There are healthy actions people can take to improve and maintain health, no matter what conditions they may be facing.

Alzheimer’s disease is a complex disorder, for which there is currently no known prevention or cure. Some research has generated hope that one day it might be possible to slow the progression of Alzheimerโ€™s disease, delay its symptoms, or even prevent it from occurring at all. Although there are preliminary data to support the benefit of some interventionsโ€”such as physical activity and cardiovascular risk reductionโ€”nothing at this time has definitively been shown to prevent Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias.

The scientific advisors of the BrightFocus Foundation do not currently recommend or endorse any commercial nutritional supplement, exercise program, or cognitive training exercises for the purposes of preventing Alzheimerโ€™s disease. BrightFocus does encourage people to evaluate the role of these interventions on the overall health and spirits of both patient and caregivers. BrightFocus does provide several memory games.ย Please note that these memory games are not tests for Alzheimer’s disease.

A number of preliminary studiesย suggest that how we eat may raise orย lower our risk of developingย Alzheimerโ€™s disease. Eating a diet thatย is high in whole grains, fruits, andย vegetables and low in sugar and fatย can reduce the incidence of manyย chronic diseases. Researchers areย studying whether these dietaryย modifications are also applicable toย Alzheimerโ€™s disease. The strongestย research supporting theseย modifications has been performed inย animal studies,ย and findings remain toย be rigorously established inย randomized and controlled humanย clinical trials.

One example of Alzheimerโ€™s diseaseย nutrition research that BrightFocusย funded is the work of Wolfgangย Quitschke, Ph.D., of the Stateย University of New York. He and hisย team are exploring the role ofย curcumin (from the spice turmeric) inย a model of Alzheimer’s disease inย mice. This trailblazing project isย expected to open up new ways forย testing other nutritional ingredientsย and to help ascertain whetherย sufficient quantities would beย consumed by maintaining a healthyย diet or whether these ingredients needย to be medically administered.

Healthy Lifestyle Actions You Can Take Right Now

  • Eat a varied, nutritious, andย low-glycemic diet.ย Includeย foods that contain vitamins C, D,ย and E, omega-3 fats, and theย antioxidants lutein andย zeaxanthin. As can happen withย diabetes, researchers suggestย that production of higher levelsย of insulin and blood sugar mayย harm the brain andย contribute toย the progression of Alzheimer’s.
  • Get regular exercise andย maintain a healthy weight.ย This will improve not only yourย immune system and bloodย pressure, but your brain and eyeย health. Being obese can increaseย inflammation in your body andย increase your risk of developingย other diseases.
  • Keep your blood pressureย and cholesterol at normalย levels.ย Having a cardiovascularย disease could contribute to theย progression of Alzheimer’s
    disease.
  • Don’t smoke.ย Toxins found inย first-, second-, and third-handย smoke have been linked to anย increased risk for developing aย number of diseases.
  • Get enough goodย qualityย sleep, as recommended forย your age group.ย Researchersย have shown some associationย between poor sleep and an increased risk for mildย cognitive/memory issues.
  • Reduce stress.
  • Maintain regular check-upsย with healthcareย practitionersโ€”Take allย medications, as prescribed. Haveย one pharmacy or doctor confirmย that the drugs you receive fromย different sources have no risksย for interactions or interferenceย from non-prescription drugs orย herbal supplements.
  • Keep your mind active.ย While the debate continues overย whether cognitive exercises willhelp lower the risk ofย Alzheimer’s disease, keepingย your mind nimble will enhanceย your overall well-being. You can also checkย out thesememoryย games.
  • Keep an active social lifeย and strive to widen yourย social network.ย Studies haveย shown that having a large socialย network may lower the risk ofย developing dementia.ย Volunteering for nonprofitย organizations with missions thatย are important to you is one wayย to expand your circle of friendsย and acquaintances.
  • Keep yourself informed.ย Learn about recent advances inย research on preventive activitiesย and treatments for yourย condition, for instance throughย the services and news alerts provided to you by theย BrightFocus Foundation.