Lifestyle Strategies That Reduce Your Risk of Alzheimer's Disease
While genetics can raise your risk of Alzheimer's, even genetic predisposition does not mean dementia is your inevitable fate. On the other hand, you may have no genetic predisposition for dementia and still lose your mind. It's important to remember that your genetic expression is predicated on epigenetic factors such as your diet, exercise, sleep and environmental exposures.
You can, to a great degree, influence your genetic fate, no matter what you start out with. When it comes to preventing Alzheimer's, enhancing your mitochondrial function is paramount.
Optimize your gut flora — To do this, avoid processed foods, antibiotics and antibacterial products, fluoridated and chlorinated water, and be sure to eat traditionally fermented and cultured foods, along with a high-quality probiotic if needed. |
If you enjoy black coffee, keep the habit — I personally don’t drink coffee because I don’t enjoy the taste but if you're a coffee drinker, there's good news. Caffeine triggers the release of BDNF that activates brain stem cells to convert into new neurons, thereby improving your brain health. High-quality coffee also has many beneficial polyphenols that can improve brain function. In one study, people with mild cognitive impairment whose blood levels of caffeine were higher (due to coffee consumption) were less likely to progress to full-blown dementia compared to those who did not drink coffee.36 In another study, older women whose coffee consumption was above average had a lower risk of dementia.37 Just make sure your coffee is organic, as coffee tends to be heavily sprayed with pesticides. |
Move regularly and consistently throughout the day |
Optimize your magnesium levels — Preliminary research strongly suggests a decrease in Alzheimer symptoms with increased levels of magnesium in the brain. Magnesium threonate appears particularly useful as it has the ability to cross your blood brain barrier. |
Get sensible sun exposure to optimize your vitamin D and reap other photobiomodulation benefits — Sufficient vitamin D is imperative for proper functioning of your immune system to combat inflammation associated with Alzheimer's. If you are unable to get sufficient amounts of sun exposure, make sure to take daily supplemental vitamin D3 to make your blood level at least 60 to 80 ng/ml. This is typically about 8,000 units of vitamin D for most adults. That said, please do remember that sun exposure is also important for reasons unrelated to vitamin D. The near-infrared light in sunlight actually helps boost cognition and reduces symptoms of Alzheimer's via a process known as photobiomodulation. |
Avoid and eliminate mercury from your body — Dental amalgam fillings are one of the major sources of heavy metal toxicity; however, you should be healthy prior to having them removed. Once you have adjusted to following the diet described in my optimized nutrition plan, you can follow the mercury detox protocol and then find a biological dentist to have your amalgams removed. |
Avoid and eliminate aluminum from your body — Common sources of aluminum include antiperspirants, nonstick cookware and vaccine adjuvants. There is some suggestion that certain mineral waters high in silicic acid may help your body eliminate aluminum. |
Avoid flu vaccinations — Most flu vaccines contain both mercury and aluminum. |
Avoid statins and anticholinergic drugs — Drugs that block acetylcholine, a nervous system neurotransmitter, have been shown to increase your risk of dementia. These drugs include certain nighttime pain relievers, antihistamines, sleep aids, certain antidepressants, medications to control incontinence and certain narcotic pain relievers. Statin drugs are particularly problematic because they suppress the synthesis of cholesterol, deplete your brain of coenzyme Q10, vitamin K2 and neurotransmitter precursors and prevent adequate delivery of essential fatty acids and fat-soluble antioxidants to your brain by inhibiting the production of the indispensable carrier biomolecule known as low-density lipoprotein. |
Limit your exposure to non-native electromagnetic fields (cellphones, Wi-Fi routers and modems) — The primary pathology behind cellphone damage is not related specifically to brain tumors, or even to cancer. The real danger lies in damage from the reactive nitrogen species peroxynitrites.38 Increased peroxynitrites from cellphone exposure will damage your mitochondria, and your brain is the most mitochondrial-dense organ in your body. Increased peroxynitrite generation has also been associated with increased levels of systemic inflammation by triggering cytokine storms, autonomic hormonal dysfunction and mitochondrial dysfunction. Peroxynitrite is an unstable structural ion produced in your body after nitric oxide is exposed to superoxide, and this complex chemical process begins with exposure to low-frequency microwave radiation from your cellphone, Wi-Fi and cellphone towers.39,40 |
Get plenty of restorative sleep — Sleep is necessary for maintaining metabolic homeostasis in your brain. Wakefulness is associated with mitochondrial stress; without sufficient sleep, neuron degeneration sets in. While sleep problems are common in Alzheimer's patients, poor sleep may also be contributing to the disease by driving the buildup of amyloid plaques in your brain. While you sleep, your brain flushes out waste materials, and if you don't sleep well, this natural detoxification and clean-out process will be severely hampered. |
Challenge your mind daily — Mental stimulation, especially learning something new, such as learning to play an instrument or a new language, is associated with a decreased risk of dementia and Alzheimer's. Researchers suspect that mental challenge helps to build up your brain, making it less susceptible to the lesions associated with Alzheimer's disease. |
No comments:
Post a Comment