June is recognized as Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month. The hope is to get people focused on their cognitive health and to learn and discuss Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Dementia is defined as a decline in mental ability that affects daily life, while Alzheimer's is a specific disease. It is estimated that 6.7 million Americans over the age of 65 have Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's is the leading cause of dementia, other common causes listed are cerebrovascular disease, frontotemporal deregulation, Hippocampal Sclerosis, Lewy Body Disease, Mixed Pathologies, and Parkinson's Disease. (https://www.alz.org/media/documents/alzheimers-facts-and-figures.pdf).
Alzheimer's is a progressive disease with symptoms developing from mild to moderate and then severe. While there are medications to help treat the disease, there is no cure.
A protein build-up of beta-amyloid plaques clumping together outside of the brain's neurons along with the progression of tua tangles (another protein) inside neurons are just a couple of the changes that are associated with Alzheimer's. Neurons connect to each other via synapses, allowing them to send signals to each other. These signals control body movements, bodily functions, sensory functions, cognition, and memory. When neurons are damaged, communication from your brain to your body breaks down. Neurons in different areas of the brain control different functions. Although Alzheimer's can affect all parts of the brain, the temporal lobe, which is essential for memory, is the first to be affected. https://www.verywellhealth.com/
In 2020, a study by the National Institute of Aging (NIA) of 3000 participants was published. The study showed that the participants who adopted at least 4 of 5 specified healthy behaviors had a 60% lower risk of Alzheimer's. The behaviors promoted by this study were physical activity, not smoking, light to moderate alcohol use, a healthy diet, and cognitive activities. (https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/combination-healthy-lifestyle-traits-may-substantially-reduce-alzheimers-disease-risk)
Helpguide.org lists 7 pillars for maintaining a brain-healthy lifestyle: regular exercise, maintaining an active social life, a healthy diet, quality sleep, vascular health, stress management, and mental stimulation.
Copy describing the books listed below is provided by the publishers.
"Through five editions, The 36-Hour Day has been an essential resource for families who love and care for people with Alzheimer disease. Whether a person has Alzheimer disease or another form of dementia, he or she will face a host of problems. The 36-Hour Day will help family members and caregivers address these challenges and simultaneously cope with their own emotions and needs. Featuring useful takeaway messages and informed by recent research into the causes of and the search for therapies to prevent or cure dementia, this edition includes new information on: devices to make life simpler and safer for people who have dementia; strategies for delaying behavioral and neuropsychiatric symptoms; changes in Medicare and other health care insurance laws; palliative care, hospice care, durable power of attorney, and guardianship; dementia due to traumatic brain injury; choosing a residential care facility; [and] support groups for caregivers, friends, and family members. The central idea underlying the book--that much can be done to improve the lives of people with dementia and of those caring for them--remains the same. The 36-Hour Day is the definitive dementia care guide."--Publisher's description
"How to eat for maximum brain power and health from an expert in both neuroscience and nutrition. Like our bodies, our brains have very specific food requirements. And in this eye-opening book from an author who is both a neuroscientist and a certified integrative nutritionist, we learn what should be on our menu. Dr. Lisa Mosconi, whose research spans an extraordinary range of specialties including brain science, the microbiome, and nutritional genomics, notes that the dietary needs of the brain are substantially different from those of the other organs, yet few of us have any idea what they might be. Her innovative approach to cognitive health incorporates concepts that most doctors have yet to learn. Busting through advice based on pseudoscience, Dr. Mosconi provides recommendations for a complete food plan, while calling out noteworthy surprises, including why that paleo diet you are following may not be ideal, why avoiding gluten may be a terrible mistake, and how simply getting enough water can dramatically improve alertness. Including comprehensive lists of what to eat and what to avoid, a detailed quiz that will tell you where you are on the brain health spectrum, and 24 mouth-watering brain-boosting recipes that grow out of Dr. Mosconi's own childhood in Italy, Brain Food gives us the ultimate plan for a healthy brain. Brain Food will appeal to anyone looking to improve memory, prevent cognitive decline, eliminate brain fog, lift depression, or just sharpen their edge"-- Provided by publisher.
