Prevention

The following article is a composite of information by William Rodman Shankle, M.S., M.D. and Daniel G. Amen, M.D. in their book:

Preventing Alzheimer’s: Ways to help Prevent, Delay, Detect,
and Even Halt Alzheimer’ s Disease and Other Forms of Memory Loss


“Prevention Through Delay”

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) begins an average of 30 years before the first symptoms. The accumulation of beta amyloid plaques in the brain, a mayor mechanism thought to cause Alzheimer’s, begins as early as 30 years old.

The good news is that through prevention strategies you may be able to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s long enough so that you will never have symptoms.

One out of every two families in the United States has a member with Alzheimer’s disease. It affects approximately five million people in our country, and the chance of developing Alzheimer’s doubles every five years after the age of 65. By age 85, there is a 50 percent chance you will develop Alzheimer’s.

Brain Cells are Lost and Removed

and….. New Brain Cells are Produced

As people age, from birth upward, the brain goes through a pruning process in which neurons are systematically “lost” by dying and being removed. However, the number of neurons in each brain area tends to stay relatively constant. We know this due to the research that verifies that human brains continuously make new neurons throughout the life of the brain. Research discovered that the number of new neurons produced will usually match the number of neurons lost in each area.

However, a problem occurs when the production of new neurons that are being generated begins to dwindle in comparison to the number that are dying or being removed, then the functioning of that brain region begins to decline.

Contrary to popular belief, with current medical and scientific knowledge, the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s can be delayed by an average of six years. That delay can reduce by half the total number of people who develop the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. This means that you may never develop the symptoms of Alzheimer’s during your lifetime. These remarkable medical and scientific advances in Alzheimer’s research allow you to benefit from the concept of prevention through delay.

There are early-detection screening tools and early-intervention strategies to dramatically delay the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s.

Being aware of your own potential neurological risks is an important step, and then embracing prevention through delay is the action key for avoiding Alzheimer’s symptoms and problems as you age.

One of the fundamental problems of prevention is in knowing what combination of treatments is right for each individual. We present an approach that is cost-effective and sets up knowledge and information of each person’s own individual personal risks areas, and then tailors prevention strategies to those specific areas.

The First thing to do is obtain neurological evaluations with computerized screenings:

The images of EEG Brain Mapping and the SPECT scans visually show the areas of the brain where treatment can optimize brain function.

SPECT (single photon emission computer tomography) is a revolutionary brain imaging method that allows physicians and patients to see how an individual’s brain works. SPECT is a nuclear medicine technique that looks at brain blood flow and activity patterns.

The SPECT images allow for better and earlier diagnosis, as they more sensitively tract the course of the conditions, as well as the effects of treatment.

Next, do blood tests to diagnose treatable conditions that mimic Alzheimer’s. These are often medical conditions that may cause loss of memory and brain problems such as:

With this knowledge, of whether or not the loss of memory conditions are due to a neurological condition, or a medical condition, it is now possible to proceed with Prevention Through Delay therapy.

Understanding the many possible causes of brain cell loss is relevant to understanding how to effectively prevent diseases of aging in the brain.

Early Intervention Strategies:

For keeping the Brain/Mind healthy

The good news is that if it is caught in the earliest stages, prevention and treatment interventions have their best chance of working to delay the ravages of the disease.
Research has shown that the primary ways for avoiding the symptoms of Alzheimer’s is to treat yourself according to the following three main areas.

Brain Nutrients                  Physical Exercise                 Intellectual Stimulation

One example of the ability of the above areas for pre-conditioning the brain is that of physical exercise.

Exercise improves the strength of the heart muscle so that the deep areas of the brain receive better blood flow.   It is these deep areas of the brain that are the most susceptible to reduced blood flow and cellular damage as we age. The well-designed Canadian Study of Health and Aging, which followed 4,615 cognitively normal Canadian over 65 years old for five years, found that regular physical exercise reduced dementia risk by 50 percent.


While a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s can be devastating, the earlier it is detected the more likely it is that, if it is treated properly, you and your family can avoid suffering the full-blown effects of the disease.




Find the BRAIN POWER

that you deserve,

and keep the GLOW

of GOOD MENTAL HEALTH

in your life.






BRAIN POWER,

YOU CAN HAVE IT !



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