Exercise and Diet Weigh in on Alzheimer's

I think it's important at this time for the fat man stay on task. One of the things that is always interested me are the big battles that we face with our common enemies that take our life. With today's topic I do like learning new things. Sometimes our hopes can be dashed. It is good to see what we have learned even in failure to move ahead. 

I have often reported that our biggest enemies are Cardiovascular diseases that include both a heart and the brain, cancer, and diabetes. At number six affecting more than five and a half million Americans is Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. There was an article in the Chicago Tribune today, Alzheimer's Cure Elusive by Melissa Bailey.

Setbacks in clinical trials of medicines developed have producing 99% failure rate. This hasn't been because of lack of money or energy to who try to find treatments for those who are suffering. It is believed that will take many different angles to treat the disease, At least that is the hope moving forward. 

From what I've been able to read there is no cure for any of these diseases. There is hope to slow down or put into a state of remission our problems with the heart, arteries, cancer and diabetes. 

With dementia, lifestyle changes have helped to slow down the disease with some people, but finding drugs to help has proven to be a little more difficult. Since Alzheimer's was identified at the turn of the 20th Century we have been able to discover some of the physical changes that occur in the brain with that disease. 

In an interview with Rudolph Tanzi he states, “In Alzheimer’s disease, there are three pillars of pathology. There’s the plaque, the tangles, and inflammation.” 

Under the microscope

ExperienceLife.com / EXPERIENCE LIFE 

His explanation talks of inflammation being the fuel that increases the genetic possibilities for plaque and tangles which destroys cells in the brain. We have not been able to find medicines to help with these conditions, so for now making good lifestyle changes give us our best hope of dealing with this. 

• Eliminating junk food and processed food will help with inflammation and whenever we are genetically with dementia, This will give us our best outcome. 
• Exercise he says, “You induce the production of enzymes in the brain that clear is the amyloid, that eat it up - enzymes and actually attacked and chew up the amyloid…
• Also during exercise you make new nerve cells - a process called neurogenesis - in the hippocampus, the area affected by the Alzheimer’s.” Exercise is in and of itself anti-inflammatory. 

Tanzi also recommends a diet rich in fruits and vegetables which is anti-inflammatory. 

My take on all this is that in my lifetime we will have to go through 50% of us been affected by dementia by the time we're our 80s. We are unraveling ways too cope a little better but I think we need to spend some time learning what to expect and how to care for those that go through this. Lifestyle right now gives us our best numbers. Choosing to get active and eat well can make a big difference in all these aging diseases. Family caregivers have a need to get inform and support. 

Despite our investment, medical science has its limits. That's sort of sucks but combating disease has never been easy. Keep up the fight, and walk.

God's love and care even when we can't perceive it.

On the net there is a lot of places where you can be encouraged. Today I am sharing a technique you can use praying to God. It is used to pray back the Scriptures. You take a scripture and personalize it as you pray back to God. Here we see an example of a Ephesians 5:8-10. Note to personal pronouns:

Dr. Ken Boa paraphrases “I was once darkness, but now I am light in the Lord.  May I walk as a child of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), learning what is pleasing to the Lord.”  (Ephesians 5:8-10)

Reading Wayne styles today, he shares truth centered on Romans 8:31-34

It is quite possible in our lifetime to experience people who did not approve of us. There have been those who are not on our side. What ever our experience contrast that with God's unconditional love and acceptance. When we acknowledge our need for a Savior it is always an uplifting experience.

If there is a chance we are living on the blue side, we may be seeing too much negative. It is always a good idea to challenge negative thinking. Theologically we should be able to see from Romans 8:31 to 34 that God is going to see us through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. (Ps. 23) We live in a fallen world and bad things happen even to good people; but God is with us through these experiences. 

(I have thought about in our weakness and frailty. We may not be able to see the truth of God’s care.  People are cruel to each other and we may distort and bend things darkly. Then there are accidents, conditions and diseases that over take us. If we live long enough we are likely to effected by an aging brain. If you see me with a Sox hat or Cardinal hat you will know that dementia has got me. There is nothing wrong with these teams but if I am wearing their hats as my everyday hat, my brain has left the building.) 

