If you are a constant worrier or don't handle stress in a healthy manner, you may be in a higher bracket of developing Alzheimer's disease later in life. While the origin of the link between stress and Alzheimer's remains unclear, researchers stated that it is likely that chronic high levels of stress hormones may result in damage to the regions of the brain that are responsible for regulating behavior under stress and memory.
The study consisted of asking over 1000 people about their tendencies to experience bouts of worry and stress. The participants were evaluated after three to six years to see whether or not they developed Alzheimer's disease.
The study revealed two key findings:
The participants who were more prone to feelings of stress were more than twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease
The link between stress and Alzheimer's was more predominant in white participants
It was also discovered that each individual is able to deal with psychological stress in varying degrees. Researchers advised that if you know a loved one who seems to be unhappy on a regular basis to urge them to seek out a qualified mental health professional.
One expert noted that this was the first study to examine the possible connection between stress and Alzheimer's disease among the African American population and stated that the findings underscore the importance of including racial and ethic minorities in these types of studies.
Neurology January 25, 2005;64(2):380-2
Reuters Health February 5, 2005
In the US this past Monday was president's day and polls showed that President Reagan is the most popular president today with 20% of the public voting him as the best president ever. Don't get too distressed as 15% voted for Clinton. Earlier this week I also learned the reason why President Reagan developed Alzheimer's disease. Apparently he had all his mercury amalgam fillings replaced shortly prior to the Alzheimer's disease that eventually killed him. I plan on reporting the specific reference for that soon, but in the meantime let President Reagan's loss of his mind be a lesson to you and never have your silver fillings removed by a dentist that is not trained to do this. There are only about 500 dentists in the US that know how to do this and one of the best ways to find them is to contact your local health food store(s) and obtain a consensus local view of how the best biologic dentist is to replace any amalgams you or your family has.
If you read this newsletter regularly, you know one of my favorite topics to write about is the undeniable link between your physical and emotional health. This study is another great example of the connection between stress and disease.
In nearly all of the patients I see, stress is a key factor in the cause of their illnesses. It is very clear to me that stress has powerful effects on your immune system. It can also lead to negative impacts in your following bodily functions:
Since you cannot eliminate stress, and it would not be wise to, even if you could, you can work to provide your body with tools to compensate for the bioelectrical short-circuiting that can cause the serious disruption of many of your body's important systems.
One tool I've found to be invaluable for handling stress is the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), the energy psychology tool I regularly use in my practice. EFT is a form of psychological acupressure, based on the same energy meridians used in traditional acupuncture to treat physical and emotional ailments for more than 5,000 years, but without the invasiveness of needles. You can learn how to use it by downloading your free EFT manual.
Rather than worrying about developing Alzheimer's disease wouldn't it make more sense for you to get greater peace of mind and dramatically reduce your risks by following a lifestyle that focuses on prevention?
A powerful step in that direction is following the lifestyle recommendations I advise in my Total Health Program. The premise is to increase the amount of fresh vegetables, which are high in folate, in your diet and restrict grains and sugars.
Additionally, you are nearly guaranteed to improve your health by consuming high-quality fish or cod liver oil so you can meet the optimal amount of powerful omega-3 fats needed to achieve good health and prevent Alzheimer's. It is important to find a fish or cod liver oil that is independently tested by a lab and found to conform to the highest purity guidelines. This will ensure that the oil is free of mercury and other toxins. One such brand, which I have found to be of superior quality, is Carlson's fish and cod liver oil. You can find Carlson's at your local health food store; however if this is not an option for you, for your convenience we carry Carlson's fish and cod liver oil in our store.
Six Additional Guidelines to Preventing Alzheimer's Disease
Exercise. Studies have found that exercise can protect the brain, thereby warding off Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. Similar to a healthy diet, regular physical activity is one of those things that can significantly improve many aspects of your physical and emotional health.
Avoid and remove mercury from your body. Even trace amounts of mercury can cause the type of damage to nerves that is characteristic of the damage found in Alzheimer's disease. Dental amalgam fillings are one of the major sources of mercury, however you should be healthy prior to having them removed.
Although nearly any dentist is technically qualified to replace your amalgam fillings far less than 95 percent have any clue on how to do it properly so your risk of mercury exposure is minimized. Please avoid the mistake I have seen THOUSANDS of patients make and have your fillings replaced by a non-qualified dentist. I made this mistake myself nearly 20 years ago. Do it right the first time and save yourself the expense and grief. If you don't personally know a qualified biological dentist, many people find one by contacting several of the health food stores in their area and asking the employees who they know. This is typically an excellent resource as they are usually networked quite well in the local health community. Other sources of mercury include most seafood, thimerosal-containing vaccinations and flu shots.
Avoid aluminum. Aluminum has been widely associated with Alzheimer's disease. Your main sources of exposure are likely through drinking water, antiperspirants and perhaps aluminum cookware (though aluminum pots are probably less problematic than the other mentioned sources, I personally would not use aluminum cookware).
Challenge your mind. Mental stimulation, such as traveling, learning to play an instrument or doing crossword puzzles is associated with a decreased risk of Alzheimer's. Researchers suspect that mental challenges helps to build up the brain, making it less susceptible to the lesions associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Try Wild Blueberry IQ. This is 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.
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