What Prevents Alzheimer’s? by Susan Dunn, MA, Personal & Professional Development Coach

The answer is still “we don’t know,” but we’re getting closer.

Alzheimer’s is not normal in the course of aging, and it’s more than “a decline in memory.” People suffering from Alzheimer’s, through progressive destruction of brain cells, lose the ability to think, reason, learn and communicate, and also undergo personality changes. For the ten warning signs of Alzheimer’s go here: http://www.alz.org/AboutAD/10Signs.htm . Alzheimer’s is eventually fatal because the person cannot move or swallow.

Although around 12 million people worldwide have Alzheimer’s, and 4-4.5 million in the US, research in this field is still new and not enough is known about either prevention or cure. Much of the research “suggests” but is not conclusive.

RISK FACTORS

The biggest risk factor is aging, with about 50% of people over 85 years of age having Alzlheimer’s in the US. According to some sources, there’s evidence it has the same risk factors as for heart disease: high blood pressure, high cholesterol and elevated homocysteine, a protein building block.

In an article called “Homocysteine is a Strong Risk factor for Alzheimer’s Disease,” (New England Journal of Medicine, 2002 Feb 14; 346:476-483), researchers concluded that “an increased homocysteine level is a strong, independent risk factor for the development of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.”

VITAMIN E

According to research done by Martha Clare Morris, ScD, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging, Chicago, Illinois, lots of vitamin E through food intake, not supplements is helpful. ( www.medscape.com) while another study (http://www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/news/8525697700573E1885256C00004A766D ) suggests that both food intake and supplements of vitamin E is helpful.

Foods high in vitamin E are wheat germ, almonds, vegetable oils, margarine, and seeds (especially sunflower seeds).

1 T. of wheat germ provides 34.6 mg. of vitamin E, ½ cup of chocolate covered almonds, 14.3 mg., 1 T. corn oil, 11-14 mg., 1 T. soybean oil, 8.8-14 mg.

According to the Almond Board of California, just one ounce of almonds provides more than 35% of the daily value of vitamin E.

FAT

According to studies reported in www.medscape.com, high intake of saturated fat doubles the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and moderate intake of trans fat increases the risk by 2-3 times. Lower risk is associated with high intake of both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. However there have been inconsistent findings, with another study finding no influence from high ingestion of polyunsaturated fats.

FISH AND n-3 FATTY ACIDS

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BIO:

©Susan Dunn, MA, The EQ Coach, http://www.susandunn.cc . I offer coaching, distance learning courses, and ebooks around emotional intelligence. Free ezine, Mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc. Daily tips, send blank email to EQ4U-subscribe@yahoogroups.com . I train and certify EQ coaches. Start tomorrow, no residence requirement, global student body. Email for prospectus.

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