There is a certainty that we are in God’s hand through death and heaven. This life is not without its blessings and as such  we challenge negative thinking of depression for it is not always true or absolute.

There may be some people against us; but if we rethink it we will find examples of people who are for us. We have experienced neglect; but if we look again we will notice them many people who took care on our behalf. We may be looking at somebody with the negative expression; but they at that moment may have gas. Our interpretation is always subject to our feelings. To be sure negative responses are real; but they are not always what they seem to be. An angry face my have just bit their tongue.

You can read many stories in the Bible of people who did horrid things. We can learn from them; but it is important not to personalize each and every one of them. Don't own up to every bad thing you read. It Is a good thing that we did not experience every bad thing. Taking our problems day to day is enough. Knowing that God loves us, forgives us, and is working in our life through the good and bad, He won't forsake us. These things are clearly seen in the Bible. 

Challenge negative thinking and remember our thinking may be distorted because of disease or abuse, the truth about God will see us through even that. Keep walking

Our brain keeps developing - helps to fight dementia

In the March issue of today's geriatric medicine Katherine O’Brien PhD and Rosco Nicholson MA discuss the topic Lifestyle Influences Brain Health.

http://www.todaysgeriatricmedicine.com/archive/0315p18.shtml

They cite 5 million Americans over the ages 65 suffer from Alzheimer's disease. What stuck up for me that means 1 in 8.5 have this disorder. In every five years after the age of 65 the number doubles. With these kind numbers it is easy to see why baby boomers are trying to figure out how to avoid Alzheimer's or slow it down.

I think it is important to note that we are aging and to not live in some kind of denial. One of the things that occurs with Alzheimer's is that it affects judgment and critical thinking of self-awareness. This is why it's so important to have support from family or close friends who have your interest and care about you.

For years we were taught that our brains are given at birth and the cells last for a lifetime. New research indicates for example “that exercise can increase the level of the brain-Derived neurotrophic factor, a hormone that promotes growth of new brain cells.” “Our brains develop new neurons at any age. Researchers now believe that the brain changes throughout life, growing new cells and altering neutral structures in response to certain environmental input.”

I have known for a while that our brain makes new connections all the time. I have read research that shows the ability to learn and make new memories the brain is constantly we organizing and connecting in new ways. Years ago and I read where walking and exercising improves our brain function better than games and crossword puzzles. When you walk your breathing changes and you're the blood flows a little faster giving oxygen throughout your body from head to toe. Notice your feet after a walk, your circulation has improved. That works at the in the body your head, The blood flow to your brain has improved. 

When I had teninitis exercise increase the blood flow to the small arteries around my ear and in a few months the crickets I was hearing when away. Exercise is a good way to improve our vascular health. If we pick up the habbit of walking every day we can help clean up arteries.

Back to the article they bring up the topic of cognitive reserve and it has been discovered in autopsies there are people who show advance stages of Alzheimer disease yet they did not show any of the symptoms of the disease. Researchers have speculated is the delay of the appearances symptoms based on the ability of people who have a higher education or the ability to use your leisure time more efficiently to develop cognitive networks.

The focus turn to four lifestyle pursuits that may help the brain deal with the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Increase activity, eat healthy foods, maintain social and cognitive engagement, and reduce stress.

The take away for me in the article is in my older experience in my including physical exercise, a healthy diet. Am I still engaged in life to continue learning and being involved with others. The article brushes by my spiritual life, but that is part of it too. One more thing the researchers pointed out for us be aware of online games to help memory for money. Their claims may be overstated. We are scared of losing our marbles and that fear is used buy some to make money. The games may have some benefit but at least be aware of the con possibility. When it comes to healthcare it is good to weigh the claims and the cost of things. You are in charge of your health decisions. A lot of things medically that can help us but if it's too good to be true it may be misleading.

Exercise, healthy diet, keep working on your friends and family, an work on your mental health and spiritual life are all low cost investments. It is scary do help our parents or loved ones as they age. I think it is cool that we can do things to give us an edge. Keep walking