A new breakthrough may help diagnose early Alzheimer’s
More than 6.5 million folks in America are living with Alzheimer’s disease and many more are undiagnosed. But AD may be easier to ID with a newly designed blood test. In January, a study in JAMA Neurology announced the development of a test that’s up to 96% accurate in identifying elevated levels of beta amyloid and up to 97% accurate in identifying tau, two substances associated with the development of AD. This is heralded as a way to catch the disease early (even pre-clinically) and take steps to ease its progression — and one day, if the right medications are developed, to reverse it.
However, the Alzheimer’s Association points out that up to 80% of folks with AD also have cardiovascular disease and “autopsy studies suggest that plaques [from Tau] and tangles [from beta amyloid] may be present in the brain without causing symptoms of cognitive decline, unless the brain also shows evidence of vascular disease.”
Prevention of heart disease sounds like a smart approach to reducing your risk of AD. Heart-healthy lifestyle choices offer double benefits. So, avoid exposure to first-, second-, or third-hand smoke; keep blood pressure below
120/80; adopt a plant-based diet with proteins like salmon and skinless poultry; ditch red meats, processed foods and added sugars; get 150-300 minutes of physical activity, aerobic and strength-building, weekly, and check out Dr. Mike’s blog at iherb.com discussing 15 heart-and-brain-loving supplements he takes daily. For more techniques to protect your heart and cognition, visit iherb.com’s blog, “A
Natural Approach to Cognitive Health.”
Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of longevityplaybook.com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to iherb.com, the world’s leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively. Together they have written 11 New York Times bestsellers (four No. 1’s).