Alzheimer’s disease is a serious mental disorder affecting millions of people every year. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, as many as 5.2 million people in the United States are currently living with this disease. Even scarier, as estimated 10 million baby boomers are expected to develop Alzheimer’s in their lifetime.

We know these statistics seem daunting, but the reality is that every 71 seconds someone new will develop this mental illness.
What if we told you there are things you can do now to help prevent yourself or the people you love from developing this life-altering disease? Wouldn’t you be interested?

Fortunately, there are several things you can do in your everyday life that will help decrease your chances of developing this disease.

Several ways to prevent from Alzheimer’s disease:

1. Keep your Brain in Shape. Exercising your brain will help stimulate positive development and decrease the likeliness that you will develop this illness. Doing crossword puzzles and playing mentally-stimulating games (like Scrabble) are great ways to promote positive mental health.

2. Eat Healthy. Eating fruits and vegetables won’t just help with maintaining a slim figure but will also help reduce the chances of getting Alzheimer’s. Foods that are low in cholesterol, saturated fat, salt and sugar but high in dietary fiber will give you the best odds against this disease. Whole wheat bread, past, rice are great, as well as fruits and vegetables with vitamin E (blueberries, cranberries, grapes) and green leafy vegetables (spinach, broccoli).

3. Avoid Aluminum. Many studies have shown links between Aluminum and Alzheimer’s disease. There are a number of ways to reduce the amount of aluminum intake in your body including analyzing your drinking water, using deodorant as opposed to antiperspirant, cutting back on aluminum utensils and checking tea and beer for high aluminum levels.

4. Regular Exercise. Regular exercise is important in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but it’s also very important in reducing your chances of developing Alzheimer’s. Keep your brain healthy and stimulated with regular walks, moderate workouts and active sports. Regular exercise will not only help reduce the chances of developing this illness but will also help slow the cognitive decline in patients already diagnosed with this disease.

5. Eliminate Stress. A significant amount of stress can have a detrimental impact on your brain. Reducing the stress in your life will decrease the chances of getting Alzheimer’s disease. Try taking baths, having a glass of red wine (only 1 or 2 a night), running or reading to reduce stress and keep your brain functioning.