Are We Doing All We Can About Alzheimer's?

The 2 leading factors contributing to Alzheimer's and dementia are age and genetics. However, a study published in the journal Neurology found good general health might also reduce dementia risk. The study followed over 7,000 people – ages 65 and older with good cognitive health – and evaluated them after 5 and 10 years. They were evaluated on 19 health problems associated with aging – such as arthritis, hearing problems, eyesight problems and denture fit. Each problem increased the dementia risk 3%. The 883 participants who remained cognitively healthy scored lowest on the health evaluations. Sometime being "low-grade" is good.

According to a study published in The Lancelot Neurology, there are 7 preventable conditions that increase the risk of Alzheimer's. Those conditions accounted for approximately half the cases of the disease. Diabetes accounted for 3%. Midlife obesity and low education (not using your brain enough) tied at 7%. The fourth condition was high blood pressure – 8%, the fifth was smoking – 11% and the sixth was depression – 15%. The #1 preventable condition causing Alzheimer's was too little exercise. About 33% of the U.S. population is sedentary. How ironic if those 33% say they keep forgetting to exercise.

The Alzheimer's Association says that anything compromising cardiovascular health has the potential for compromising brain health too. Then there was another study published in Neurology that said vascular risk factors - such as high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes and obesity - might cause the brain to age faster – possibly 10 years faster. Researchers found people with those risk factors had smaller brains and decreased brain function later in life. Because vascular risk factors affect our brain and our ability to think even in midlife, they need to be treated early to decrease Alzheimer's risk later in life – and it's already later than we think.

No, it's not surprising healthy living extends our life spans. The surprise is by how much. A study done at Maastricht University in Holland tracked 120,000 people ages 55-69. Men who avoided smoking, exercised at least 30 minutes daily, avoided obesity and stuck to the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet lived about 8.5 years longer than men who didn't do any of those things. The women who did all four lived about 15 years longer than women who didn't do any of them. The reason healthy women lived longer than healthy men was attributed to hormones, but it could be payback for women surviving PMS.