How to Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease through Diet

Did you know that Alzheimer’s is now the seventh leading cause of death?
 
Over 25 million people in the world are suffering from dementia, mostly Alzheimer’s disease. And by 2050, Alzheimer’s is predicted to affect 106 million people worldwide!
 
Alzheimer’s has a tremendous impact on affected individuals, caregivers, and society. Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s can take its toll on your health.

The good news is… We now know of a way to prevent or even reverse cognitive decline or memory loss! 
 
Alzheimer’s doesn’t happen abruptly. It is a slowly progressing illness that may start when you are younger, taking years and years to develop.
 
Age and genetic susceptibility contribute to Alzheimers. However, there are factors that will put you into a higher risk of developing this illness such as cigarette smoking, obesity, and diabetes.
 
Yes! Although age and genes are unavoidable, we do still have control over our lifestyle.
 
Replacing harmful habits with healthy practices is where you have a huge opportunity.

Alzheimer’s and Blood Sugar

 The same enzyme that clears insulin also clears amyloid plaque from your brain which is why high blood sugar/high insulin/diabetes puts you at risk for Alzheimer’s!
Swapping out sugar and refined carbs with nutrient-dense carbs and healthy sugar alternatives is a huge step in the right direction to preventing disease. Want bread? Try this as a healthy and delicious option!
Healthy fats are also critical to the health of your whole body and that is another layer you have control over (avocados, nuts and seeds, olive oil, butter rather than soy/corn/canola oil). 
High sugar, refined carbs and refined oils can lead to diabesity, a condition where diabetes and obesity coexist and manifests insulin resistance.
 
Insulin resistance?
 
Insulin is supposed to carry glucose (sugar from food) from the blood to the cells to be used as fuel or energy. What happens when you have insulin resistance is that your cells do not respond to insulin. Because of this, glucose builds up in the blood and the body compensates by producing more insulin. The blood ends up having high glucose levels (hyperglycemia) and high insulin levels (hyperinsulinemia). Now, when there is too much sugar in the brain, it becomes inflamed and damages the brain, starting a brain-damage cascade that leads to the decline in memory and other thinking skills, eventually leading to the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
 
Can you now see the connection of eating high-sugar, high-carbs, low-fat diet and Alzheimer’s? This is why scientists consider Alzheimer’s “Type 3 Diabetes”.
 
According to research, if you have diabetes, you are four times at risk for developing Alzheimer’s, and if you have pre-diabetes or metabolic syndrome, you are more likely to have pre-dementia or mild cognitive disorder (MCD).

An Ounce of Prevention

What would you do to change this? How do we prevent Alzheimer’s?
 
You can start by modifying your lifestyle, especially your food choices. Start by ditching or reducing the foods/drinks that spike your blood sugar such as sugar, refined carbs, and alcohol, and take healthy fats such as avocados, walnuts, and almonds.
 
Next week, I will give you several lifestyle tips that your brain will love.
 
It is my passion to work with people like you whose health symptoms are getting in the way of you living life fully and with a sense of freedom in your body. I can help you to regain your health, so you can feel great and free to enjoy life fully. I hope that today’s suggestions are helpful to you.

If you’re ready to discover where your best health has been hiding, I’d love to connect with you!
Apply for a complimentary Unstoppable Health Discovery Session. http://bit.ly/schedulinghealth (subject to availability).
 
Until next time, I’m wishing you unstoppable health!
~Rebecca