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My Dad is a funny guy. I owe the title of this article to him. Fortunately, he still has his mental faculties intact. However, he has what he refers to as 'senior moments'. When that happens he often says jokingly (as he abruptly feigns as if he is looking for something) "where did I place my aluminum pills?"
It's one of those sort of funny, sort of not-so-funny things that he says, in gest.
Some people think aluminum is the cause of Alzheimer's. Now, where would we get enough aluminum to cause aluminum poisoning? Perhaps all the soda pop cans we've been drinking out of for xx number of years? But is that it? Is that the only cause? And most of us don't need much proof that having aluminum in our brains is probably not a good idea.
What else might be the cause of Alzheimer's?
The University of Calgary has done some research and, in fact, they've produced an interesting video. The video shows the visual evidence of neural degeneration caused by the presence of mercury on a developing neural fiber. It is compelling information.
Granted, they did not use human brain neurons in their experiment, thankfully, but I think the point is still valid.
It appears likely, from the research and video, that mercury is a likely cause of Alzheimer's. In other research, autopsies performed on people that were known to have Alzheimer's showed that their brains have the same kinds of twisted neural fibers seen and described in the video (post mercury exposure).
Until more compelling evidence is available that contradicts this conclusion, for my money, I'm betting that mercury is the primary cause of Alzheimer's Disease. How convinced am I? Enough to chelate mercury out of my system, including my brain. But then, I was already going through chelation before I saw this video. I had also already done a lot of mercury related research. Thus I didn't need a firestorm of new information to be convinced of the connection between the two.
If that is the case, what can you do to lower your risks? Plenty. But you need to see an outstanding Doctor that understands the proper protocols for determining if you have mercury in your body and how to get it out if you do.
I can tell you that depending on your condition, chelation can be relatively easy or it can be quite a difficult process to endure. In any case, it beats the possibility of enduring the loss of your mind to "Alzheimer's" or mercury poisoning of the brain.
Copyright 2007 Thomas Mayhew
Nothing is more upsetting than discovering that your parent doesn't recognize you anymore, and can't remember where he lives ? or even tell you the year. Let's face it, it's scary to think that one day, your mind might degenerate and leave you mentally crippled for the rest of your life. But, can you prevent Alzheimer's disease? Fortunately, the answer is ?yes?. There are steps you can take to delay the onset of Alzheimer's ? and ensure that you will maintain healthy mental functioning well into the later years of your life.
Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D. has been President and Medical Director of the Alzheimer's Research and Prevention Foundation since 1993, and has been studying the disease for two decades. He believes that the best way to defend against Alzheimer's is to incorporate a series of prevention methods into your life. Dr. Khalsa has developed his ?4 Pillars of Prevention? to aid in the process:
Pillar 1: Diet and Vitamins
Keeping your brain healthy and nourished is an important step in preventing Alzheimer's and memory loss. According to Dr. Khalsa, a good Alzheimer's disease prevention diet should include the following: 1. 20% ?good? fat: omega-3s from extra virgin olive oil, avocado, flax seed oil, and eating fish 2. 50% lean protein: fish, chicken, turkey, and soy 3. 30% complex carbohydrates: fresh vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and fresh fruits 4. Superfoods for the brain: blueberries, spinach, and seaweed
It is also important to avoid a diet high in trans-fat and saturated fat. These fats produce free radicals, which in high quantities can damage and even kill brain cells. Antioxidants such as vitamins C and E help eliminate free radicals from your body. Other brain and memory specific nutrients are also important.
Pillar 2: Stress Management
Research has shown that chronic stress is among the biggest factors in developing Alzheimer's. When you experience stress, your body produces the hormones cortisol and adrenaline to respond to the situation. With chronic stress, your cortisol levels remain high, and this adversely affects your brain.
Cortisol affects the hippocampus, the section of your brain responsible for storing memories. It prevents the hippocampus from getting proper amounts of glucose and it slows nerve impulse transmission, which can kill brain cells. Brain studies of people suffering from late stages of Alzheimer's disease show that they have a hippocampus that is considerably smaller than that of a normally functioning brain.
By using regular stress relaxation techniques, you can improve your focus, attention, and mental performance. Meditation is an effective method for stress reduction ? it helps lower cortisol levels, which will ultimately improve your mental functioning. Other stress management techniques include prayer, deep breathing, and massage.
Pillar 3: Exercise and Brain Aerobics
Of course physical exercise is important. However, neurologists have also found that frequent mental exercise will reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's by 70%! It is important that you spend at least 20 minutes, three times a week engaging in some sort of mental exercise. In order for an activity to be considered brain aerobics, it must meet the following criteria:
1. It needs to engage your attention 2. It must involve more than one of your senses 3. It must break up a routine activity in an unexpected, non-trivial way
Examples of mental exercise include visiting a museum and discussing it, reading, writing, playing board games, and so on.
Pillar 4: Pharmaceuticals
There are a few pharmaceutical drugs that can help improve the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in some patients several years. However, it is important to be careful with these drugs. Many have serious side effects such as dizziness, nausea, and diarrhea that you should discuss with your doctor.
Some of the most effective drugs used to treat Alzheimer's disease include Aricept (donepezil), Exelon (rivasigmine), Namenda (memantine), and Razadyne (galantamine).
Fortunately, using the positive and practical strategies in this article, if asked ?can you prevent Alzheimer's??, you can now answer in the affirmative.
Both Thomas Mayhew & Dr. Susan Nickerson Dc are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Thomas Mayhew has sinced written about articles on various topics from Dental Surgery, Medical Condition and Skin Care. Thomas Mayhew is the Webmaster for . Since going through a death-defying health experience (in 2005), he has taken a keen interest in sharing his health kn. Thomas Mayhew's top article generates over 5400 views. to your Favourites.
Dr. Susan Nickerson Dc has sinced written about articles on various topics from Web Development, Dental Surgery and The Internet. Now I would like to invite you to visit the non-profit Alzheimer's Research and Prevention Foundation website at to discover. Dr. Susan Nickerson Dc's top article generates over 5400 views. to your Favourites.