Mainstream medicine continues to hem and haw, squirm and squabble, and tell tall tales about what they think may cause dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
But as I recently explained, their big amyloid theory (and their failed drugs that target amyloid) are all a great, big bust.
And it’s a real shame that, for years, a truly significant risk factor for dementia has been staring us right in the face (or, quite literally, hitting us on the head).
Luckily, there are four easy ways to STOP this dementia trigger…and I’m going to share them all with you today…
Head trauma from falling a common problem among older adults
Head trauma is a significant problem among older adults. In fact, among men and women ages 65 years and older, it leads to more than 80,000 emergency department visits each year.
Of course, most of these head injuries result from a fall due to an unsteady gait. (Your gait refers to how steadily and how quickly you walk. And a strong gait is the single best predictor of longevity. I’m actually putting together all the research on maintaining healthy mobility in a new, upcoming protocol. So stay on the lookout for it.)
And as I’ve reported here before, many older adults develop an unsteady gait because of a drug they’re taking.
In fact, many over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription drugs can cause an unsteady gait—even when taken as directed or prescribed. And drugs taken for high blood pressure and high blood sugar pose particularly concerning problems…
These problems can occur when a doctor initially prescribes a drug at a dose that is too high. Or, in many cases, doctors fail to adjust and lower the dose (or discontinue the drug altogether) as the patient’s condition improves or their metabolism changes over the years.
(Remember, some very convincing science shows that older adults may benefit from slightly higher blood pressure and blood sugar. Not to mention, starving the brain of blood, oxygen, and nutrients with excessive blood pressure or blood sugar drugs can actually cause dementia.)
In other cases, falls and head injuries among older adults stem from the growing problem of “polypharmacy”—or taking multiple drugs all at once. In fact, in addition to causing dizziness, polypharmacy can cause confusion, leading to falls.
So now that you’ve wrapped your head around the scope of the problem, so to speak, let’s turn our attention back to the new study I mentioned at the beginning of this Dispatch…
Just one head injury significantly increases dementia risk
For this new study, researchers with the University of Pennsylvania (my alma mater) followed more than 14,000 men and women with an average age of 54 years at the outset.
Periodically, over the next 25 years, the Penn researchers asked the participants about any head injuries they may have sustained. They also cross-referenced hospital and medical records relating to head injuries.
It turns out, over the course of the study, about 10 percent of the participants experienced head injuries. And, compared to the people who did not have a history of head injury:
- Those who sustained just one head injury had a significant 25 percent higher risk of developing dementia.
- Those who sustained two or more head injuries had a staggering 200 percent higher risk of developing dementia.
The increased risk applied to all types of dementia—including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). And women were more likely than men to develop the condition following a head injury.
Four keys to prevent falls and related head injuries
Clearly, preventing head injuries by avoiding falls should be a major focus for care among the elderly.
So, as a reminder, here are some good tips for how to avoid debilitating falls:
1.) Stay off prescription drugs.Make sure to have your doctor review all of your drugs and dosages regularly (at least twice a year). Especiallyif you’re over 60…and especially if you currently take a prescription drug for high blood sugar or high blood pressure, as I mentioned earlier. And if you experience lightheadedness or balance problems, it certainly suggests that something is “off.”
2.) Follow a healthy, balanced diet.As always, follow a Mediterranean-type diet, full of beans;full-fat dairy (including whole milk, eggs, yogurt, and cheeses); fruits; wild-caught fish and seafood; grass-fed and -finished, free-range meat; nuts and seeds; and vegetables (including olives and olive oil). This sensible, enjoyable diet will naturally provide your body with plenty of calcium (which you should only get from diet alone) and other important vitamins and minerals for bone health. It will also give you plenty of protein, which your body needs to build muscle mass—and to maintain a strong and stable gait.
3.) Stay active at any age.It’s important to stay active to prevent falls no matter what your age!So, as always, I recommend engaging in some light-to-moderate activity for about 2.5 hours per week.
At this time of year, swimming and going for walks outside in Nature are great ways to stay fit. You could also try yoga or Tai Chi. These gentle exercises will help improve your core strength and balance, which are major indicators of increased longevity. No matter what type of activity you decide to do, just do it—consistently!
4.) Make some safety modifications to your home.There are some very simple modifications you can make to your home to help avoid falls—like installing handrails, avoiding furniture that sits too low to the floor, improving lighting, and placing skid-free mats under throw rugs.
And, of course, for additional ways to help protect your brain and memory as your age, I encourage you to check out my Complete Alzheimer’s Fighting Protocol. This innovative learning tool contains dozens of science-backed, drug-free, cutting-edge strategies to prevent, treat, or even reverse dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. To learn more about this comprehensive protocol, or to enroll today, click here now.
P.S. Tune back in tomorrow for my report on a new study that uncovered yet another “hidden” cause of dementia.
Sources:
“Head injury and 25-year risk of dementia.” Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, March 10, 2021. 1- 10. doi.org/10.1002/alz.12315
“Traumatic brain injury in older adults: epidemiology, outcomes, and future implications.” J Am Geriatr Soc. 2006;54(10):1590-1595. doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2006.00894.x