| It's almost become a joke. Forget the word you | | | | building neural pathways that function properly. |
| wanted to use and joke 'Must be early Alzheimer's.' | | | | Nutritionists suggest including a source of omega-3 |
| Lose track of where you left your keys? "Doh! | | | | fatty acids in your diet at least three times a week. |
| Guess I'm getting Alzheimer's." Alzheimer's Disease is | | | | Tuna casserole, anyone?-- Get social!In a study of |
| no joking matter, though, and we know it even | | | | over 2,500 men, those who had the least contact |
| under the casual, joking jabs at our own memory | | | | with friends and family were nearly 3 times as likely |
| problems. I suspect that more than one of us, when | | | | to develop dementia as those who had more active |
| those occasional lapses of memory happen, wonder | | | | social lives. Social activity and maintaining family and |
| if we really ARE starting to lose our memories to one | | | | social ties seem to stimulate the brain cells and keep |
| of the most baffling and devastating diseases we | | | | them from atrophying. When's the last time you had |
| know.According to the Center for Disease Control | | | | coffee with your sister, hm?-- Exercise your |
| statistics, 20% of adults who are in nursing homes | | | | brain.Recent studies strongly suggest that elderly |
| have a primary diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease - | | | | people - including those with Alzheimer's Disease, can |
| over 214,000 people. For many of us who are | | | | improve their memories with practice. Researcher |
| approaching the far side of middle age, that's a | | | | suggest that activities like crossword puzzles, |
| frightening statistic. Those jokes have the air of | | | | memory games and challenging mental activities could |
| gallows humor. There is good news on the | | | | help the brain create new neural pathways as old |
| Alzheimer's front. Research into risk factors and | | | | brain cells die off. Get out the word-search books |
| predisposition have turned up some interesting | | | | and have some mental fun!-- Stay physically active.In |
| correlations between general health, social well-being | | | | one study of almost 500 adult children of parents |
| and Alzheimer's disease. The Alzheimer's Association | | | | with Alzheimer's Disease, researchers found that |
| has some suggestions that may help lower your risk | | | | those who exercised regularly scored better on |
| of developing Alzheimer's Disease, and even slow its | | | | memory and problem solving tasks than those who |
| progression among those who have already started | | | | were sedentary. It may be that exercise, which |
| showing symptoms.-- Eat your fruits and | | | | promotes healthy circulation and gets the blood |
| veggies.Mother always told you to eat all your | | | | flowing through your entire body, helps nourish the |
| veggies, and this is one more good reason. In one | | | | brain by getting more nutrients to it on a regular |
| study of over 1,800 elderly men and women, | | | | basis. Take a walk or take up swimming - or join a |
| researchers found that those who drank fruit or | | | | fitness group to combine social AND physical activities |
| vegetable juice at least three times a week had a | | | | in one.The bottom line? Doctors and researchers |
| 75% less risk of developing Alzheimer's than those | | | | aren't sure what causes it, so there's no surefire way |
| who drank less than one glass per week. Why?The | | | | to prevent Alzheimer's Disease from developing. |
| answer probably lies in the effects of antioxidants. | | | | They do know that people who share certain traits |
| Fruit juices - especially berry juices - are among the | | | | are much less likely to develop the symptoms |
| highest sources of antioxidants around. Dark green | | | | though. Stay fit, get active, get out with your friends |
| leafy vegetables, tomatoes, berries and citrus juices | | | | often and do what you can to enjoy your life. As a |
| are all up there as excellent sources of antioxidant | | | | prescription for preventing Alzheimer's disease, it |
| goodness. Get out the juicer and drink up!-- Eat a | | | | sounds like a great way to live!Deb Powers is a |
| healthy, balanced diet - and don't forget your fats.A | | | | freelance writer with FreelanceRite. Her credits include |
| healthy diet is basic to a healthy brain. Whole grains, | | | | books and articles on various health issues, bullying, |
| vegetables and fruits should be your major source of | | | | website marketing and development, business |
| calories, but doctors are starting to take a closer | | | | management and more. FreelanceRite provides |
| look at fats again. One source of fat that appears to | | | | completely original articles for all uses, including print |
| be vital to rebuilding and maintaining brain cells is fish. | | | | media, web content, ebooks and research papers. To |
| The omega-3 fatty acids that are found in high | | | | find out how you can purchase articles like this for |
| concentrations in cold-water fish like tuna and salmon, | | | | YOUR website, visit today. |
| as well as in shellfish, are an important ingredient in | | | | |