How to prevent Alzheimer’s disease?
While the cure of this disease has not yet been found, some researches have shown that there might be ways to lower your risk of getting it. Discover with us how to prevent this disease.
If you would like a consultation you can contact an English speaking doctor in Barcelona
Many people all over the world are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and for the moment there is no cure. Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia. This disease is an irreversible and progressive brain disorder that starts to destroy your memory, your way of thinking and your language ability. While being abroad, you can always ask an English speaking doctor in Barcelona to evaluate your condition.
What are the symptoms of Alzheimer?
At the beginning of the disease, the person affected by Alzheimer will have difficulties to remember recent events, however they might easily recall things that happened a long time ago.
With time passing by, others symptoms will appear:
– Problems focusing,
– Loss of initiative,
– Loss of memory,
– Language problems,
– A hard time doing simple tasks,
– Feeling confused or frustrated,
– Feeling disoriented and getting lost easily,
– Mood swings, outbursts of anger, anxiety, and depression,
– Physical problems, such as poor coordination,
– Loss of objects.
If you have memory’s loss, difficulties to perform your daily tasks, or some of those other symptoms you can ask an English speaking doctor in Barcelona for a screening to evaluate your condition.
Still today Alzheimer’s disease has no cure, we do not know its origins and its causes. Many studies are committed seeking a cure for it.
While the cure has not yet been found, some researches have shown that there might be ways to lower your risk to Alzheimer’s disease.
Let’s see which ones:
– Exercise
Recent researches have shown that daily exercises (especially the aerobic exercise ) can lower the risk of this disease. Some researches demonstrate that older adults who did exercises delayed the process of the disease. We advise you to exercise a few times each week in order to keep your body and your mind healthy.
– The Mediterranean diet
A good and balanced diet can decrease the risk of Alzheimer and it can help you in its prevention. Research shows that older people following the Mediterranean diet might have a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
The Mediterranean diet consists of eating fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, olive oil, nuts, legumes, fish, moderate amounts of poultry, eggs, and moderate amounts of red wine. You should avoid your consumption of butter and margarine, red meat, fried foods, and sweets.
According to the Mediterranean diet, you should:
– Eat Leafy vegetables six or more time per week like kale, spinach, cooked greens, and salads.
– Choose healthy fats and use Olive oil as your main cooking oil and as flavouring.
– Eat strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries at least twice a week.
– Whole grains: Try for at least three servings daily. You can choose between oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, and 100% whole-wheat bread.
– Eat Fatty fish weekly: Eat fish such as salmon, sardines, trout, and mackerel.
– Beans, lentils, and soybeans: Include these in at least four meals every week.
– Poultry: you can try to eat chicken or turkey at least twice a week
– Eat eggs, cheese or yoghurt a few times a week.
– Drink enough water every day
– You can drink one glass of red wine daily.
– Sleep
Many pieces of evidence show that sleep is linked to the prevention of Alzheimer. It is really important then to get enough sleep, you should aim for seven or eight hours each night.
– Healthy lifestyle:
Your habits can reflect your health and they can have a great impact on the prevention of diseases. Smoking is never good for your brain and it can increase your risks to contract Alzheimer’s disease. You should reduce your alcohol intake as well. If you need some advice by our english speaking doctors in Barcelona, you could contact us.
– Stay mentally and socially active:
We think that cognitively stimulating activities, being socially active, learning new things can help in the prevention of Alzheimer’s. However, there are yet not significative evidences that this can lower your risk to have Alzheimer’s.
Art and Music as Alzheimer’s Therapy
Art and Music enrich people lives. According to the researches, it can play an important role in the lives of people with Alzheimer’s. During this disease Music and Art can help the person to express themselves.
-Music
Music is good for our lives and it is really powerful. It can reduce agitation in the middle stages of the disease and even in later stages a person might be able to recognize a childhood song.
Tips for selecting music for people with Alzheimer’s:
– Let them choose their own music,
- While listening to music, make sure the person is not interrupted by any commercials because this can cause confusion,
- Encourage the movement while the music is playing,
- Choose the music according to the mood you want to create,
- Make sure the volume of music is not too loud.
If you would be facing Alzheimer’s or you know someone around you that has it, you can find a music therapist that may help you, you can check the website of the American Music Therapy Association.
– Art
Art is a great way to express ourselves and create a purpose in people affected by Alzheimer’s.
Here you can find some tips for someone in his middle or late stage of Alzheimer:
- Keep the project to an adult level, do not make it look childish,
- Encourage the person in the art process and try to share a conversation about what has been created.
- Allow the person to take his time to finish the art project, take into count that it can take more than one session in order to finish it.
- Help the person while creating the project.
If while traveling, you or someone around you, has Alzheimer’s disease, you can contact an English speaking doctor in Barcelona through our website https://medvisit.io/