INFORMATION ABOUT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO TO REDUCE MY RISK OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE?

Although the promise of a vaccine has not yet been realized, targeting and controlling or eliminating vascular risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, smoking, and high cholesterol, and maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly, may play a role in reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. More specifically, eating a Mediterranean-style diet (high consumption of beans, nuts, cereals and seeds, cheese and yogurt as the main sources of dairy foods, moderate amounts of fish and poultry, small amounts of red meat, extra-virgin olive oil or nuts, and low to moderate amounts of red wine in those who consume alcohol) is associated with reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease as is regular moderate intensity exercise such as 30 minutes of brisk walking or other form of exercise that causes an individual to break a sweat 5 days-a-week. Emerging evidence suggests that early cognitive impairment may have modifiable or preventable components and a combination of medical treatment and lifestyle interventions described above may delay or reduce cognitive decline.