Dec 15, 2015
More than 5 million people in the USA are suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease, and that number is expected to triple by 2050. While there is no cure for this common form of dementia, experts say there are things you can do to help reduce the risk of suffering from Alzheimer’s later in life.
Neurologist Dr. Kenneth S. Kosik has been researching Alzheimer’s Disease for 35 years. The Harriman Professor of Neuroscience Research at UC Santa Barbara, and co-director of the Neuroscience Research Institute, shares these important tips to help ward off Alzheimer’s.
“Know your Numbers”
“Know your blood pressure, know your glucose or sugar level, know your cholesterol or lipid levels,” said Dr. Kosik. If any of these numbers are abnormal, a person is at greater risk of Alzheimer’s.
If your numbers are off, talk to your doctor about what you can do to get them back on track. Keeping these numbers in check can also reduce the risk of diabetes, stroke and heart disease.
Small Changes can make a Big Difference
Adopting these five lifestyle habits can help fend off Alzheimer’s Disease:
- Get your exercise
- Keep your brain active
- Eat a healthy diet
- Try to reduce stress
- Maintain friendships
Dr. Kosik goes into detail on these tips, and offers other
valuable insights, in our conversation in
this Lisa.FM podcast (click below to
listen)
You’ll find more valuable information on this subject in Dr. Kosik’s Reader’s Digest story, Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease: 8 Daily Habits a Neurologist Swears By.
Pick up Dr. Kosik’s book “Outsmarting Alzheimer’s: What You can do to Reduce Your Risk” (Readers Digest 2015).