Posts Tagged ‘Alzheimers’

10 Early Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease

Back pain
Early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease differ by individual, as well as day-to-day. Some signs may be so subtle that they may go unnoticed by family or friends, while other symptoms will become increasingly obvious over time.

The following checklist was written by the Alzheimer’s Association1 to assist individuals determine if they or a loved one have the early warning signs of the disease. We thank them for making this valuable information available to the public.

1. Memory loss. One of the most common early signs of dementia is forgetting recently learned information. While it’s normal to forget appointments, names or telephone numbers, those with Alzheimer’s disease will forget such things more often and not remember them later.

2. Difficulty performing familiar tasks. People with Alzheimer’s disease often find it hard to complete familiar, everyday tasks which they previously did without thinking. A person with Alzheimer’s may forget how to cook, make repairs or how to play cards.

Can Cell Phones Really Trigger Alzheimer’s?

Man on the cellphone
Can you hear me now?

How does the idea of playing Russian roulette with your brain sound? How’d you like to live a healthy lifestyle and come down with a horrible disease, like Alzheimer’s, simply because you were using your cell phone?

Not too pleasant a thought, is it?

Well, perhaps you’re aware of the recent news from the prestigious University of Pittsburgh Cancer Center warning of cell phone risks to your immune system and bone marrow. Their recent research report, published online, reveals that the electromagnetic radiation emitted from cell phones may pose a serious risk for developing brain cancer, as well as eye cancer and acoustic neuromas, a benign tumor of the nerve in the ear leading to deafness, which needs surgery to be removed.1,2

Recently, Dr. Paul Song, a radiation oncologist from Los Angeles, appeared on Larry King live and was asked about the dangers of carrying your cell phone on your hip and holding it next to your head. Here is what he said:

“Surprisingly, the concern about radio frequency exposure is not so much for the brain or the hip, but really the testes or the eyes. Those are the areas that are most sensitive to radio frequency, because they get hot and they don’t have the blood vessels to cool off.”3

But that’s not all.

An earlier published paper revealed that cell phone radiation kills brain cells that are associated with learning and memory, and may therefore trigger Alzheimer’s.4

How can that be?

Alzheimer’s: The Scary Statistics

Puzzle
When it comes to dealing with your aging brain, you may be sitting on a time bomb. Why? Because 100 years after its discovery, Alzheimer’s cases are set to soar.1

I recently had the opportunity to discuss this emerging problem with Columbia University Professor, Yaakov Stern, Ph.D.

Dr. Stern’s group has discovered an anatomical brain network that helps prevent and slow Alzheimer’s.2 In the remainder of this article, I’ll share with you information about why it’s so critical for you to know about his discovery, and, more importantly, what you can do to activate this network and thus do everything possible to save your brain.

Why Stem Cell Research May Be Irrelevant

Thinking processI have great news to share!

Creating new brain cells was previously thought to be impossible in humans, but not any more. And you don’t need to have an injection of stem cells into your brain to do it, either.

As you may know, stem cells are your body’s basic building blocks, used for repair and growth. And when it comes to your brain, stem cells turn into new neurons or brain cells. These brainy stem cells then produce a chemical that protects other brain cells, even damaged ones, from deteriorating.

Cedar-Planked Salmon with Whole Grain Mustard Glaze

Salmon with mustard glazeThis is a fish dish you won’t soon forget! Results from a recent Tufts University study found that getting 180 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) daily can cut the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 47%!1-2This fish dish provides a hefty 1000 mg — more than five times that amount.

Time to Table: 1 hour

Serves: 4

A Giant Leap Forward in Alzheimer’s Research

Human brainScience is one step closer to eradicating one of the most dreaded afflictions of old age — Alzheimer’s disease. In a ground-breaking new study, researchers from the University of Rochester vaccinated mice with an immune-enhancing vaccine that prevented the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaque in the brain. 1

Metabolic Syndrome Linked to Brain Lesions…and Alzheimer’s

Over the years of working with patients, I have found people really fear losing their mind to dementia or Alzheimer’s. Now, two new studies show that Metabolic Syndrome may be a risk factor of these dreaded conditions.1-2
Why? Because at the core of Metabolic Syndrome is insulin resistance. Insulin resistance goes on to become belly fat. [...]

Keeping Your Brain Healthy at Any Age

It’s bad enough to decline physically. Mental decline is even worse. The idea of losing cognitive ability frightens everyone. It’s especially frightening if you’ve witnessed anyone descend into the abyss of Alzheimer’s. Our ability to think makes us human. Our memories are the record of our life. When dementia robs a person of these, they’ve lost something truly precious.

Take the case of Edith, one of my elderly patients. She had a shuffling gait and a vacant gaze. Because of her live-in caregiver, she was neatly dressed and groomed. As she sat, she looked at the woman next to her, her daughter, and asked: “Where’s Kate? Do you know where Kate is?” “I’m here Mom. I’m Kate.” “No you’re not, my Kate is a little girl. Where’s Kate?”

Sadly, I’ve seen too many people like Edith. But it doesn’t have to happen. You can stay mentally clear and crisp well into old age. You know this to be true — you’ve seen it. I’m sure at some point you’ve met a person with plenty of years under his or her belt who was still sharp as anything. Aren’t those people a delight? Don’t they exude life?

Can Red Wine Really Help You Live Longer?

A red wine extract called resveratrol has been shown to help mice live longer. What does that mean for us humans?