The U.S. government has spent DECADES and BILLIONS of dollars on failed, flawed theories in an attempt to explain what causes (and how to treat) Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and dementia Yet, they’re still coming up empty in 2021…without any real answers.
Of course, as I learned early on in my career, one of the best ways to figure out what causes a disease is to take note of where it occurs most frequently …and work backward from there.
Thankfully, some researchers have finally begun to take this kind of direct, simple, investigative approach with AD and dementia.
In fact, in two new studies (and a non-profit report) published earlier this year, researchers identified several AD and dementia “hot spots” across the country. And having that information could help us prevent and even treat these debilitating conditions down the road!
So, let’s get this critical information into YOUR hands—especially if you live in one of these locations.
Taking a cue from cancer investigations Cancer researchers have long used geographical data in their work. In fact, in the 1980s, researchers like me and my colleagues found dramatic differences in cancer rates among different populations and countries around the world.
For example, as I explained earlier this month, in the mid-1980s, researchers learned that people who lived along the Yangtze River in China had astronomically high cancer rates. And eventually, that simple discovery contributed to understanding that selenium-poor soil is a major cause of cancer.
Dating back even further to the late 1970s, researchers identified a tragic “cluster” of childhood leukemia in Woburn, MA. Upon further investigation, they learned that a chemical leak had contaminated the water in the Aberjona River, which led to the spike in leukemia cases in the area.
(The film A Civil Action, starring John Travolta, came out in 1998 and depicted real-life attorney Jan Schlichtmann’s crusade to seek justice for the Woburn victims. My own family actually resided only a few miles from the Aberjona River during the 1960s. But we were fortunate enough to pre-date the worst leaks and contamination.)
Well, researchers have FINALLY begun to take the same, simple, geographic approach to investigating AD and dementia…
When it comes to AD and dementia, location DOES matter!
In a new report and two new studies, researchers found that where you live does affect AD risk.
Specifically, in the new report that analyzed Medicare data, researchers found that AD rates are more highly concentrated in the Southeast and Gulf Coast states, including Florida and Texas, compared to Western states, such as Colorado and Arizona.
Plus, in the first study, conducted specifically within the state of Ohio, researchers found that poorer, rural Appalachian residents had a 2 to 3 percent higher rate of AD than Ohioans who lived outside of Appalachia. This finding may make sense because rural areas often have less access to healthcare (especially after the disasters caused by Obamacare). In the second study, researchers with the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health found that people who, again, resided in the poorest neighborhoods at their times of death had twice the rate of “typical” brain changes associated with AD (as shown in autopsy studies) compared to people in wealthier areas.
Of course, autopsy studies are limited, because science shows that 50 percent of people with clinical dementia do NOT have these “typical” brain changes. And—50 percent of people who do NOT have clinical dementia DO have these brain changes!
Nevertheless, researchers and public health experts note that people who live in poorer neighborhoods can suffer from some dementia risk factors, including:
- Air pollution
- Chronic stress
- Lack of safe and healthy exercise opportunities
- Poor nutrition
- Sleep disturbances
- Toxic metals in the water supply
One place the “perfect storm” of these factors appears to come together is parts of Texas. In fact, more than one-third of the counties with the highest AD rates in the country are located in Texas, with a prominent “cluster” of counties in the southern part of the state. The areas are generally poor, largely rural, struggling with illegal immigration, and have lower levels of education compared to other areas.
In other words, as Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy, an Alzheimer’s researcher at Duke University, stated, “We’ve thought about Alzheimer’s as a purely biological disease and neglected the social determinants of health.”
Be your own advocate, as always
While the mainstream continues to play catch-up identifying the REAL risk factors of AD and dementia, just remember, there are many natural approaches to slash your risk, even if you do happen to live in a “hot spot.”
In fact, five years ago, UCLA researchers published groundbreaking clinical research showing that dementia could be reversed in nine out of 10 people who follow a dozen simple lifestyle steps.
So, I urge you to become your own advocate and check out my Complete Alzheimer’s Fighting Protocol, which includes all the natural steps and nutritional advice used to prevent and reverse AD, as outlined in the original UCLA protocol.
Plus, it contains important, additional steps, which I added based on 40 years of my own, personal research. Including specific recommendations for supplementing with berberine, folic acid, grape extract, lutein, thiamine, turmeric, and vitamins B6 and B12. To learn more about this comprehensive protocol, or to enroll today, click here now.
Source:
“Alzheimer’s Research Looks at Hot Spots Across the U.S.” Wall Street Journal, 11/16/21. (wsj.com/articles/alzheimers-research-looks-at-hot-spots-across-the-u-s-11605558173)
“https://www.mass.gov/doc/woburn-cancer-incidence-and-environmental-hazards-1969-1978-0/download”