AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE AND ALZHEIMER’S

Everyone believes dementia is only an “old folks disease”. But is that right? Actually dementia can occur at any age. So why does it have this aging label? Perhaps because a weakened immune system and development of dementia are very closely tied! And most autoimmune diseases develop over a lifetime of making poor diet choices.

According to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) autoimmune disease affects up to 50 million, or 15% of Americans. And there are as many as 80 types of autoimmune diseases. Some of the most commonly known autoimmune conditions are allergies, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Epstein-Barr, hypo/hyper thyroidism, and multiple sclerosis.

Autoimmune diseases often run in families, and 75% of those affected are women. African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans also have an increased risk.

                                     

An autoimmune disease develops when your immune system, which normally defends your body against disease, decides your healthy cells are foreign and starts to attack them. Depending on the type, an autoimmune disease can affect one or many different areas of the body.

WHAT DOES AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE
HAVE TO DO WITH MY MEMORY?

               

Well, in a recent joint epidemiology research study of more than 100,000 participants, the same neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles were found in these participants post-mortem as in those who suffered from Alzheimer's disease.

In other words, there is a definite "genetic overlap between Alzheimer's Disease and immune-mediated diseases such as Diabetes" and that "immune system processes influence Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis and progression".

(Click for Complete Study)

These findings strongly suggest that immune system processes influence Alzheimer's Disease pathogenesis and progression.

                             

PREVENTATIVE STEPS ARE KEY

The most important thing we can do is avoid inflammation before it starts to affect the immune system. Wouldn’t you rather feel healthy and strong versus rundown and sick? Here are 7 tips to get you started:

#1 Gluten – You hear a lot of controversy that gluten sensitivity or intolerance is all hype. However, research continues to indicate that it is problematic for our digestive system and our brain. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, spelt, oats, barley and rye. Historically these grains were processed very differently, and the inflammatory nature of gluten more gentle; however, today’s processed grains are highly inflammatory and a key contributor to immune problems. And unfortunately, foods containing gluten are eaten at nearly every mealtime by most Americans.

#2 Sugar - Sugar dysregulation, or insulin resistance, is one of the most common causes of digestive issues, wreaking havoc on the immune system and potentially triggering autoimmune disease. The more sugars and refined carbohydrates you consume, the faster your blood sugar rises.

In response, your body pumps out large amounts of insulin to help move the sugar into cells, promoting fat storage, high blood pressure, and increased cholesterol and triglycerides levels.

Blood sugar imbalances also contribute to leaky gut syndrome, a perforation in the lining of the digestive tract whereby food particles can leech into the bloodstream and cause severe inflammation.

Constantly spiking blood insulin levels creates a chronic condition and adds to an already weakened immunity and inability to regulate our blood insulin levels.

#3 Dairy - The milk protein casein, found in all dairy products, can inflame the digestive tract. And for a large percentage of adults, the dairy sugar lactose can also cause digestive inflammation. Once we are no longer babies we lack intestinal lactase which is required to digest lactose.

Either can trigger autoimmune disease – and most of us are completely unaware this inflammation is happening. Therefore, look for symptoms of gas, bloating, and constipation as an indication that it is best to completely remove dairy from your diet. 

#4 Hydrolyzed Oils - Autoimmune diseases are aggravated by consumption of hydrogenated vegetable oils. Vegetable oils are hydrogenated, meaning they are treated with hydrogen simply to prolong shelf life in processed foods. 

Numerous research studies have proven that eating a diet filled with these processed foods is directly linked to numerous illnesses, including heart disease and strokes.

#5 Stress – Although clearly not a nutritional issue, one cannot overlook the importance of stress. And often stress can be tied to what we eat . . . oooooh those comfort foods!

Constant or chronic stress reduces the effectiveness of cortisol in regulating our inflammatory response, causing our immune system to become insensitive to cortisol’s regulatory effect.

KEEPING YOUR BRAIN HEALTHY IS THE ANSWER

As much as we hate to hear it, your food choices today will determine how healthy your memory will be tomorrow. As early as in your 40's you can start to see your focus and thinking start to slip.

A quick stop at McDonald's or ordering a pizza tonight may seem innocent enough. But those decisions, compounded week after week, will decide your future!

Source: 
Immune-Mediated Diseases and Alzheimer Disease Study

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Are You in Denial? 

According to a new WebMD-Shriver Report Snapshot: Insight into Alzheimer’s Attitudes and Behaviors, many of us have conflicting attitudes about Alzheimer’s disease. 

(The only disease in the Top 10 Causes of Death in America that cannot be prevented or cured).

It appears that fear and misconceptions about the risk and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease stop most Americans from taking action. Check out this great article on the study's findings:

(LINK TO ARTICLE - CLICK HERE)

The study found that even when there is a long family or genetic presence of dementia in brothers or sisters, parents or grandparents we want to close our eyes. 

Yet, dementia can strike at any age. And the steps to prevent Alzheimer’s or to plan for the potential financial burden either as patient or caregiver are manageable if you act in time.

We feared my husband was headed down the dementia path and worried Alzheimer's was going to move into our lives soon. Rather than wait, we took action.

First we found a micronutrient supplement that targets brain health. Within 3 weeks he started to show improvement. We also learned about the role sugars, gluten and probiotics play in the development of this devastating disease. (Look for our blog on these three key factors in the near future.)

Next we researched local specialists and programs available in the Phoenix area. Thankfully we found Banner's Alzheimer's Institute, and D. Garrett Riggs, PhD, MD, with its cutting edge research and treatments--and where we worked together to rule out possible medical contributors such as sleep apnea, diabetes, heart disease or lung issues. 

Then last week my husband went through an extensive memory evaluation by Dr. Julie Alberty, PhD. We were absolutely thrilled to learn he does not yet have dementia. My husband was diagnosed with Mild Amnestic Cognitive Impairment which may or may not develop into dementia.

We still have time to take action!!! 

There are still important additional lifestyle changes we can implement.

So don't wait. 

Your choice to take action could create a very different tomorrow.

Source: "Alzheimer's Attitudes and Behaviors" by Maria Shriver

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EXCITING LOCAL RESEARCH NEWS: ASU TO STUDY LOSS OF SMELL AND NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE CONNECTION

Loss of smell is thought to be a precursor to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's. Yet this condition is poorly understood. 

But it was just announced on September 23, 2015 that the National Science Foundation has awarded Arizona State University and three partner institutions a 3-year, $3.6 million grant to study how a healthy brain creates memories of odors and what happens when affected by disease. 

This grant is one of three provided nationally, and ASU will be partnered with Harvard University, Salk Institute for Biological Studies and California Institute of Technology. 

According to Brian Smith, professor and neuroscientist with the ASU School of Life Sciences, "The opportunity . . .  to advance an understanding of how the brain represents odors. Reaching this understanding will have a broad impact in biomedicine and agriculture, as well as engineering applications."

While previous studies used synthetic odors, this research will use natural odors from honey bees and fruit flies to better understand how natural odors occur and how an organism must detect them against complex backgrounds. It hopes to link the physical structure of an odor environment to how the brain works, and could reveal new information about the neurological circuits behind our sense of smell.

This research not only has great potential in understanding and preventing these destructive cognitive disorders, it may also assist in the engineering of devices that can sniff out cancer.