The Seven Pillars of Alzheimer'S Disease Prevention

Copyright (c) 2013 Richard Stadnyk

We have been told for years, that there's little we can do to prevent Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia but hope for the best and wait for a pharmaceutical cure. You got to be kidding me, a pharmaceutical cure? The truth is you can reduce your risk by eating right, exercising, staying mentally and socially active, and keeping stress in check. By leading a brain-healthy lifestyle, you may be able to prevent Alzheimer's symptoms and slow down, or even reverse, the process of deterioration. I now train and help a 88 year old woman that has Dementia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. I implement walking, lifting weights, stretching resistance bands and tossing a ball back & forth for agility, balance & coordination. It has definitely helped assist her in her daily moves around the house, and she is thinking sharper and has better control of her movements! Amazingly she also has a great sense of humor as well, as she follows her program with me a couple times per week. I find this a blessing and look forward to our every session!

There are more than one in seven cases of Alzheimer's disease could be prevented if people who are physically inactive started getting regular doses of exercise, a new report suggests.

Most of the researchers strongly recommended the Public Health Agency of Canada's guidelines to maintain 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week --- half an hour, five times a week --- that can even be done in 10 minutes bursts.

We all know some factors, such as your genes, are out of your control, many powerful lifestyle factors are within your sphere of influence.

These are the seven pillars of a brain-healthy lifestyle:

1) Regular exercise 2) Healthy diet 3) Mental stimulation 4) Happiness/Peacefulness 5) Quality sleep 6) Stress management 7) An active social life

Here is a strong fact! Build muscle to pump up your brain. Moderate levels of weight and resistance training not only increase muscle mass, they help you maintain brain health. Combining aerobics and strength training is better than either activity alone. For those over 65, adding 2-3 strength sessions to your weekly routine may cut your risk of Alzheimer's in half. Can you believe it, in half!

And always include balance and coordination exercises. Head injuries from falls are an increasing risk as you grow older, which in turn increase your risk for Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Balance and coordination exercises can help you stay agile and avoid spills. Try yoga, Tai Chi, or exercises using balance discs or balance balls.

Look at getting at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise five times per week. Try walking, swimming, or any other activity that gets your heart rate up. Even routine activities such as gardening, cleaning, or doing laundry count as exercise. But your main goal is to get your heart rate up, check with your doctor to get a proper and safe targeted heart rate under load.

It's recommend to "Live an active life, ideally throughout the day, and start doing it as soon as possible," and we always make sure our clients engage in proper personal training programs in order for them to change their life and to Live better!

P.P.S. This is a comment from a discussion board I participate in:

Richard Haggs1- Wrote 4/23/2013 3:27 PM EDT

My wife, 65, was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer's 6 years ago and has suffered considerable decline in physical abilities. 3 years ago she began an individual, three time a week exercise regimen with a trainer at the local gym. While her balance and gait have continued to decline the rate has slowed considerably - to the point where last year she ran/walked six 5K races with her trainer alongside her to prevent falls. This year they plan to walk only; as we have seen more falls on a daily basis. I do not believe these two years accomplishments would have been possible without organized, regular exercise led by a professional.

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