Uncle Lin, 70 years old, has always had good physical fitness, a cheerful personality, a broad heart, and likes to make friends, so his popularity has always been good.
But lately, Uncle Lin has often forgotten things, and sometimes he forgets what he just did.
Last week, I went to a supermarket near the neighborhood with my neighbor to buy something, and in less than an hour, I asked my neighbor if he had seen his reading glasses three times, which made my neighbor a little worried.
When he went back, he mentioned it to Uncle Lin's son, who thought that he had seen some unusual behavior of his father recently, so he hurriedly took his father to the hospital for examination.
Who knows, Uncle Lin was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, which is commonly referred to as Alzheimer's disease.
"No, my dad has always been in good health, how could he get this disease?" Uncle Lin's son said with difficulty.
In this regard, the doctor explained that Alzheimer's disease does not occur suddenly, and its occurrence is closely related to daily habits, especially dietary habits.
1. Japanese studies have found that dietary habits are related to dementia
According to the data released by the China Association on Aging, there are about 15.07 million cases of Alzheimer's disease among the elderly aged 60 and above in mainland China.
Once Alzheimer's disease occurs, if there is no timely intervention, the patient's judgment ability and thinking ability will gradually decline, and gradually the patient's life will not be able to take care of himself...... It can be said that Alzheimer's disease affects not only the patient's memory, but also self-esteem.
A study published in the Japanese Journal of Human Science for Health Social Services involving 525 people over the age of 65 found that participants who skipped breakfast had a four-fold higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease than other participants after being followed up for up to 6 years with their eating habits and lifestyle habits.
Researchers say that skipping breakfast for a long time can lead to insufficient nutrition and cannot meet the needs of the brain, and over time, the brain will age prematurely, leading to functional deterioration and Alzheimer's disease.
In addition, the study also pointed out that these 3 eating behaviors are also associated with Alzheimer's:
First, the risk of Alzheimer's disease was 2.7 times higher than that of other participants in the participants who regularly snack, and the reason is that snacks may cause excessive fat intake, increase blood cholesterol levels, and accelerate the process of β amyloid accumulation in the brain, thereby increasing the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Second, the risk of Alzheimer's disease in participants who consumed excessive salt was 2.5 times higher than that of other participants, because eating too much salt can increase the interference of cerebral vascular endothelial cells, leading to hypertension in the brain, and then inducing cerebral cortex atrophy.
Third, participants who did not pay attention to nutritional balance had a 2.7 times higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease than other participants.
The occurrence of Alzheimer's disease, in addition to diet, is also related to age, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc.), smoking, lack of sleep, lack of exercise, obesity education level and social skills, etc., so we should pay attention to avoid these triggers in order to prevent Alzheimer's disease as much as possible.
Second, the high incidence of Alzheimer's disease, five hidden precursors need to be vigilant
The incidence of Alzheimer's disease is high, so the elderly should pay more attention to their own health conditions, and be vigilant when these signs appear!
1. Short-term memory loss
It is often impossible to remember the things in front of you or what happened in a short period of time, such as the key is at hand but you can't remember where to put it, you make an appointment with someone to go to dinner and forget it, even if you are reminded repeatedly, you still can't remember.
2. Reduced judgment
Suddenly unable to judge some things well, such as the weather, obviously very cold and thin, or the temperature rises but do not know to take off thick clothes; many ordinary people can see at a glance that it is false and deceitful, but the elderly can't, and they should also be wary of dementia.
3. Change of temperament and decrease of interest
People who used to have a good temper suddenly become very irritable and scared, and people who were originally very enthusiastic and sunny suddenly become cold and unsocial, all of which should be vigilant!
4. Lack of vocabulary
Suddenly unable to express what you want to express well, such as replacing "bowl" with "something to serve rice", or often using "that" and "this" instead of words that you can't remember for a while.
5. Repeat the same statement
If you can say something several times, or ask someone a question several times, it is obviously more chattering than before, and you should also beware of being a precursor to dementia.
In the above situations, it is necessary to be vigilant that it is a precursor to dementia and seek medical treatment in time, so as to reduce the harm caused by dementia.
3. Alzheimer's disease is irreversible, and daily prevention is very important
Dong Birong, chief physician of West China Hospital of Sichuan University, reminded that Alzheimer's disease is neither reversible nor curable, and as the disease progresses, patients will forget almost everything, and will gradually lose their original dignity, which will bring a very heavy burden to their families, so for this disease, the main focus is on prevention.
Prevent dementia and do it well!
1. Get a good night's sleep
Don't stay up late, ensure a good night's sleep, help clean up the waste products produced by the brain and strengthen memory, is helpful in preventing dementia, so it is recommended that young people should maintain 7-9 hours of high-quality sleep, and elderly people over 65 years old should maintain about 6 hours of sleep.
2. Don't smoke or drink
Tobacco contains nicotine and other harmful substances, which can stimulate the nervous system, and excessive alcohol consumption can paralyze the nerve center and cause conduction block, cerebral cortex atrophy, and over time, dementia will easily occur, so it is best to quit smoking and limit alcohol.
3. Actively use your brain and maintain a good attitude
In addition, try to maintain a good attitude, because long-term negative emotions can easily cause cognitive decline and increase the risk of dementia in the elderly.
4. Maintain a healthy weight
Obese people, especially in old age, are more likely to develop inflammation, oxidative stress, insulin resistance, etc., which can damage brain cells and increase the risk of dementia. Therefore, you should usually pay attention to controlling your weight, and the standard in the mainland is 18.5~23.9.
In general, the impact of Alzheimer's disease on patients and their families is huge, so it is important to do a good job of prevention, and do not take it for granted that it is just "people are old and have a bad brain", or to see a doctor as soon as possible, so as to reduce the damage it brings.
Resources:
[1] "If you have this habit in the morning, the risk of Alzheimer's disease will increase by 4 times!"Hurry up and accept this "brain-building" strategy!".Popular Science China.2023-04-01
[2] "Xuanyi Science Popularization|Alzheimer's Disease Can Be Prevented by Eating!8 Types of Foods Keep the Brain Young", Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University.2021-10-14
[3] "The higher this index, the greater the risk of Alzheimer's!Adhere to 4 good habits, early prevention and early benefit".Popular Science China.2022-02-20
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