Alzheimer's is frequently diagnosed by family, friends
Alzheimer's disease may not be painful in the physical sense, but emotionally it is as damaging as any cancer, heart disease or other more conventional killer. Alzheimer's is the sixth leading cause of death by disease, with nearly five million sufferers nation wide.
Though first diagnosed over a century ago, much about this disease has remained a mystery. We know that Alzheimer's is primarily identified with two main culprits — age and family history — but, but researchers are still not sure how large a part each of these risk factors plays in whether of or not we develop the disease.
Alzheimer's symptoms — forgetfulness, change in speech patterns and language, and other dementia-type impairment — are relatively well-known. However, as the disease progresses, it destroys the person's ability to cope with even day-to-day functions and full-time care becomes essential. Alzheimer's patients eventually lose the ability to recognize loved ones, smile, and even feed themselves. Often, it is not the Alzheimer's disease that eventually kills the patient, but infection from bed sores, pneumonia, or other complications.
While research is currently underway to pin-point the exact cause of the disease, much has been discovered about the physical symptoms of Alzheimer's in the brain itself. It is now known, that the build up of a protein-based plaque and "tangles" in the nerve cells are commonly found in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.
As a result of this current line of research, the hope is that the disease will be routinely diagnosed earlier,; making current treatments more effective and helping physicians and researchers develop new, progressively better treatments.
For now, however, Alzheimer's disease continues to plague millions of people world-wide, not to mention the family members and people who care for these patients. While preventing Alzheimer's may not be possible at this point, there are still things we can do to take precautions against this disease.
Educate yourself on your family history. Do you have any close relatives with a history of Alzheimer's or dementia? If so, you may be at higher risk for developing this disease, so be sure to learn the early warning signs.
Stay physically active - this improves overall health as well as blood flow to the brain, keeping our bodies and brains healthier longer. Make sure you exercise your brain as well; you know what they say, if you don't use it, you lose it! Reading, playing mental games such as solitaire and working can all help ward off this disease. Eat a diet low in bad fats (like butter and margarine), but high in Omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, tuna, etc.). Add antioxidants to your diet by eating plenty of richly colored vegetables and try to maintain a normal blood pressure.
The onset of Alzheimer's disease is often first detected by family members or even close friends. If you notice a change in memory, behavior or speech in someone you love, be sure to talk to their health care provider. Symptoms may be delayed or lessened in severity with current available treatments.
? Nikki Luttmann is a community development specialist at Bonner General Hospital.