Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia, affects around six in 10 people in the UK. In its early stages it can cause memory lapses and later it can develop into confusion, disorientation, delusions, problems with speech and mood swings among other symptoms.
Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, it is currently believed around 40 percent of dementia cases can be prevented through certain changes to your lifestyle.
According to research, these include factors such as diet, exercise, alcohol intake and exposure to air pollution.
But getting more into the specifics of what this really means, experts shared things we can all do now to lower our risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life.
Ahead of the first global Alzheimer’s Prevention Day (May 15), led by prevention charity Food For The Brain, 30 leading brain experts from across the US, UK, China and Japan pinpointed eight key rules to follow.
These are:
- Lowering your carbohydrate intake and glycaemic load – avoid sugar and eat a low glycaemic load diet
- Up your intake of healthy fats – eat fish and supplement for omega-3 and vitamin D
- Consume B vitamins – keep your homocysteine low with B vitamins
- Consume antioxidants – eat antioxidants and polyphenol rich veg, berries, spices
- Keep your gut healthy
- Have an active body – exercise, build muscle and keep physically active
- Have an active mind – keep yourself socially and intellectually active
- Prioritise sleep and calm – sleep well, build stress resilience, live purposefully.
“It may be possible to prevent up to 80 percent of dementia cases if all known risk factors, including homocysteine lowering B vitamins and omega-3, found in oily fish, were targeted,” says China’s leading dementia prevention expert Professor Jin-Tai Yu from Fudan University in Shanghai.
For this reason Dr Bill Harris, leading expert in omega-3, includes plenty of the fatty acid in his diet.
He said: “I supplement omega-3 and eat the ‘smash’ fish (salmon, mackerel, either anchovies or Albacore tuna, sardines, herring) high in omega-3.
“My advice is to get your omega-3 index up into the healthy zone and keep it there.”
Prof David Smith, former deputy head of the University of Oxford’s medical science division, continued: “With no clinically effective drugs, and minimal role of genes our focus must be on making diet and lifestyle changes that reduce risk of developing dementia.”
His research has shown up to 73 percent less brain shrinkage in those given B vitamin supplements with sufficient omega-3.
Dr Robert Lustig, Emeritus professor of paediatrics from the University of California, advised against eating too much sugar.
“I watch my sugar intake,” he said. “Fructose, high in fruit juice and hidden in so many processed foods, is a primary driver of Alzheimer’s.
“If you want to prevent Alzheimer’s, save your sugar for dessert.”
Harvard-trained psychiatrist Dr Georgia Ede also recommends cutting carbohydrates.
“Alzheimer’s is sometimes called ‘type 3 diabetes’ because 80 percent of cases show insulin resistance, which makes it difficult for the brain to use carbohydrates for energy,” she said.
“A ketogenic diet improves insulin resistance and generates ketones from fat to help energise the brain.”
Tommy Wood, assistant professor of neuroscience at the University of Washington, advocated for exercise in the fight against Alzheimer’s.
He said: “An active lifestyle is a key prevention step for Alzheimer’s. In particular, improving muscle mass and strength is strongly linked to less dementia risk and better brain health, with significant benefits even if we start exercising later in life.
“Getting enough sleep is also essential to help the brain recover.”
