Azheimer’s disease and dementia are conditions that more commonly affect people over age 65, but can occur earlier in life in the form of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease or early-onset dementia. The severity of these conditions can vary from person to person, and may worsen as they get older. These conditions are relatively common, and a person’s risk of developing these often increase as they age. However, as research in this area progresses, more and more potential causes and treatments are being discovered. Let’s take a look at what you need to know about Alzheimer’s and dementia, like what may contribute to their development, and what might help lower your risk.
Differences Between Alzheimer’s and Dementia
There are some key differences between Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Dementia is more of a general term referring to a collection of symptoms including difficulty concentrating and remembering events, changes in mood or personality, depression, withdrawal, and increased confusion. It can have many potential causes such as stroke, brain tumors, certain medications, vitamin or mineral deficiencies, and certain diseases. Dementia is also often curable if the root cause is addressed correctly and timely.
Conversely, Alzheimer’s disease does not currently have a known cause and is typically believed to be incurable. There are many potential risk factors including heavy metal exposure, genetic predisposition, high blood pressure, history of smoking, poor diet, inadequate consumption of healthy fats, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Although it is not known what exactly causes Alzheimer’s disease, reducing the risk factors may potentially help reduce your risk of developing it.
What Can You Do?
Even though the cause of Alzheimer’s disease is unknown, there is some evidence to suggest that a healthy lifestyle and varied diet may help reduce the risk of developing it. Taking a fish oil supplement in addition to eating a healthy diet full of plenty of good fats like coconut oil, olive oil, and avocados is an important step to give your brain the fuel it needs. Eating enough good fats will also help provide your body with the fats it needs to create hormones and help keep them balanced.
Including plenty of organic fruits and vegetables in your diet is also important because it can help you get the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants you need each day. However, as we’ve mentioned in the past, most of the soil that the produce we consume is grown in is very depleted of nutrients, meaning the food it produces is also depleted. So, eating a varied diet full of fruits and vegetables still may not provide all the nutrients you need, so taking a multivitamin like Active Mega Multi each day is recommended. Certain types of mushrooms have also been shown to increase energy, memory retention, and overall cognitive function. It can be difficult to find some of these mushrooms in grocery stores, or to know how to cook and eat them. A supplement like Immune Essentials that contains several different types of beneficial mushrooms in capsule form is an easy way to get more of these mushrooms into your day. GPC Liquid is another supplement that is great for brain health, as well as fetal brain development in the womb which is why it is also in our Prenatal Nutrients. GPC has also been shown to aid in learning and memory, as well as help improve athletic performance and increase levels of growth hormone.
While having a family history of Alzheimer’s disease can be scary, you can work on giving your brain the nutrients it needs each day. You can also work on decreasing risk factors by quitting smoking, including more fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats in your diet, and exercising often. Having a healthy lifestyle and diet may help increase your quality of life and decrease your risk of developing a host of other health conditions, so every little change is worth it!
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