that we see in Alzheimer's patients. In some rare forms of the disease, the first dysfunctions can begin as early as the 30s.

What factors help Alzheimer's to occur?;

In order for scientists to come up with treatments and preventive measures, they keep looking for all the mysterious reasons that lead to a decline in brain function. At study published in the summer of 2021, scientists came up with a series of what they called «modifying» risk factors.

Η Heredity is of course an indisputable indication. But there are other factors, outside of our genetic material, that may contribute to the onset of Alzheimer's. These are:

• Untreated depression.
• High blood pressure.
• Lack of physical activity.
• Diabetes.
• Obesity.
• Hyperlipidemia (high levels of cholesterol in the blood).
• Poor nutrition.
• Smoking.
• Social isolation.
• Alcohol abuse.
• Sleep disorders.
• Hearing loss.

The good news, however, is that dementia is not inevitable. One of the researchers in the above study, Dr Deborah Levine, from the University of Michigan School of Medicine, said: «We now have more and more evidence that people can maintain a healthy brain and prevent dementia, adopting healthy habits and controlling factors related to the cardiovascular system».

In what ways can we prevent Alzheimer's?;

1. Increase physical activity

Moderate physical activity, such as a brisk daily walk, has been shown to promote physical and mental health, improve sleep, reduce symptoms of depression and promote good cognitive function.

Experts say you should start as soon as possible, no matter how old you are. Poor health in middle age - compounded by lack of physical activity, poor diet and high blood pressure - more than doubles the risk of dementia in later years.

2. We set our minds to new challenges

Several studies have shown that the mental alertness can help maintain good memory and thinking skills. One of them, published in July 2021 in the journal Neurology, looked at 1,978 80-year-olds who did not have dementia at the start of the study.

During a seven-year follow-up period, 457 of them developed symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Those who remained mentally active - writing, doing puzzles, playing card games or reading - showed a five-year delay in the onset of symptoms.

3. Choose colourful, natural foods

More and more scientific data demonstrates the contribution of flavonoids with strong antioxidant activity to overall health. A recent study has shed light on the link between these beneficial substances and good cognitive function.

According to this, thePeople who eat at least half a portion a day of foods high in flavonoids have a 20% lower risk of cognitive decline compared to those who consume few flavonoids.

Foods high in flavonoids are apples, blueberries, blackberries, berries, celery, cherries, grapefruit, oranges, peaches, pears, peppers and strawberries. Fruits and vegetables with a yellow or orange colour seem to be even more protective. Remarkably, each shade of fruit and vegetables offers us different phytochemicals, all important for our health.

Although the study assessed cognitive decline and not just Alzheimer's, its leaders stress two things:

• Cognitive impairment is directly linked to the disease, so prevention may be common.
• It's never too late to start a colourful and definitely beneficial diet, even if you've never eaten fruits and vegetables before. Besides, Alzheimer's also passes through the... gut!