Tag Archives: Alzheimer’s disease

Sugary soda and Alzheimer’s

29 Wednesday Sep 2021

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Drinking just one can of sugary soda a day increases the risk of Alzheimer’s by 47%. And adding just 2-and-a-half teaspoons of sugar to your daily cup of tea can raise the risk of Alzheimer’s by 33%. That’s according to new research from Columbia University. 

First of all, sugar triggers inflammation in the body and brain… and when that happens on a daily basis, the brain has a harder time clearing away plaque. That leads to more inflammation – and eventually, damaged neurons and the onset of Alzheimer’s. 

Also, there’s a link between Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Because too much sugar can trigger diabetes, which is also a risk factor for dementia. And the Alzheimer’s Association says this new study backs up that evidence, showing excess sugar may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease… and all types of sugar – from fruit juice to soda – have the same effect. So, to protect your brain and lower your risk of Alzheimer’s disease, cut WAY back on added sugar. 

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Here’s the latest on Alzheimer’s and dementia prevention:

30 Monday Mar 2020

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Did you know you’ll improve your mental power simply by reading the newspaper? That’s because reading increases blood flow to the brain, and strengthens the connections between brain cells. Dr. Sandra Chapman is director of the Center for Brain Health at the University of Texas. She says talking about what you read is even better. Because interpreting a story strengthens the frontal lobe of the brain, which is one of the first areas to decline with age.

And a new study in Psychological Science finds learning new, active skills, like quilting, a new language, or playing a musical instrument, or traveling in a foreign country are more effective at keeping your mind sharp. That’s compared to doing something like crosswords and other word and number puzzles. It’s because social, engaging activities like traveling and detail-work, like tiny stitches and new vocabulary words, promote active learning and continuous stimulation of our brain functions.

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Want to cut your risk of developing age-related dementia?

14 Thursday Nov 2019

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Hang out in a sauna at least 4 times a week! Finnish researchers analyzed 20 years’ worth of data from the Heart Disease Risk Factor Study. And they found people who spent 20-minutes in a sauna on most days were 66% less likely to be diagnosed with any form of dementia, including Alzheimer’s. The researchers aren’t sure WHY sweating in a 170-degree sauna lowers dementia risk… but they believe it’s partly because heat increases the resting heart rate, which sends more oxygen-rich blood to the brain.

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Did you know that exercise literally makes your brain bigger?

14 Monday Jan 2019

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Here’s how it works…

University of Kentucky researchers had a group of men and women run on a treadmill – then researchers scanned their brains. And they found that, after exercise, there was more blood flow to the brain. That triggers the growth of new cells, particularly in the brain’s memory center… and that can help stave off Alzheimer’s disease. And you don’t need to kill yourself running for miles, either.

Research from the University of Pittsburgh shows even going for a brisk walk boosts the size of the brain’s memory center, and other areas, by as much as two percent.

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Here’s another reason to embrace your love for coffee and tea:

26 Wednesday Sep 2018

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Your favorite caffeinated beverage could help you stay younger – and healthier – longer! That’s according to Dr. David Furman, director of the Stanford Institute for Immunity and Infection.

He and his research team studied chronic inflammation – which gradually increases as we age. It’s linked to almost every single big-time disease, including heart problems, cancer, joint disorders and Alzheimer’s. And in the study, the participants with the lowest levels of inflammation – at any age – had one surprising thing in common: They all drank caffeinated beverages. And the more caffeine they consumed – up to 5 cups of coffee a day – the lower their inflammation levels… and the less likely they were to have symptoms of worsening health, like high blood pressure or hardening of the arteries.

So, why is caffeine such an effective anti-inflammatory? Because it greatly reduces activity along the body’s inflammatory gene pathway – and helps short-circuit the normal body-wide inflammation linked to aging.

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Hard of hearing?

15 Wednesday Aug 2018

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If it seems like everybody you talk to these days is mumbling, you might want to get your hearing checked. And not JUST so you can stop saying, “Huh? What did you say?” It can also help your brain. Because researchers at Johns Hopkins found that having good hearing helps keep your brain stimulated, which reduces your risk of Alzheimer’s by 20%.

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Turmeric is one of the healthiest things on the planet.

27 Tuesday Mar 2018

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It’s the spice used in Indian curries – and its active compound is curcumin. It has tons of health benefits – and over 7,000 studies have been done, showing it can help prevent everything from cancer to Alzheimer’s. That’s because it contains powerful anti-inflammatory properties.
So, which is better? Popping a turmeric or curcumin supplement, or simply sprinkling the spice on your food? Here’s the answer, according to Dr. Ajay Goel, who’s researched curcumin and cancer at Baylor University Medical Center. He says a teaspoon of the spice only has about 100 milligrams of curcumin. And we need at least twice – to 10 times that amount – to get the health benefits. So unless you’re regularly sprinkling your food with turmeric, you’re probably not getting enough. So he recommends supplements that contain at least 250 milligrams of curcumin. But as always, talk to your doctor first.

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Here’s an Alzheimer’s trigger that may surprise you:

05 Monday Mar 2018

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Negative thinking! Especially pessimistic thoughts about aging – like “It’s all downhill after 40” or “no one will care about me when I’m old.” A recent study from Yale University found that pessimistic people were significantly more likely to develop Alzheimer’s than optimistic people… because negative thoughts are linked to higher levels of STRESS, which triggers brain changes that cause Alzheimer’s. It’s why researchers recommend focusing on the benefits of aging… Like how it makes us wiser, and gives us access to lots of major senior discounts!

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Reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s while you sleep!

27 Tuesday Feb 2018

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One sleep position can help your back feel better AND reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease: Lie on your side, knees bent, with a pillow between your knees. That’s what’s known as the lateral position. That position alleviates strain on your back. And new research shows side-sleeping helps remove damaging brain proteins that can eventually contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s. That’s because lying on your side improves circulation to your head and neck, and increases oxygen flow.

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Use your brainpower!

15 Thursday Feb 2018

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You know playing games, anything from Scrabble to chess, can boost brainpower. Well, neurologist Dr. Kenneth Kosik, who wrote “Outsmarting Alzheimer’s,” says games of skill strengthen memory, and sharpen our ability to strategize and predict what an opponent may do. And that’s the type of strenuous brain exercise that can keep a brain healthy by growing new cells and neural pathways.

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