In-Home Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care Providers Recommend Lowing Seniors Blood Pressure

New Research Shows Link Between Blood Pressure and Alzheimer’s Disease

EAU CLAIRE COUNTY, Wis. (WEAU) For the first time, new research shows that aggressively lowering blood pressure could reduce the risk of developing a cognitive disease.

A new study presented at the Alzheimer’s Association’s International Conference found that intensely treating blood pressure and lowering the top number to 120 instead of 140 can lower the chances of developing Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

Jennifer Speckien, Director of the local Aging and Disability Research Center says when it comes to Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, focusing on heart health can be a saving grace. “Getting exercise, getting a healthy diet, reducing your sodium intake, and consuming alcohol in moderation…all those things are good for your heart and will in turn help reduce your risk of Dementia,” said Speckien. She says the information the new research provides is empowering because it gives people an option to control their health.

The study looked at more than 9,000 people. Patients who received more aggressive blood pressure treatment had a 19% lower risk of decline in memory and thinking skills. Speckien says the disease is impacting more and more people in the local area. “Currently there’re over 2,000 people in Eau Claire County that we know of that have some form of dementia and we fully expect that number will continue to increase as the aging population continues to grow,” she said.

Researchers recommend thinking about your cognitive health now and getting cardiovascular risk factors in check sooner than later.

Speckien, a specialist in the industry says although Dementia and Alzheimer’s is most commonly seen in people over the age of 80, younger people are beginning to see diagnoses. She says heightened awareness about the issue is important.

If you have concerns about your health or are living with a loved one with memory loss, please seek medical care and consider  in-home Alzheimer’s care.

For more information please visit BrightStar Care of Appleton

Source: https://www.brightstarcare.com/appleton-fox-cities-amp-waupaca-area/home-care/alzheimers-dementia-services

Join the Happy Holidays, Come Support An Appleton Senior Alzheimer’s Event

Join A Senior Community Event Today!

Hearthstone Evening Victorian Christmas Event

December 28, 2018

Hearthstone Historic House Museum

625 W. Prospect Ave.

Appleton, WI 54911

Time(s): 6pm-8pm

Phone: 920-730-8204

Click to View Website

Description:

Please join us for a special Friday evening tour that includes traditional live music, viewing the house lit by Christmas lights and our original 1882 electrifiers, plus a holiday gingerbread display, along with gingerbread treats for the children.

Apply to: Volunteer here!

Source: https://www.foxcities.org/event/detail/13215/Hearthstone%2DEvening%2DVictorian%2DChristmas

10 foods that fight Alzheimer’s this Holiday Season (and 4 to avoid)

Doctors have been saying for years that what you eat can affect the health of your heart. Now there’s growing evidence that the same is true for your brain.  A new study by researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago show a diet plan they developed — appropriately called the MIND diet — may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by as much as 53 percent.

Even those who didn’t stick to the diet perfectly but followed it “moderately well” reduced their risk of Alzheimer’s by about a third.Diet appears to be just one of “many factors that play into who gets the disease,” said nutritional epidemiologist Martha Clare Morris, PhD, the lead author of the MIND diet study. Genetics and other factors like smoking, exercise and education also play a role. But the MIND diet helped slow the rate of cognitive decline and protect against Alzheimer’s regardless of other risk factors.

The study, published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, looked at more than 900 people between the ages of 58 and 98 who filled out food questionnaires and underwent repeated neurological testing. It found participants whose diets most closely followed the MIND recommendations had a level of cognitive function the equivalent of a person 7.5 years younger.

The MIND diet breaks its recommendations down into 10 “brain healthy food groups” a person should eat and five “unhealthy food groups” to avoid.

The MIND diet recommends frequent servings of green leafy vegetables. Kale, spinach, broccoli, collards and other greens are packed with vitamins A and C and other nutrients. At least two servings a week can help, and researchers found six or more servings a week provide the greatest brain benefits.

Like other diets focused on weight loss and heart health, the MIND diet emphasizes the importance of vegetables for brain health. The researchers recommend eating a salad and at least one other vegetable every day to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s.

Good holiday Alzheimer’s food choices include:

1. Nuts are a good snack for brain health.
2. Berries are the only fruit specifically recommended in the MIND diet.
3. If beans aren’t a regular part of your diet, they should be.
4. Whole grains are a key component of the MIND diet.
5. The MIND diet study found eating fish at least once a week helps protect brain function.
6. Poultry is another part of a brain-healthy eating plan.
7. Olive oil beat out other forms of cooking oil and fats.
8. A glass of wine every day. Just one, though.
9. Red meat isn’t banned in the MIND diet, but the researchers say you should limit consumption to no more than four servings a week to help protect brain health.
10. Lots of Vegetables for brain health!

Try and limit the following:

1. Butter and stick margarine should be limited to less than a tablespoon per day.
2. Cheese may be delicious but it doesn’t do your brain any favors.
3. Pastries and other sweets could have a negative effect on brain health as well.
4. Fried foods and fast food round out the MIND diet list of unhealthy food groups

Source:

https://www.cbsnews.com/media/mind-diet-foods-avoid-alzheimers-boost-brain-health/

As it’s Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, BrightStar Care of Appleton, WI is honored to care for many individuals living with the disease. Download our free guide filled with great information for families of individuals living with Alzheimer’s or dementia.