Within the next 25 years, the number of Americans dealing with Alzheimer’s is projected to double from six million to nearly 13 million. While new drugs and research offer hope for minimizing that growth to a low roar, a small group of physicians are trying to pioneer another way of dealing with the disease – “lifestyle” medicine, using a combination of diet, nutrition, and stress management.
And if they’re right about their chances, two of those physicians feel that their plan of attack could help 90% of the world avoid getting Alzheimer’s.
Ayesha Sherzai, MD and Dean Sherzai, MD, PhD, directors of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Program at Loma Linda Medical Center, contend that the lifestyle that people who live in the Blue Zones – places like Okinawa and Sardinia where people are the happiest and live the longest – live lives that help protect against Alzheimer’s.
One of the five Blue Zones is right here in the U.S., where the Sherzais first noticed the positive impact of lifestyle choices.
“When I was first at Loma Linda University Medical Center in 2008, our data showed that less than 5% of our older patients had dementia. But when we went to communities right next door to Loma Linda, we saw markedly increased rates of dementia and stroke,” Dean Sherzai said in an interview.
“This huge disparity confirmed the influence that community and lifestyle have on Alzheimer’s. Our patients in Loma Linda, as you know, have very different lifestyles than the average American: they are Seventh-Day Adventists, eat mostly vegetarian meals, exercise regularly, and have strong family and community ties.”
In the Sherzais new book, “The Alzheimer's Solution,” they outline their program to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and reverse cognitive decline by using an anagram called NEURO, that defines the multi-faceted approach they take: Nutrition, Exercise, Unwind, Restorative Sleep, and Optimize Mental and Social Activity.
The early bird keeps out the worms
What are the most important things for people to do to prevent Alzheimer’s? The Sherzais say that it’s to begin lifestyle interventions as early as possible.
“We use the NEURO approach since there is not one drug, one vitamin, or one food that will do the trick. It’s your entire lifestyle that makes a difference. Nutrition, stress management, sleep, and physical activity are all important, but it’s very hard for people to change everything at once,” Ayesha Sherzai said.
“That’s why we are very personalized in how we help our patients. If someone has sleep apnea, we might first focus on helping them with that [via] nutrition, weight loss, and exercise. Once they have success in one area, they are then motivated and empowered to improve other areas.”
Her husband agrees that the influence of sleep on brain health can have remarkable impact. “Getting a restorative, good sleep makes a big difference, as that is when we can get rid of brain toxins. And you can feel the difference pretty immediately,” he said.
The biggest hurdle for most adults
When it comes to foods that can help prevent Alzheimer’s, the physicians recommend whole foods like greens, legumes, berries, and whole grains, as well as food that is very low in animal fats, saturated fats, and salt.
But it’s changing your diet to include those foods that seems to be the biggest problem.
“Food is personal. Food is family. You associate the foods you love as comfort and joy and connections to friends. We are asking people to change and celebrate one little success at a time. Less sugar, less meat. That’s good. And people do feel better, which then becomes the motivating factor to change more,” Dean Sherzai said.
Photo Credit: Consumer Affairs News Department Images
Posted: 2023-11-22 12:11:29