With an aging population, Alzheimerâs disease is becoming especially prevalent. In fact, a new case is diagnosed every 68 seconds in America alone! If the current rates continue, it is believed that the number of seniors with Alzheimerâs will quadruple to 16 million by 2050!
Presently, there are 5.4 million Americans living with Alzheimerâs disease. It is often called the âfamily diseaseâ since families are forced to watch as their loved one declines mentally. Itâs one of the top 10 causes of death in the U.S. and is one of the few diseases afflicting the elderly that cannot be prevented, cured, or slowed.
Fortunately, there are many resources for patients and loved ones alike for support and information. There are also steps that you can take to slow the progression of the disease, with programs in place that engage patientsâ minds. The Cognitive Therapeutics Method is one such program that can be customized to a patientâs needs and has been successful in staving off the effects of Alzheimerâs disease and dementia by keeping the patientâs mind stimulated.
There are also natural ways to slow the progression of Alzheimerâs disease. For example, a recent study from the University of Huddersfield has revealed that a drug derived from pomegranates may just slow the effects of Alzheimerâs. The two-year study found that punicalagin, a derivative of pomegranates, has anti-inflammatory properties that have been found to slow the progression of Alzheimerâs disease and even curb some of the symptoms. The derivative inhibits the inflammation of brain cells called micrologia. The destruction of these brain cells makes the symptoms of Alzheimerâs disease worse.
The team hopes to soon develop drugs that will slow the effects of Alzheimerâs disease. In fact, the researchers are hopeful that with drugs containing punicalagin, anyone with a family history of Alzheimerâs may be able to prevent its onset.
In the meantime, regularly consuming pomegranate juice or the fruit itself is a delicious way to stay healthy. Pomegranates contain antioxidants that are useful in treating other ailments too, such as rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, and Parkinsonâs disease. Pomegranate juice that contains only thatâ100% pomegranate juiceâis usually about 3.4% punicalagin, so try adding pomegranate juice to your diet as a preventative method.
September 21 may be World Alzheimerâs Day, but that doesnât mean that you canât take steps to raise awareness and prevent it year-round!
Sources for Todayâs Article:
âCreating pomegranate drug to stem Alzheimerâs, Parkinsonâs,â ScienceDaily web site, August 22, 2014; http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/08/140822094106.htm.
âWorld Alzheimerâs Day: September 21,â Fisher Center for Alzheimerâs Research Foundation web site; http://www.alzinfo.org/08/alzheimers/world-alzheimers-day, last accessed September 16, 2014.