A study showed that people who maintain good cardiovascular health throughout their middle years might have better odds at keeping their brains healthy as they get older. This study directed attention to the growing obesity problem, which is usually accompanied with numerous heart problems that researchers are worried might trigger an outbreak of Alzheimer's patients in the years to come.

One researcher stated this was a major public health issue particularly considering it is estimated that nearly 16 million Americans will be afflicted with Alzheimer's by the year 2050.

At this time, 4.5 million Americans have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

Some of the recommendations researchers offered to lose weight and raise good cholesterol levels included exercising and eating a diet rich with mono-unsaturated fats. The examples of mono-unsaturated foods researchers cited were nuts and drinking one or two glasses of wine a day.

Studies on Cholesterol Levels and Memory Problems

• One study analyzed over 4,000 healthy women and discovered that the women who had the highest HDL levels during their mid years had decreased the chance of developing memory-related and other cognitive problems later in life by 50 percent

• The HDL cholesterol level of these women were on the average 73 milligrams per deciliter, which is above the typical average of between 40 and 60

• A second study evaluated over 3,300 senior citizens and discovered that the seniors who were taking diuretics to treat their high blood pressure had decreased their risk of developing Alzheimer's by 40 percent

Based on the results from this study researchers concluded that people who kept their blood pressure in the healthy range and controlled cardiovascular risk factors had a better chance of warding off Alzheimer's.

USA Today July 21, 2004

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

As I mentioned in a past blog entry, we are in the midst of an epidemic of Alzheimer's disease. Fortunately, there is good news. All you need to do is stay healthy and you can avoid nearly all chronic disease, including Alzheimer's. Just think light and darkness. If you have a light and shine it in a dark corner, you won't have darkness. It is not that you did anything special to eliminate the darkness you merely presented light into the area and the darkness vanished. Similarly, it is very difficult to have health and disease exist simultaneously. Once you become healthy, disease tends to vanish and stay away. This study shows that if you take aggressive efforts to improve your heart health you will also radically decrease your risk for one of the most devastating diseases, Alzheimer's. The study does not cover this area, but you will also significantly lower your risk for cancer, arthritis, autoimmune diseases and nearly every other chronic degenerative disease. As I have said before prevention is the key to most all diseases. The following are steps you can use to reduce your risk of Alzheimer's. These inexpensive and natural methods can be easily implemented by anyone: Follow the Total Health Program, paying special attention to avoiding sugar Eat plenty of high-quality omega-3 fish oil Avoid most fish and remove mercury fillings Avoid aluminum, such as in antiperspirants, cookware, etc. Exercise for three to five hours per week Eat plenty of vegetables according to your metabolic type Avoid flu vaccinations Try Wild Blueberry IQ, an all-natural, whole fruit softgel made from wild blueberries, which have high anthocyanin and antioxidant content that are known to guard against Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases Related Articles: Mercury Contributes To Alzheimer's Disease! Reduce Your Risk of Alzheimer's With Dietary and Lifestyle Changes Early Alzheimer's Treatment Can Cut Costs Alzheimer's Vaccine Causes Life-Threatening Side Effects You Don't Have to Get Alzheimer's Estrogen No Help in Alzheimerís Study Finds Hormone Is Not An Effective Treatment