Prevent or Delay Alzheimer's Disease

By Phyllis Staff, Ph.D.

Argh! Where are my glasses? I put them down ... to do what? And when?

As the daughter of an Alzheimer's patient, this inability to keep up with everyday items, like my glasses and car keys, drives me absolutely nuts! Absent-mindedness has always plagued me. Now, it keeps me anxious and guessing. Is this an early sign of Alzheimer's disease? Could I end up like my father, crippled with this disease? I decided to stop worrying about it and act!

I searched the latest literature to see what techniques (no prescriptions, thank you!) could prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Here are some of the things I found. Diet Counts!

Vitamin E

Diets rich in vitamin E and essential oils may help prevent Alzheimer's disease. A study recently reported in the Archives of Neurology (2002) found that participants, aged 65-102, who ate fish at least once each week showed 36% less decline in cognitive functioning over the study's three+ years. Similar results have been found in the Rotterdam Study, a study tracking over 9000 participants.

Those researchers found that participants who ate fish most often were only one-third as likely to develop Alzheimer's Disease as those who ate fish least often. These studies provide compelling reasons to add at least one meal of fish to your diet every week.

What other foods should you include? Olive oil is an especially valuable source of vitamin E and other anti-oxidants. I prefer the extra virgin variety of olive oil for its milder taste. With a squeeze of fresh lime juice, olive oil makes a very pleasant salad dressing. And I've discovered that the more I use it, the more I like it.

B Vitamins

B vitamins, particularly folic acid and vitamin B-12, help prevent Alzheimer's as well as a host of other diseases such as heart disease and stroke. A study from the National Institute on Aging found that mice fed a diet rich in folic acid were able to repair damage to the DNA of nerve cells in the hippocampus (an area needed for memory and learning). Foods rich in B vitamins whole grains, yeast, meat, low-fat dairy products, lentils and leafy greens.

Can't I just take a pill?

B vitamins may not be readily absorbable from pills. Certainly, the supplement pills are better than nothing, but for good absorption by the body, vitamin B shots may be preferable. Vitamin E and fish oil capsules are readily absorbed, so they should help. Check with your doctor or a nutritionist for correct dosages.