Here's a scary statistic: An estimated 5.2 million Americans suffered from Alzheimer's Disease in 2008. That's according to the 2008 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures published by the Alzheimer's Association.
But Alzheimer's is not inevitable. In fact, there are actions you can take to fight Alzheimer's disease before it starts and keep yourself off the list of Americans with the illness in 2018, 2028 ... even 2038.
So just how can you prevent Alzheimer's? Here are Alzheimer's prevention suggestions from Dr. David W. Crumpacker, who specializes in the disease at his practice in Plano, Texas, along with tips from the Alzheimer's Association.
- Exercise: Walk or do something physical most days of the week.
- Eat right: Choose a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, particularly deep green and orange vegetables; low in saturated and trans fats and sugars; and high in whole grains and legumes; include fish.
- Reduce weight, blood pressure and high cholesterol: Following the first two tips (above) should help.
- Stay mentally engaged and optimistic: Do puzzles, play music, learn a new language, volunteer, start a hobby, create a strong circle of friends.
- Don't be in denial: Starting at age 60, ask for a memory test at your annual checkup. Because early treatment can be most effective, seek help at the first signs: forgetting recently learned material, forgetting simple words, putting things in odd places, paying bills twice or not at all, losing track of steps in making a call or playing a game.
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