You can prevent Alzheimer's by staying lean, eating fruit and vegetables and exercising

Main Category: Cholesterol
Article Date: 20 Jul 2004 - 12:00 PST


Researchers in a new study say that you can prevent Alzheimer's by staying lean, eating lots of fruit and vegetables and exercising, you will also reduce significantly your risk of developing heart disease. High cholesterol during midlife, as well as high blood pressure will increase your risk of developing Alzheimer's and dementia later in life if you do not do anything about it.

Dr. Marilyn Albert, Alzheimer's Association's Medical and Scientific Council (USA), said "There are a variety of lifestyle factors that people can engage in that will reduce their risk of cognitive decline. The brain is much more plastic than we thought. It has more capacity to renew and regenerate. ... We have to tell people that they need to think about their cognitive health in a way that they typically thought about their physical health…..The pathology of Alzheimer's disease develops over 10 years, possibly longer. People should start as early in life as possible."

A Finnish study found that people who are obese in midlife have twice the risk of developing dementia during old age - the study looked at 1,500 people. The people with high cholesterol and blood pressure had six times the risk.

Women who eat plenty of vegetables during their middle-age years are much less likely to lose their cognitive abilities during their 70s than women who did not eat many vegetables. This study looked at 13,000 women. The study was carried out at the Harvard Medical School, led by Dr. Jae Hee Kang.

According to research carried out at the Karolinska Institute, Sweden, activities which combine mental and physical functions significantly reduce one's chances of developing old age dementia. The researchers stressed that the activities must be combined to provide the best protection.

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