Do you worry those "senior moments" are the start of something worse?

Alzheimer's disease and dementia are probably the scariest of age-related illnesses. The idea of losing your memory, your mind, and even the sense of who you are is terrifying.

Today, I'll give you some options.

Truth is, you can take action to sidestep these conditions. And the science backs me up on this. A recent British study found a strong link between obesity and Alzheimer's and dementia. In fact, people who are overweight are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease.¹

The link between the two proves that it has to do with diet and exercise. The researchers found that people who eat a diet rich in fruit and vegetables have an up to 40 percent reduced risk of developing dementia. Exercise has a similar effect.

This isn't the first time that science has found a link between diet and Alzheimer's disease. A recent International Conference on Alzheimer's disease announced the results of a landmark study. Researchers studied diet and antioxidant intake over a lifetime.

The antioxidants vitamins B, C, E, and folic acid and fish oil were included in the study. The risk of Alzheimer's disease among those who took antioxidants was 1/3 that of those who did not.²

A separate Finnish study followed 1,449 adults ages 65-79. It concluded that people with normal cholesterol levels and normal blood pressures have a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.³

Those with high cholesterol levels were three times as likely to develop Alzheimer's, and those with higher than normal blood pressure were twice as likely.

Alzheimer's is a progressive disorder. You gradually lose your ability to make judgments, learn, and remember things. In its most advanced stages, you won't be able to care for yourself at all.

Much of my work in research and writing hinges on this concept that most chronic diseases are not only preventable, but reversible. Even the most serious age-related illnesses can be prevented - naturally - without harmful and expensive drugs.

With the evidence from these studies in hand, I can suggest several very simple ways to decrease the likelihood that you'll develop Alzheimer's. They can be boiled down to two things: keep your heart and lungs conditioned and take antioxidant supplements.

Exercise is the key to keeping your weight down and your heart strong. It pumps blood to your brain and keeps it in working order. Even moderate exercise - forty-five minutes a week - can drastically reduce the risk of Alzheimer's. To get the most out of your exercise routine, try my PACE® program.

Here are few examples of antioxidant supplements. They are readily available at most health food stores:

  º CoQ10 - This is an enzyme that has been proven effective in reducing blood pressure. I recommend a dose of 120 mg per day.
  º Vitamin B-12: 400 mcg
  º Vitamin B-6: 75 mg
  º Vitamin C: 500 mg
  º Vitamin E: 400 IU
  º Folic Acid: 800 mcg

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

1 Whitmer R, et al. Obesity in middle age and future risk of dementia. BMJ, 29 April 2005
2 Flint Beal, M. Oxidative Mechanisms, Inflammation, and Alzheimer's Disease Pathogenesis. 9th International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease. June 2005.
3 Helisalmi S, et al. Association of CYP46 intron 2 polymorphism in Finnish Alzheimer's disease. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry 2006;77:421-42.