Abbotsford News
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Friday, September 27, 2019 A23
ADULTLiving A B B O T S F O R D ’ S
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LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST
How to combat dementia and memory loss More than 50 million people world-wide living with Alzheimer’s Alzheimer’s Disease International says that there were approximately 50 million people living with dementia in 2017. Experts predict that number will roughly double every 20 years, highlighting just how pervasive dementia is across the globe.
medications for conditions. The Mayo Clinic also says nutritional deficiencies, such as dehydration and not getting enough vitamins B1, B6 and B12, can cause dementia-type symptoms. Dementias linked to heavy-metal poisoning also may be resolved with treatment.
Dementia describes symptoms affecting memory, thinking and social abilities. The Mayo Clinic says dementia can become so severe that it interferes with daily life. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of progressive dementia, though there are other causes as well. Dementias can result from frontotemporal lobar degenerations, vascular disorders, Parkinson’s disease, and Lewy Body disease. Depending on the cause, some dementia symptoms may be reversible. For example, medical professionals have discovered a link between insulin resistance and the development of dementia. Insulin resistance, which results from eating too many carbs and sugar and not enough fat, is a major factor that contributes to Alzheimer’s disease, according to The Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement. Some scientists now refer to Alzheimer’s as “Type 3
diabetes.” Cutting out sugar and refined carbs and adding lots of good fats may prevent and even reverse pre-dementia in many aging adults. Using an animal model, researchers at Temple University Health System discovered that a drug blocking inflammatory mol-
ecules known as leukotrienes can reverse tau pathology, the second most important lesion in the brain in patients with Alzheimer’s. This can bring hope that medication may help reverse Alzheimer’s instead of just mitigating symptoms.
In addition, people can take proactive approaches to preventing aging of the brain even if they aren’t yet suffering cognitive decline. A proactive approach can include: • getting adequate sleep; • controlling stress levels; • getting thyroid and reproductive hormone levels checked and treated, if necessary; • exercising daily, aiming for at least 30 minutes; • eating healthy fats like omega3 fatty acids, which are found in fatty fish, coconut oil, olive oil, whole nuts, eggs, and some seeds; Other ways to prevent or reverse and dementias involve preventing the • reducing consumption of sugar brain pathology that occurs. For and processed carbohydrates. example, reducing the risk of stroke can prevent vascular deCombating dementia can inmentias. Dementia risks linked to volve an array of strategies aimed infections and immune disorders at helping people reduce their risk may be lowered by making dietary and possibly even reverse course. changes or taking appropriate
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