What is Alzheimer's Disease?
Alzheimer's disease is a common indicator of poor brain health that typically manifests itself in older populations. People can receive a diagnosis usually up to five years before any symptoms even begin to show.
Early-stage Alzheimer's
Early-stage Alzheimer's can be hard to detect at times. The signs that show up may blur with the regular tendencies of the people you know and love. In addition, the affected person may even feel as if their Alzhemier's sympoms are simple lapses of memory. Some of these include, but are not limited to:
- Recalling the names of people
- Remembering what they came in a room for
- Misplacing/losing everyday objects
- Forgetting words that were just read
- Trouble with keeping themselves organized or planning ahead
- Getting lost in places that should be familiar
Middle-stage Alzheimer's
Symptoms become more noticeable as a person approaches the middle stage of Alzheimer's. This is around the time when red flags should be acted upon to prolong the lifespan of the affected person and retain their quality of life. Said red flags can show up as:
- Difficulty with communication, which can include using or understanding words
- Incontinence (loss of bladder control)
- Changes in personality that can be difficult to deal with
- Inability to recognize people
- Difficulty recalling key moments and details of personal life
- Inability to complete routine tasks, like getting dressed
Late-stage Alzheimer's
In most cases, by the late stages of Alzheimer's, the affected person should be receiving specialized care to retain their quality of life. By this stage, the disease causes immense emotional stress, not only for the affected person, but also their family and friends. They might:
- Experience incontinence to a substantial degree
- Completely lose the ability to walk or talk, often becoming bedridden
- Lose the ability to swallow or even drink anything
- Age regress
- Engage frequently in difficult behaviors, like sundowning
System Warning Alerts
Brain health isn't a concept exclusive to a certain demographic—it affects anyone and everyone. With the prevalence of technology and developing habits that are becoming normalized, it's expected for global brian health to be at an all-time low. Unfortunately, a lot of these risks have flown under the radar and are seen nowadays as typical ways of going about life. The section below goes into detail about common risk factors that have been consistently linked to causing declines in brain health.
Cognitive Risk Factors
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High BMI, especially in formative years
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Social isolation
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Lack of cognitive engagement
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Head injury
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Myopia (that is specifically derived from excess screen time)
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Doomscrolling
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Depression episodes
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Substance and drug abuse
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Consistent episodes of long-term stress
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Hypotension (low blood pressure) or hypertension (high blood pressure)
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Poor diet
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Lack of awareness
Recalibrate Our Systems. Take Charge of Community Brain Health.
Utilize our comprehensive guide to diagnostic tools and community resources designed to help you recognize critical warning signs and implement proactive cognitive habits.
How to Live More Brain-Healthy
Here's the nerve-wracking reality of brain unhealthiness: it's becoming more common day by day. The strain that is put on the control center of our body day by day eventually stacks and begins to have more adverse effects upon each and every one of us. In order to counteract this, one would need to live a brain healthy life to resist the deterioration of the brain. Knowing this now, your question may be: how do you live a brain-healthy life? The solution is primarily derived from making simple lifestyle changes that cascade for the better. And if you're still curious, here are some actionable solutions that you can apply to preserve the brains of you and your loved ones!
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Spend more time around your family and friends
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Avoid eating ultra-processed and high-sugar foods
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Sleep at least 7 hours nightly
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Build an exercise routine
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Adjust lifestyle by quitting smoking & limiting alcohol consumption
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Manage stress by practicing mindfulness and meditating
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Trying "mental gymnastics," like word puzzles and sudoku