Alzheimer’s risk tied to proper diet and exercise

If we are given the choice of dropping dead of a heart attack (or stroke) versus languishing in a nursing care facility with Alzheimer’s disease, most of us would choose the heart attack. (There’s reportedly research that says it takes a person, when offered the options, an average of 10 milliseconds to make that decision.)

But wait. Studies done at the Mayo Clinic indicate that specific health and lifestyle behaviors can help us avoid both cardiac problems and dementia. Evidence points to "keeping a lid on blood pressure, blood sugar and weight as important to more than just the avoidance of heart attacks and strokes.

What’s grabbing attention is new information that says regularly monitoring blood pressure, keeping blood sugar in check if you are diabetic and maintaining a reasonable weight can also be important in averting the dementia that is called Alzheimer’s disease.

The possibility of losing one’s mind is a tremendously big deal — even thinking it can be unsettling. If you’re a caregiver for someone who already has a diagnosis involving some form of dementia, you understand all this a lot better than I do.

Whatever causes Alzheimer’s disease remains unknown. So anytime there’s new understanding or different approaches, it gets my attention.

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Research, recently reported in the newsletter from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, is suggesting that Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia may be triggered by some of the same risk factors that result in other life-threatening health conditions.

A healthy diet and regular exercise can help both the body and the brain. What a finding!

One expert, Columbia University’s Jose Luchsinger, put it well when he said, "it’s a no-risk strategy; healthy weight, exercise and a balanced diet are likely to be important for cognitive disorders … the benefits are so large that if all you do is cut your risk of heart attack, stroke and diabetes, there’s no down side."

More food for thought. We know that if we increase the fruits and vegetables we eat (we need two and a half cups a day of veggies and one cup of fruit each day), add more whole grains (whole wheat should be the first item in the list of ingredients), drink fewer soft drinks, eat less bacon and sausage and perhaps no hot dogs — well, it’s the wise way to eat. But it’s hard to count carrots and opt for an apple when that bratwurst, and all the trappings, is calling to us.

Maybe with summer coming, a hot dog will look a little less inviting if we know it not only increases our risk of heart and brain attacks (strokes) but also paves the way toward cognitive decline.

It’s our greatest fear, so maybe it’s also our best motivator.

For more information on "Maintain Your Brain" approaches, go to www.alz.org or call 774-9348 for local information.

Sharon Johnson is an assistant professor in family and community development at OSU Extension and a member of the Senior Advisory Council. E-mail her at s.johnson@oregonstate.edu or call 776- 7371, Ext. 210.