Yes folks, Jean Carper, who is a frequent contributor of nutrition-related articles in the USA Weekend insert, has added one to the annals of Pop-Neurology, and we are saved. You can all just relax now.
In all seriousness, (well, not ALL seriousness...that's hard for me,) what she presents us with is a round-up of snippets from the far and sundry investigations into brain health, and feeds them to us in spoon-sized bytes:
(ahem...) I will summarize: If you alternate coffee and apple juice as you play around with Google, mix some yoga in with your Googling (can you tree-pose and type?), always floss, and NEVER bump your head...well then, you should be good.
Okay, now I'm actually serious. I'm happy for all the research. May it continue, live long, and especially prosper, because that's the only way we're going to get anywhere. So, to find out that (for example) avoiding infections is a good thing, well, that's a GOOD thing! We want to know that. My objection, which I know is shared here, is that the article gives nary a nod to the truth that, while these things may add tiny check-marks to our health roster over a lifetime, they will hardly PREVENT Alzheimer's. Especially individually. Especially starting at age 60 (or whenever.)
Jean Carper also thinks we should want to know our ApoE4 status, because that will inspire us to, for example, drink more apple juice. Heh.
I am a great believer in health maximization, exercise, diet, and an intellectual investment in life, so Jean and I are not so far off. But what do you expect from the Sunday insert? They want to be happy, hopeful, and inspiring. Dark underbellies aren't the stuff of fluffy inserts. I think we SHOULD pay attention. What do the scientific portents suggest are healthy practices? What are not? This can only help us.
But, like everyone here, I am well aware that a vitamin D supplement and a spin on the treadmill would not have saved my husband. (because he already did those things.)
I was advised last night that if I had my dh use his left hand (because he is right handed) more it would teach his brain to do things again using that hand. If I did this more it might stop him from wandering and getting lost. It helped two young women that were not going to let anything spoil their mothers brain. Like I want my dh's brain "spoiled". I did not get upset altho I did feel that this was hinting to the fact that I was doing something wrong and this was what was wrong with dh, but I just let it pass, because I know this person that gave me the advice was just trying to help. But what people come up with really amazes me.
If I had my DH try to use his left hand not only would I have a big mess to clean up but I would have one frustrated cranky DH! Oh well, what works for some doesn't always work for others!
The problem with articles like this one (I think this issue has been mentioned before) is that one could interpret it to mean that those stricken with the disease must not have taken the correct preventive measures to avoid it. It's not as simple as stopping smoking to lower the risk for lung cancer; there are no easy answers here.
Thank you, Emily, for your comments re today's article in USA weekend insert. When I read it this a.m., I thought, oh yeah, here's some more "stuff" by someone who doesn't *really* know the score. I tho't of commenting here because there wasn't a comment about it at that time. I KNEW someone w/better writing/interpreting skills than mine would post, and I was right. It's good to exercise physically and mentally and eat healthy foods, but when will someone write: Do that and you may still get Alzheimer's; there's NO guaranteed prevention; there's NO cure; there IS the fact that all dementias are terminal. period.paragraph.
Over 100 yrs ago Dr Alzheimer's autopsied the brain of a woman who had strange behaviors. He found tangles and plaques. Today, people have strange behaviors, plaques and tangles. It's exactly the same thing we're dealing with -- nothing has changed. Maybe she should have been alternating her coffee and prune juice as she played with her spinning wheel! Until we know what causes it, and so far no one knows (except for a gene here and there for a few, and I'd never want to know until there's a prevention) none of this will make any difference. There are people who won't sleep next to electric clocks, drink from aluminum cans, etc. OK, it couldn't hurt, but it won't stave off AD either. Emily, your comments are a blast.
emily - I read the article this morning and formed a reply (in my mind; while I was drinking my coffee) for here later today. Lo and behold, I sign on and find that you took the words right out of my mouth. I couldn't have said it better.