Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s… only one solution: prevent
Even well housed in its cranium, our brain is never completely safe.
Dependence, institutionalization, hospitalization…Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases threaten. They have a major impact on the quality of life of patients and their loved ones.
Don't wait, take the steps now that can make a difference!
Dementia is the most serious form of brain aging. It begins with a gradual alteration of memory and cognitive functions and can extend to impaired judgment and a progressive loss of autonomy.
If protective factors exist (a high level of education, a strong social network, leisure activities and regular physical activity), age would be the main risk factor. But we must add high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, smoking, alcoholism and even hypercholesterolemia.
Between Alzheimer's disease (850,000 patients) which claims 225,000 new victims each year and Parkinson's (160,000 cases and more than 10,000 new ones per year), more than a million French people are affected by neurodegenerative brain diseases.
In the USA, where it affects 5.3 million people, Alzheimer's disease has even become the sixth cause of death. According to the WHO, these cases of dementia could double by 2030 and triple by 2050.
For the moment, there is no curative treatment, only symptomatic medications with very variable effectiveness. The general effort focuses on welcoming and proximity work with representatives of sick people. There are more than 1,500 establishments with an Alzheimer's unit, but apart from screening based on
tests to be carried out by a specialist, we are still waiting for a real proposal with a preventive aim.
When should you worry?
The diagnosis of these diseases is sometimes difficult, especially in the elderly, but certain signs prompt consultation:
- Regular loss of everyday objects
- A sense of direction that is suddenly lacking
- A simple calculation that becomes difficult or impossible
- Difficulty locating oneself in time or place
- New mood disorders
- A loss of empathy
- Handwriting becoming illegible
- A step-by-step approach
- Loss of taste or smell
A list of culprits as long as an arm
To start, remember to hydrate! A poorly hydrated brain increases the risk of degenerative diseases. The older we get, the more the feeling of thirst decreases. However, the brain functions 14% faster when the body is sufficiently hydrated.
Studies have shown that the ability to concentrate gradually decreases as soon as the body is subject to a water deficiency of more than 1%. For the rest, what are the potential culprits? The dock of the accused is not far from overflowing with environmental actors on the front line, increasingly singled out for the genesis of neurodegenerative diseases. If these factors were taken into consideration upstream, this could attenuate or prevent the onset of neuronal degeneration.
Vitamin D deficiency
Some studies have already established a link between low vitamin D levels and a high risk of stroke. We now know that people with low vitamin D in their blood have a 69% increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. If they are very deficient, this risk can even reach 120%. Please note that vitamin D dosage is no longer reimbursed by social security.
When the meat takes revenge
The more food (especially animal) proteins there are to metabolize, the more homocysteine we produce in the blood. Homocysteine is a toxic and oxidizing amino acid that the body seeks to eliminate. In this case, industrial foods are to blame, as is a diet poor in fresh fruits and vegetables. But overproduction of homocysteine can also come from a genetic predisposition. As such, women who
have a high level of homocysteine have a 70% additional risk of developing dementia other than Alzheimer's.
A study carried out over eight months on 48 people demonstrated that regular consumption of a drink rich in antioxidants from apple, lemon and organic green tea helps reduce excess homocysteine in the blood of people with diabetes. ''Alzheimer's, unlike the placebo which had no effect.
Poor dental hygiene
One study found that people who brushed their teeth less than once a day had up to a 65% higher risk of dementia than those who brushed their teeth daily. Other research has shown that people with Alzheimer's disease have more bacteria in their brains linked to chronic disease
gums (periodontitis) than people without dementia, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis.
When the mercury weighs down the atmosphere
With 8 amalgam fillings on average for each individual, this is equivalent to approximately 120 micrograms of mercury released into the mouth each day through chewing and evaporation. However, we know that chronic exposure to mercury, in the professional or environmental environment, through fillings and contaminated food, constitutes a major long-term threat to public health. People who detox
less well would be the most vulnerable and it has been shown that the brains of people with Alzheimer's have a higher concentration of mercury.
The replacement of certain fillings with neutral ceramics would therefore be an important factor in preventing dementia.
Aluminum, a potential scandal
It is everywhere: tap water, food, kitchen utensils... but also in vaccines, gastric dressings or even deodorants, all to be avoided repeatedly because the toxicity of aluminum on the nervous system is recognized and probably combined with that of other heavy metals.
The 3 vegetable oils that do you good
- Rapeseed oil for its contribution of structuring and anti-inflammatory omega-3s to the brain.
- First cold-pressed virgin olive oil for its neuroprotective omega-9
- Organic virgin coconut oil for these MCTs (medium chain triglycerides) which are neuroprotective and active against Alzheimer's disease.
Source: www.lrk.ch
