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You’re afraid of the worst case scenario, but according to
authors Gary Small and Gigi Vorgan, you may be
worrying unnecessarily. In their new book The
Alzheimer’s Prevention Program, you’ll learn more.
It’s easy to joke about forgetting things, but to the 80
million baby boomers in the U.S., memory slips are a serious
thing: every 70 seconds, another American is diagnosed with
Alzheimer’s disease.
But forgetting isn’t necessarily an indication of
Alzheimer’s, say the authors. There are lots of reasons for
a minor lack of memory, including mere aging. The thing to
remember is that our brains naturally contain some of the
hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease in the presence of amyloid
plaques and tau tangles. The difference is when the
“accumulation reaches a critical threshold… when our brains
can no longer compensate for the misfiring neurons.”
That might happen early, or it might not happen at all.
The good news is that, no matter what your age, there are
things you can do to stave off Alzheimer’s and memory loss.
First of all, the authors say, get moving. Physical exercise
significantly lowers the risk of dementia and improving your
body’s fitness will help your brain’s fitness. Walking is
good but any movement helps.
Learn to eat right, take supplements and add antioxidant
foods to your diet, including fish, fruits, and nuts,
broccoli and raisins. Always partner with your doctor.
Lower your stress level, especially if you’re middle-aged.
Studies indicate that frequent stress in mid-life raises the
risk for Alzheimer’s by 65 percent.
Lastly, laugh. Play mental games and do puzzles. Spend time
with friends. And indulge in a little bubbly while you’re
doing it: studies show that moderate alcohol consumption is
good for your brain.
Scared about constantly losing your keys? Think you’re
losing your mind? Read this book and forget about it
because authors Gary Small, M.D. and Gigi Vorgan will show
you that you needn’t worry.
That’s because worrying is counterproductive and so are a
lot of myths you’ve heard about Alzheimer’s. I really
appreciated that the authors explained so much about the
disease itself, which serves to answer questions that occur.
Another thing that’s nice about this book is that it’s not
stuffy. Small and Vorgan use gentle humor in their
instructions, as well as puzzles, light anecdotes, and fun.
That makes it not just user-friendly, but quite inviting
and, well… memorable.
Don’t think that you need to be Of a Certain Age to read
this book, though. The authors speak to readers in their
20s, as well as those 20-somethings’ great-grandparents, so
if you want to keep your brain healthy at any age, this is a
book to reach for.
Write it down.
Don’t forget. |
