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Healthy Food

Reducing Your Risk

It is what everyone wants to know... How do I prevent the "big A"?


Dementia is a complex condition with multiple contributing factors. While there is currently no known cure, a growing body of peer-reviewed research has identified several evidence-based strategies that may help reduce the risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. In a time when fear and desperation can make people vulnerable to misinformation, it's more important than ever to rely on science—not snake oil.

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Lets Get Right To It...
How to Help Reduce Your Risk in 10 Steps


Each step is empirically-supported and based on peer-reviewed research findings in publicly available journals. 

1

Start Young! 

  • The earlier the better. Start focusing on being healthy and staying healthy in your 30's and 40's, then maintain the lifestyle. 

  • Signs of dementia often start in the 40's or 50's. 

  • Physicians are rarely proactive and usually only see you when you are sick. You must be your own advocate!

  • Obviously, the best time to start reducing your risk is TODAY. 

2

Manage Medical Conditions and Rule-Out Possible Ongoing Conditions

  • Diabetes

  • Sleep Apnea

  • High Blood Pressure

  • Vitamin Deficits

  • Obesity

  • Gum Infections

  • Depression/Anxiety

  • Weak Bones

  • And More...

3

Exercise

  • Regular exercise helps you to stay healthy, fight of illness, heal, and sleep better. 

  • Exercise should involve some degree of cardio and some degree of mild weight lifting. 

  • If you cannot exercise then stretch, or use a sauna or a hot tub.

4

The MIND Diet

  • The MIND diet was designed by Rush University researchers and first published in 2015 by Martha Morris in the Alzheimer's & Dementia journal.  

  • This is not a fad diet, the MIND diet was based on the science of what foods increase dementia risk and what foods decrease risk.

  • The MIND diet has been shown to reduce the risk of dementia by up to 53%. 

  • This diet is basically a combination of the Mediterranean, DASH, and anti-inflammatory diets. 

5

Vitamins & Nutritional Supports

  • Research shows that specific nutrients are linked with reduced risk of dementia and subtle reversal of some signs of dementia.

  • B-vitamins

  • Omega-3's (EPA and DHA)

  • Choline

  • Vitamin D3

  • Selenium 

  • Folic Acid

  • Regular multivitamins seems to be helpful and may reduce risk up to 30% or more. 

  • More is not always better! Avoid rushing to buy max concentrations of these vitamins, which could be harmful. Always discuss with your doctor. 

6

Probiotics

  • Probiotics are "good" bacteria.

  • Certain probiotic strains reduce inflammation in your digestive track, probably, in part, by replacing the "bad" bacteria.

  • More probiotic strains are not better! Some research suggests that probiotic supplements with fewer strains may be better than a bottle stacked with a dozen. 

  • Focus on finding a probiotic with the research supported strains. Probably 1-5 strains. 

7

40 Hz Neurostimulation

  • When concentrating, brain circuits fire around 40 times per second (40 Hz)  

  • Sounds or light flashes at 40 Hz seem to stimulate brain immune cells to grow and clean plaques and tangles.

  • Most of this research is done in animals genetically designed to grow plaques.

  • Human studies indicate 40 Hz is safe, eases tremors, maintains brain size, seizure-free, and well-received.

  • Some scientists may hesitate to share the 40 Hz topic, but we believe it's ethically necessary to share the findings.

  • Scientists use "clicks" (discrete bursts of sound) in 40 Hz research. Avoid 40 "tones" that sound wobblily and smooth. 

8

Sleep

  • Your body and brain needs good sleep to heal.

  • Your brain needs good sleep to solidify what it learned during the day.

  • Getting less than 6 hours of sleep or more than 9 is not recommended. 

  • Avoid taking anticholinergic sleep medications ("PM" medications) regularly.

  • If you are snoring, gasping, inattentive, or tired during the day then get a sleep study. 

9

Keeping an Active Mind

  • Of course, keep yourself mentally active by reading, playing games, learning music, and speaking multiple languages. 

  • Staying mentally engaged probably isn't enough to significantly reduce dementia risk by itself. Plenty of doctors get dementia.

  • Be careful about wasting your money on video games or cognitive training programs else unless it has been shown in independent (not funded by the owners) peer-reviewed studies to be effective. 

10

Medication Options

  • When needing to take medication talk with your physician about considering a preference for medications linked with reduced risk of developing dementia.

  • Flonase (internal anti-inflammatory spray) reduces risk by 70%.

  • Viagra (Sildenafil), even micro-doses, reduce risk by 70%.  

  • Avoid medications with high anticholinergic effects, which are associated with increased risk for dementia (pretty much any antihistamine, and others). 

  • Some SSRI's are associated with memory problems in 20% of people. 

Each of these 10 steps is a CareBerry, from us to you!

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Why are steps 1-10 not FDA approved?

The FDA does not approve non-pharmacological natural factors, such as sleep, diets, sounds, exercise, probiotics, or vitamins. The FDA also does not approve integrative prevention plans, such as this 10-step plan because these things are not drugs. 

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