If you have had a relative with Alzheimer’s disease, you know how terrible this disease is, and how it affects the whole family. The afflicted person is robbed of their memory and recognition of even close relatives. They eventually lose the ability to handle even the simple affairs of daily living, and may end up institutionalized. The cause is said to be deposition of toxic protein byproducts (called amyloid plaques and tau tangles) in the brain over time. Full blown, there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s.
But there is hope, both in ongoing scientific research and, more importantly for the present discussion, in lifestyle changes we can all make to head off this dreadful disease. Those changes are incapsulated in the acronym NEURO.
[Disclaimer: This layman’s information summary is based on a ZOE.com podcast by neurologists, Drs. Ayesh and Dean Sherzai, researchers with 20 years experience at the Alzheimer’s Prevention Program at Loma Linda Institute in California. Of course, you should seek the advice of a medical professional if you require medical assistance or advice.]
Let’s get to work. The brain is a 3-pound organ made up of 87 billion neurons and some 400 miles of vascular network. It uses nearly 50% of the body’s oxygen and 25% of its energy. Normally, it is supple and capable of work arounds, internal growth and change.
Alzheimer’s is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, which is ultimately caused by decades of inflammation, oxidation, lipid fat deposition and glucose (sugar) dysregulation which damage the brain over time. The disease afflicts some 7 million Americans, and over 50 million people worldwide.
The husband and wife neurologist team assert we can head this disease off by simple “NEURO” practices. In a nutshell, learn to feed, challenge, rest and protect your brain.
The NEURO acronym stands for 5 steps we can take to prevent normal age-related cognitive decline from gradually advancing into Alzheimer’s disease. The suggested steps – Nutrition, Exercise, Unwinding, Restoring and Optimizing – are intended to head off progress into the full blown disease, which, as noted, is presently considered incurable. Remember, the brain has amazing ability to grow and create new neuron pathways.
- Diet is important. The authors suggest relying heavily on high fiber plant-based, Mediterranean diet or MIND diet, which includes things like extra virgin olive oil, polyphenols and flavanols from fruits and berries (blueberries, strawberries), leafy greens, omega-3 fatty fish (like salmon, mackerel, sardines), whole grains, as well as nuts, seeds (flax, chia and hemp seed). And avoiding excessive sugars, saturated fats from meats and alcohol consumption are key. Essential vitamins include vitamin B-12, D and Omega-3. Your body cannot make Omega-3s. Stick to polyunsaturated fatty acids and control you LDL cholesterol levels. Limit processed foods and refined carbohydrates, as well as alcohol. Simple steps help reduce inflammation.
- Physical exercise is equally important, and helps grow new brain tissue. It can also help reduce stress. You don’t need to lift weights or go to extremes. Working the big muscles in leg exercises release growth hormones; squats and lunges work your glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps muscles. Exercise hormones include BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor), as well as VGF and GDNF (i.e., vascular growth and glial cell protective cells). Exercise can reduce the chance of progression to dementia by 35%.
- Stress management and challenging the brain. Stress and chronic worries can overload you with cortisol and adrenaline. Those hormones can do the opposite — and can actually shrink brain tissue (the hippocampus) if those stresses are prolonged or chronic in nature. By contrast, stress management and challenging the brain with new learning and problem solving can help expand neuron paths. Among other things, such “good stress” activities release dopamine, the happy hormone. So, identify and reduce bad stresses. Challenge yourself, learn a new language, learn to play an instrument, do puzzles. …
- Restorative sleep. Momma was right: try to get 7 to 8 hours of deep sleep every night. Deep sleep helps reorganize memories/ information and cleanses the brain. (The docs spoke of the importance of REM sleep and deep stages of sleep). Your lymph system circulates cleansing lymphatic fluid through the brain while you sleep. All part of the housekeeping up there. Be mindful of drinking too much caffeine and alcohol, which can hinder deep restorative sleep.
- Keep challenging your brain. Learn new things, solve problems and puzzles with diverse and complex activities. Your brain learns to adapt and creates new pathways. The new tasks engage different brain lobes (frontal, occipital, parietal and cerebellum, and the motor cortex). I interpret this step to mean when you challenge your brain to grow, it will. Keep making new brain pathways.
Finally, the ZOE podcast emphasized that it was not just one thing, but the cumulative effect of such NEURO lifestyle changes which can best keep your brain healthy.
I hope this summary helps. If you can spare an hour, try listening to the actual podcast or read the transcript. But whatever you do, pursue healthy lifestyle changes. They can help you avoid Alzheimer’s as well as realize other health benefits.
Be well, grasshoppers!
Nick Della Volpe is a lawyer, a gardener and a former member of Knoxville City Council.
Nick,
Great article. I think so many times where this disease is concerned, and many others for that matter, we think it is just a genetic lottery and some people just have bad luck. However, as you outlined, this isn’t always the case. We may be genetically predisposed, but we can prevent or significantly slow the onset or lessen the severity through lifestyle and behavior modification and vitamin supplementation. With current treatments being marginally effective at best, your article gives people hope that there are things they can do to potentially head this nasty disease off at the pass and live the best quality of life possible. Thank you!
Thanks Steve. We need to find and share more common sense solutions to encouraging and maintaining everyday good health.