Alzheimer’s: Assessing and Reversing Your Risk

How do you know what these factors are so you can reduce your total risk?

Since the majority are related to what you put in your mouth, any long-term solution must involve fundamental changes to your diet.

The contributory factors include:

• A genetic predisposition
• Inflammation
• Lack of antioxidantAntioxidants are substances that protect cells within the body from damage caused by free radicals. They help to strengthen the body’s ability to fight infection… nutrients
• Lack of omega-3 fats
• Excessive stress and elevated cortisolCortisol has been nicknamed ‘the stress hormone’ as it is released in higher levels during the body’s flight or fight response to stress. Levels of…
• Poor blood sugar control and excess carbs
• Raised homocysteineHomocysteine is an amino acid found in the blood. Elevated levels of homocysteine have been associated with narrowing and hardening of the arteries, an increased…
• Lack of B vitamins
• Indigestion and/or malabsorption
• Poor circulation.

Aside from a genetic predisposition, each of these can be prevented and these prevention steps form the basis of my Alzheimer’s Prevention Diet. But be aware that having a genetic predisposition, such as having the ApoE4 gene, on its own is not enough to cause the disease. Only one in a hundred cases of Alzheimer’s are ‘caused’ by the extremely rare familial pre-senilin genes causing very early onset Alzheimer’s.

An inflammatory issue?

It is highly likely that both cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s result at least in part from the same or a similar disease process. In cardiovascular disease the arteries become inflamed and damaged. A similar process occurs in the brain in Alzheimer’s disease. Often, the two diseases occur together. A review carried out at New York University’s neurology department highlights the fact that at least a third of patients with Alzheimer’s also have some degree of vascular disease. Not only does the presence of cardiovascular disease greatly increase the chances of getting Alzheimer’s, especially if you happen to have the ApoE4 gene,¹ but many causative factors apply to both conditions.

It’s one of those chicken or egg situations. For example, having vascular disease tends to speed up the memory loss associated with Alzheimer’s. Once cardiovascular disease is present, blockages in arteries may lead to a poor supply of key nutrients to the brain – a condition known as cerebrovascular disease. And without a good supply of antioxidants, brain cells become more vulnerable to damage from free radicalsFree radicals are molecules produced when the body breaks down food or by environmental exposure to things like cigarette smoke, pollution and radiation. Free radicals…, rogue molecules produced by combustion, for example from frying foods or smoking. So cerebrovascular disease is intimately linked to both a lack of antioxidants and excess exposure to oxidants. Antioxidant nutrients such as vitamins C and E have been shown to help both conditions – not only to mop up these brain pollutants, but also to reduce inflammation.

Cerebrovascular disease is also strongly linked to having a high homocysteine level. Based on an analysis of all current research, having a high homocysteine level makes you more than twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s as having cerebrovascular disease. A high H score also makes you much more likely to develop cerebrovascular disease. So, whichever way you cut it, keeping your homocysteine level low is essential.

All of these factors – a lack of antioxidants, too many brain pollutants, the presence of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease – tend to increase the risk and severity of Alzheimer’s, with the critical link being inflammation. Now, let’s explore how this inflammation occurs, and how to prevent it.

The presence of beta-amyloid plaques or remains of dead cells and other waste material in the brain distinguish Alzheimer’s from other forms of dementia. Beta-amyloid...

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