to be terrified of dementia

[calmseeker]

I am in my mid fifties and my short term memory has deteriorated. Sometimes, possibly like people of my age I go to get something in another room and think 'what was it I wanted?' or I open the fridge instead or a cupboard then realise what I've done. I look it up and the internet (reliable sites) say its a normal part of aging. But every other day there seems to be 'new' things that predispose one to dementia - antihistamines (older versions), concussion, lack of sleep, solitariness and so the list goes on, Is anybody else terrified........ The worse thing is there is no cure and the disease is very scary.....

Im not sure what the actual rate of increase in younger people is though?

It's a terrifying prospect and afaik the changes which lead to symptoms are believed to start long before anything becomes apparent?

Of course there may be one or more key factors, hopefully we will uncover them, I've heard that physical exercise is quite important? ?

this is an interesting article from 2008 talking about the prevalence of dementia by age group and across the world. It seems the areas with higher mortality rates have fewer cases which points towards longevity being a factor, but could also be because of fewer people being diagnosed.

There way a very interesting documentary on radio 4 a few years about it. They were basically saying because dementia is rising at a much quicker rate than life expectancy then its a massive over simplification to say its just due to people living longer espeicaly due to increasing early onset. Its obviously not something that we can find one single cause and blame that. It could be 100s of different factors working together.

Chocolate spiders I'm away from home at the moment so cannot reference dr perlmutters book

I too am another person on here who does not eat gluten. I only eat ' gluten free' products as an occasional treat. I gave up gluten because of how it made me feel. I didn't realise that it may be significant in contributing to the likelihood of some sort of brain disorder.

Thankfully I've never smoked. Ive been almost teetotal for most of my life but have suddenly taken to having the occasional gin and tonic.

If I'm I'll and I can't cure myself ( I use homeopathy) then I will see a private doctor who is a homeopath. I stay away from big pharma as much as possible.

How much this will all help I don't know. Time will tell I suppose. Thankfully all of my relatives got this horrible disease at late stages in their lives.

Meanwhile back to having a blast and living life to the max.

Thanks for replying Dowser
I don't smoke or drink, need to do more exersise though.
I read coconut oil is good to prevent dementia not sure how much reaseach has gone into it.
My uncle has it he is only 65 - been an accountant since leaving school.

I am positively petrified of dementia as I have two relatives who have it and I am convinced that I will go the same. I do everything to prevent by read books, play a musical instrument and exercising and diet. I am not entirely sure these things will make that much difference in the end - if there is a strong genetic predisposition I am not sure anything will make a difference.

Personally, I don't set much store by keeping the brain active. I met my 86 year old ex doctor. An absolutely lovely man. He gave me a great big bear hug when we met in town. He told me he had prostrate cancer and his wife had dementia, which I knew when I met him 4 years ago previously

He said she can still do the times crossword but couldn't remember what she had for breakfast.I've never been able to do a cryptic crossword, well no more than a couple of answers anyway but my mum could. She also used to work out all the bets in a winning each way super Yankee ( that's 114 transactions for anyone who doesn't know) with a piece of paper and a calculator.

My old doc said she would have to go n a care home as he would probably die before her. I could have stood there and wept.

Have a look at dr perlmutters website. Acetyl l carnitine and alpha linoleic acid are two I take. And we're recommended by my health shop as being two I portman ones.

I also take serrapeptase..google Robert redfern

And melatonin each evening.

Important

Roonerspism and Ms.ShellShocked We are in a small minority of people who think a bad diet and lifestyle contributes to most ill health.

I've just read this thread (not the links though) and I know there was research a few years ago that mentioned cheap factory made meat products as being one of the main contributors to Alz. and Parkinsons. IIWM I'd give up all pork products as well as gluten too.

Oh and taking gingko biloba is amazing for short term memory loss. Yes a plain herbal, not an over the counter big pharma produced medication.

As most of the meat in this country is grain rather grass fed we probably should give all that up too. I jut eat in moderation. We can't buy organic chicken where we live. So I've given that up too....but that's for other reasons.

You could go on ad infinitum and we have to eat to live.

We can only do our best with what we have.

I am afraid that I cannot take someone seriously who on the one hand knocks pharmaceutical companies but on the other consults a homeopath.

Both are peddlers of snake oil and woo but at least the big pharmaceutical companies are regulated.

