Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that causes the brain to shrink (atrophy) and brain neurons to die, according to the Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit organization dedicated to clinical practice, education and research.
In fact, Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, that according to the National Institute on Aging of the United States, dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning (thinking, remembering and reasoning) and behavioral skills to such an extent that it interferes with activities and daily life.
Thus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that the ten signs that announce that a person will develop Alzheimer’s:
1. Memory loss that affects daily life: forgetting events, repeating what is said, or relying on more aids to help you remember (such as sticky notes or reminders).
2. Difficulty planning or solving problems: having trouble paying bills or cooking recipes you’ve used for years.
3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, work, or during leisure time: have trouble cooking, driving, using a cell phone, or shopping.
4. Confusion with times, dates or places: having trouble understanding an event that will happen later or losing track of dates.
5. Problem understanding visual images and spatial relationships: having more trouble with balance or judging distances, tripping over things around the house, or spilling or dropping things more often.
6. New word problems when speaking or writing: have difficulty following or participating in a conversation, or finding a word they are looking for (saying “that thing on your wrist that tells the time” instead of “clock”).
7. Placing things in the wrong place and losing the ability to retrace steps: putting car keys in the washer or dryer, or not being able to retrace steps to find something.
8. Decrease or lack of judgment: being the victim of a scam, not managing money well, paying less attention to hygiene or having difficulty caring for a pet.
9. Leaving work or social activities: not wanting to go to church or other activities you usually do, not being able to follow soccer games or keep up with what’s going on.
10. Changes in mood and personality: easily angered in common situations, or feel fear or suspicion.
However, it is important to note that according to the non-profit entity, Alzheimer’s disease is a disease that cannot be prevented, but a number of risk factors in our lifestyle for Alzheimer’s disease can be modified. What:
- Exercise regularly. New World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines recommend at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week for all adults, including people living with chronic conditions or disability, and an average of 60 minutes a day for children and adolescents.
- Eat a diet of fresh products, healthy oils and foods low in saturated fats, like the Mediterranean diet, but before starting any diet, a health expert should be consulted so that he or she can guide and indicate what is best for each person.
- Follow treatment guidelines to control high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
- Quit smoking, if you do.
In any case, the information given above in no way replaces medical advice and therefore the first thing to do is consult a health expert so that he or she can guide the process and indicate what is most appropriate for each person. .