Dementia: Identifying the Early Signs of Brain Degeneration

This past Thursday I attended a seminar titled, “Early Signs of Brain Degeneration” and it was an eye opening presentation. I have been thinking about what I can do in my own life to prevent early brain degeneration in my own life, and looking for ways that I can identify it in the lives of others. Rather than posting a “traditional” post like I frequently do, I wanted to share some of the things I wrote down from the class:– “By 2025, the number of people age 65 and older with Alzheimer’s disease is estimated to reach 7.1 million – a 40% increase from the 5 million age 65 and older currently affected.” – Alzheimer’s Association– Alzheimer’s disease is the 6th leading cause of death in the US. – Alzheimer’s Association

– 1 in 3 seniors die with Alzheimer’s or another dementia

– “Various potential risk or preventive factors have been suggested by epidemiological research, including modifiable lifestyle factors such as diet,” – Nutrition and neurodegeneration: epidemiological evidence and challenges for future research

– “No curative treatment is available, but epidemiological research provides a substantial amount of evidence of modifiable risk and protective factors that can be addressed to prevent or delay onset of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia” – Dementia prevention: current epidemiological evidence and future perspective

– By 2020 – the amount of money needed to treat Alzheimer’s will be greater than what the US government will receive in taxation within 1 year. (citation not offered by speaker)

Since there is not a current model of treatment for those that have neurodegeneration that results in dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease, the best course of action is to prevent it. Eating a diet that provides a wide variety of healthy fats, phytonutrients, minerals, and vitamins is a great start. Avoiding inflammatory foods such as gluten, sugar, and highly processed and packaged foods can be beneficial as well. Creating new habits, exercising daily, chiropractic care, and stimulating the brain in a variety of different ways can be effective to prevent neurological degeneration.

What are you doing to protect your brain?