She is also a doctor, if you saw my earlier comments.

But hey!

Everyone is entitled to their opinions.

In my book at 89 years old she walks the walk and has just had her accreditation as a doctor updated .

17 years ago when allopathic doctors weren't doing much for me she gave me my life and my joie de vivre back.

That's all I'm saying on the matter.

ppeatfruit - the proliferation of gluten free products everywhere gives me hope that things are changing. (Even if not on MN)

I don't eat pork. Do you think other UK meat is OK?

I cant afford organic meat. but as far as possible i have organic eggs and milk.

Well said Dowser, each to their own.

It would be nice to keep this thread in the positive suggestions of what might be helpful rather than it sinking into rubbishing other people's choices

I just looked at the NHS advice page linked to above and my bullshit detector is going off alarmingly from the second I see "follow a low fat, high fibre diet" as I do believe that our modern diet has a large impact on health. Unfortunately, for those of us not in the countryside where you can get fresh, locally sourced, well-produced food or in posh areas where you can get the same in the "foodie" shops it is not easy to do.
Dowser Dr Michael Mosley said recently on tv that most US meat was grain fed but most UK meat grass fed so we have fewer risks over here. I live in an area where we rely on supermarkets, our local Morrisons told me their beef is all grass fed until the last 2 weeks when it is fattened on grain

I'm lucky that my local farmers shop does have grass fed beef. I try to support them as much as I can and the cost isnt significantly more.

I'm not sure what I think about homeopathy. But when I read about the pushing of statins onto people (who probably use margarine) then I feel something has gone badly wrong.

Sorry Dowser that was rude of me.

I agree about keeping it positive and all that. Problem is that there is no thing you can do to prevent the onset of dementia. Can you reduce the risk even? Not sure.

So what can you do? You can get your lasting power of attorney in place. You can tell people how you want to be treated when you are no longer able to make decisions for yourself.

Be nice to your family. They will be choosing your care home. Get your paperwork in order.

In our experience this can suddenly run at you out of the blue.

Go organic, go homeopathic, go gluten free. But dont do it if it makes you miserable because there is no guarantee that it will actually make a difference.

Well there is that research I was referring to (I remember hearing it on the radio) which showed a high incidence of pork products and crap meat in the diets of people with Alz. I note that no one has heard of it .

That is of course to be expected because the profits of the manufacturers and supermarkets would fall if everyone started reading labels avoiding shit.

I avoid wheat because of const. and exhaustion issues, and also gluten free because it has a load of stuff in it I don't fancy. So I can eat pure rye and spelt bread (it tastes nicer than wheat actually) which I know isn't poss. for ceoliacs. Iam 64 and am healthier than a lot of much younger people. I do also follow my blood type which explains why we do well with some foods that others do badly with.

Do we see a lower incidence of alzheimers in people from cultures where pork isnt eaten at all?

I think that research about diet impacts need to approached with extreme caution. Certainly I saw with DPiL that as they got older they ate more processed food and ready meals. Now I dont think for a moment that this caused DMiL's dementia more that it was another symptom of increasing age.

I asked someone who works in dementia research about preventative measures and he quoted the old phrase "what's good for the heart is good for the mind" and said that's about it really. so exercising and eating healthily.

It's possible Gnome but I don't know. I DO know that after dh gave it up he has cured his gout and arthritis.

The problem with the term "eating healthily" is that we are all different and that e.g. organic lamb is good for dh but not for me. So as a pp said one vegetarian will be fine and another not.

My elderly father in law has dementia. He is in sheltered accommodation with a carer coming in in the morning and a communal lunch provided. I think he is in a safe place and my husband has power of attorney so that his affairs are being managed properly. I think it is less scary because he is so old - nearly 94. It seems likely that something physical will go before the dementia becomes more extreme.

I suppose I might reasonably be more scared of the aggressive cancer which killed my father. That seemed more swift and violent.

The mixed dementia which my father in law has is a slower more gradual business.

My ex neighbour has it, I used to take her bins out for her and have the odd chat whenever we were passing each other, I moved house almost 3 years ago and seen her at the bus stop recently she looked right through me.

My Mum constantly does word searches and crosswords to try keep her mind alert.

Totally agree about bullshit ok the NHS website, they still peddle outdated advice and will always do so.