Q: Dear Healthier Talk,
I have rosacea. It runs in my family and I am used to it.
But a friend just told me she read about this new study linking rosacea to Alzheimer’s disease, and I don’t mind admitting I’m now a little freaked out.
Is there anything I can do?
Freaked Out, Fort Myers, Florida
A: Dear Freaked Out,
Here’s what we know…
A new Danish study that’s soon to be published in the journal the Annals of Neurology suggests that there may be a link between rosacea and dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
According to researchers at the University of Copenhagen, people suffering from rosacea—a skin condition that causes around 16 million American’s to have facial flushing—have a 7 percent increased chance of developing dementia and a 25 percent Alzheimer’s disease compared to folks who don’t have the skin condition.
Does that mean if you have rosacea you will develop one of these conditions? Absolutely not.
In fact, the data crunching that researchers did doesn’t show that rosacea causes dementia or Alzheimer’s, it simply shows an association between the two conditions.
A lot more research needs to done and an individual’s risk will still be relatively low. Think of this as an interesting new avenue for scientists to explore on their way to developing a true cure for this devastating disease.
But if you’re someone who is concerned about dementia or Alzheimer’s disease there are a number of things you can do that could help reduce your overall risk and keep your brain firing on all cylinders.
Reduce your Alzheimer’s and dementia risk naturally
Begin by eliminating environmental and food factors that are linked to cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease….
Anticholinergic drugs:
A class of drugs known as anticholinergics has been linked to dementia. Anticholinergic’s includes a number of cold an allergy meds, blood pressure drugs, depression drugs and asthma drugs.
To reduce your risk dump any over-the-counter meds in this class. And talk with your doctor about getting off any risky prescriptions.
Click here to read about the link between dementia and anticholinergic drugs.
Pesticides and fungicides:
Food crops are often sprayed with risky pesticides and fungicides that have been linked to the kinds of changes we see in brains with Alzheimer’s disease. Your best bet to reduce your own risk is to switch to an organic food diet. Organic foods aren’t sprayed with chemical pesticides and are far less likely to be contaminated.
Click here to learn more about the link between pesticides and Alzheimer’s disease.
Fructose:
A study has linked a diet high in fructose (like the Western diet that’s loaded with high fructose corn syrup) with the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
Reduce the overall sugar in your diet and become a label reader. Avoid products that are made with added fructose or high fructose corn syrup.
Click here to learn more about the link between fructose and Alzheimer’s disease.
Boost your brain power & ward off memory loss with diet
You can also support brain health and help hang on to your memory through diet and supplements.
Brain foods:
Certain foods are known to be brain-friendly such as avocados, fish and walnuts.
Click here for a list of the top 15 brain-boosting foods that could help you fight off memory problems.
Brain supplements:
Certain supplements can also help you support a healthy brain and ward off “senior moments.”
- Ginkgo Biloba: May help combat memory issues especially in older adults.
- Phosphatidylcholine (Lecithin): May help fight brain aging and prevent cognitive decline, dementia and Alzheimer’s.
- Pantothenic Acid (B5): Required to make the neurotransmitter acetylcholine which is linked to memory, learning and mood.
- Vitamin D: Vitamin D plays an important role in cognitive function, especially in older folks.
- Acetyl L carnitine: Can help repair brain cells and ward off age-related memory loss.
- Apigenin: This flavonoid is found naturally in many herbs and may help grow new brain cells.
Healthier Talk
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