"Throughout our life, we look for ways to keep our mind sharp and effortlessly productive. Now, globe trotting neurosurgeon Dr. Sanjay Gupta offers insights from top scientists all over the world, whose cutting-edge research can help you heighten and protect brain function and maintain cognitive health at any age. Keep Sharp debunks common myths about aging and cognitive decline, explores whether there's a "best" diet or exercise regimen for the brain, and explains whether it's healthier to play video games that test memory and processing speed, or to engage in more social interaction. Discover what we can learn from "super-brained" people who are in their eighties and nineties with no signs of slowing down-and whether there are truly any benefits to drugs, supplements, and vitamins. Dr. Gupta also addresses brain disease, particularly Alzheimer's, answers all your questions about the signs and symptoms, and shows how to ward against it and stay healthy while caring for a partner in cognitive decline. He likewise provides readers with a personalized twelve-week program featuring practical strategies to strengthen your brain every day. Keep Sharp is the only owner's manual you'll need to keep your brain young and healthy regardless of your age!"-- Provided by publisher.
"An easy-to-follow, research-based guide to the simple, low-cost lifestyle choices you can make to reduce the risk or slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Develop a personalized plan, including recipes, brain-training games, exercises. Includes advice for caregivers"-- Provided by publisher.
"Brain imaging research demonstrates that memory loss actually starts in the brain decades before you have any symptoms. Learn the actions you can take to help not just prevent memory loss later in life . . . but to begin restoring the memory you may have already lost."--Amazon.com.
Although every day we read news reports linking health problems to diet and lifestyle, there remains significant confusion regarding the onset and progression of Alzheimer s disease. Worldwide, more than 35 million people are currently suffering from Alzheimer s, and that number is expected to increase substantially over the next decade. Understanding Alzheimer s introduces readers to the inner workings of Alzheimer s, how the disease progresses, and what patients and caregivers can do to live with the disease. Following the astonishing path sufferers take from being sharp-minded to cognitively impaired, the book reveals how patients and their loved ones can cope with its mental, physical, and economic effects. Dr. Naheed Ali sifts through the information currently available on Alzheimer s to clearly and accessibly illustrate how Alzheimer s works, how we can prevent it, and how we can address it once symptoms begin to appear. Covering diet and lifestyle, medical interventions and the stages of Alzheimer s, he draws readers into a fuller understanding of the disease. Providing an accessible starting point for anyone wishing to learn more about Alzheimer s, this book will prove to be an indispensable resource." -Provided by Publisher
"An all-in-one guide for helping the caregivers of individuals with brain injury or degenerative disease understand speech, language, voice, memory, and swallowing impairment and distinguish these problem areas from healthy aging"--. Provided by publisher.
"Caring for someone with dementia can be a challenging, heartbreaking experience ... but it can also be rewarding, fulfilling and meaningful. Most dementia caregivers find that the first, and sometimes most difficult step, is accepting the diagnosis and adjusting to a new normal. In Day-to-Day Living With Dementia, Angela Lunde, M.A., an expert in dementia care at Mayo Clinic, helps you take that first step and chart your path toward living well, even in the face of dementia. For over 20 years, Ms. Lunde has made it her mission to improve emotional well-being and quality of life for those living with dementia and their care partners. This book give you the researched-backed strategies Ms. Lunde applies in her work every day." -- Back cover.
"Elijah loves spending time with his grandma Eleanor. She knows all the best words to answer tricky crossword puzzles and to tell the most beautiful stories to her family and friends. Everyone calls her 'Never Forget Eleanor' because she remembers every word she reads and person she meets. Lately though, Elijah has started to notice Grandma Eleanor forgetting little things. So when Grandma Eleanor doesn't show up for her Saturday story session, Elijah will need to find a way to use her favorite words and become the storyteller himself to bring her home"--. Provided by publisher.
Tasha loves her grandfather, and she knows that PaPa loves her. But lately, PaPa has begun to forget things. He's often confused and upset. Sometimes, he doesn't even recognize his own family. How can Tasha's grandmother help her see that while PaPa is changing, his love for Tasha has not?'Remembering for Both of Us' is a touching story of a child's first glimpse of Alzheimer's and a reminder that ties of the heart transcend age and illness. - Provided by Publisher
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