The inconvenient truth of Alzheimer's. The power of prevention.
Our brains are who we are. Period.
Our brains are responsible for the way we think, our moods, personality, memory, creativity, and our social interactions. A healthy brain is key to a healthy and happy life.
But Alzheimer’s disease robs us of who we are. Don’t stick your head in the sand. Here’s some important facts you need to know.
In the U.S. almost 6 million people are currently affected by Alzheimer’s. That means tens of millions of family members or more have been gravely affected by this devastating disease. The stress of a family member with Alzheimer’s increases your risk, not just because of genes, but because of stress.
If you live to 85 years, your risk of Alzheimer's is 50/50. How good are you at flipping a coin?
Women have a higher risk than men.
Dementia, of which Alzheimer’s is a subtype, is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. While mortality from other diseases like heart disease, cancer and diabetes has decreased, mortality from Alzheimer's has grown by 123%.
Alzheimer’s is not just emotionally draining for a family but also physically and financially. Care givers suffer because they neglect their own well being and have increased medical costs that can be related back to their stress.
Yes our population is getting older, but the biggest cause of the increase in the incidence of Alzheimer’s are the lifestyle choices we make and the environment in which we live.
There is no cure and no current available medication to prevent or reverse the disease process. Many factors lead to the development of Alzheimer’s and it’s unrealistic to think one pill will magically fix all of those problems.
Changes in the brain begin to show up 20 -30 years before symptoms are seen. And maybe even earlier. This means you don’t want to wait until you’re in your 80s to begin to change your lifestyle.
PREVENTION IS THE ANSWER TO NOT DEVELOPING ALZHEIMER’S.
The good news is that you don’t have to stick your head in the sand, flip a coin, or pray that you don’t get Alzheimer’s. There are steps you can begin to take today to take charge of your brain’s destiny.
Sleep
Diet that creates a healthy gut microbiome
Exercise
Reduce stress
Decrease Inflammation
Prevent or manage diabetes
Eliminate toxins
These are all part of the lifestyle changes you can make to prevent this devastating disease. Want to learn more? Is your head out of the sand? Put down that coin and come to one of two workshops in September.
The time to begin Alzheimer’s prevention is NOW.