I've been warning you for some time about the Alzheimer's epidemic waiting to happen in America.

Many have been calling this a "looming public health disaster," and by the looks of the numbers in the above study, it seems the epidemic has arrived with a bang.

Alzheimer's and dementia are not only taking a physical and emotional toll on those affected -- these conditions will have devastating consequences to the health care economy for all. Estimates show that annual Medicare spending for Alzheimer's will increase:

• Four-fold by 2025, to $294 billion
• To over $1 trillion by 2050

Now, I've said this before but I'll say it again because it is so important: Neither dementia nor Alzheimer's are a normal part of aging.

Your memory and brain functioning do not have to decline simply because you are getting older. This is especially true if you follow these guidelines, which will greatly increase your chances of avoiding dementia and Alzheimer's:

1. Eat a nutritious diet like the one described in my Total Health Program. I have little doubt that the single most important physical action you can take to prevent Alzheimer's is to regularly consume a healthy source of animal-based omega-3 fats. See my guidelines below.

 2. Exercise. Studies have shown that it protects your brain (along with being good for a host of other reasons).

3. Avoid and remove mercury. This means not only removing any existing mercury in your body, but also striving not to take in any more (via polluted fish, thimerosal-containing vaccines or flu shots).

Dental amalgam fillings are one of the major sources of mercury in many people's bodies (however, you should be healthy before having them removed).

4. Avoid aluminum, as it has been linked to Alzheimer's. It can be found in antiperspirants, drinking water and aluminum cookware.

5. Challenge your mind. Doing activities such as crossword puzzles, brainteasers and learning new things may help build up the brain, making it less susceptible to the lesions associated with Alzheimer's disease.

6. Try Wild Blueberry IQ. These all-natural, whole fruit softgels are made from wild blueberries, which have high anthocyanin and antioxidant content that are known to guard against Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases.

Fish or Cod Liver Oil to Improve Mental (and Physical) Health

Routine consumption of fish or cod liver oil is another highly recommended method of increasing your omega-3 intake and improving your mental and physical health. However, if you are going to achieve the amazing health benefits of omega-3 fats it is important that you find a high-quality source. So, how do you know which fish or cod liver oil is best for you? Here are three quick tests:

1. Make sure your brand is free of mercury and PCBs. This will not be on the label so you will need to:

   • Contact the manufacturer for their analysis

   • Review an independent third party that has analyzed the product

   • Hire a company to test the product yourself

2. Confirm there are very low oxidation products in the fish or cod liver oil.

   It is important to understand fish oil or cod liver oil has long-chain unsaturated fats (primarily EPA and DHA) and they are very susceptible to oxidation or damage. If the oil is not processed properly damage will occur. Many years ago nearly all the fish oils were oxidized. That is why when you mention fish or cod liver oil to most anyone they turn up their nose in disgust. Typically, they only taste bad when they are oxidized.

3. Make certain your fish or cod liver oil has therapeutic levels of vitamin E in it.

Nearly all manufacturers insert a small amount of one unit per teaspoon. This is sufficient to prevent oxidation of the fish oil in the bottle. However, after you consume it this is woefully inadequate. Your body will tend to oxidize the fish oil and much larger doses of vitamin E are needed to prevent the oil from going rancid in your body.

Those of you who read the newsletter regularly know I'm a fan of the Carlson's brand of fish oil and cod liver oil, as I have seen clear and often substantial improvements in my patients who use it. Plus, Carlson's fish and cod liver oil is one of the few brands that put the extra vitamin E in it for you straight from the get-go, so you don't have to take extra vitamin E if you don't want to. Find the Carlson's fish oil or cod liver oil at your local health food store, or, for your convenience, in my Recommended Products section.