Inflammation in the brain, like that occurring after a concussion or brain trauma, is also linked to Alzheimer's although it is not clear if inflammation is a cause or effect of the disease. That helps explain why 15 epidemiological studies have suggested long-term use of over-the-counter anti-inflam-matories like ibuprofen may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's.

"Yet a proper, randomized clinical trial has never been done because no company wants to pay for an ibuprofen trial when it can be bought in [a store] for five cents a pill," McGeer said."The cheaper the agent, the less the incentive to fund expensive clinical trials," he said, referring to the fact that pharmaceutical companies only want to sponsor research on new drug agents they can patent and can profit from.

McGeer, who was involved in the early research on anti-inflammatories, has long con-tended that those who can tolerate such medication should consider using them. But he concedes that many people can't take them because of potentially serious side-effects of gastrointestinal upset and bleeding.

McGeer, a former Olympic basketball player, said protecting the brain from trauma is also critical for Alzheimer's prevention, as studies have demonstrated that ex-football players are 19 times more likely to get dementia.

McGeer was joined on the panel by McGill University Alzheimer's expert Dr. Howard Chertkow; William Thies of the Chicago-based Alzheimer's Association and genetics expert Dr. Ekatarina Rogaeva of the University of Toronto and the University of Cambridge.

Rogaeva was a late substitute for Toronto expert Dr. Peter St. George Hislop, who was called to a meeting with the prime minister of England regarding a national Alzheimer's strategy. McGeer said it was an ironic development, since Canada's prime minister has not made time for the same purpose, despite requests from Alzheimer's stakeholder groups.

Rogaeva said 10 per cent of early-onset Alzheimer's (people under age 65) can be explained by inherited genetic mutations. The vast majority (90 per cent) of cases are diagnosed in those over 65.

Although there are hundreds of genetic anomalies associated with Alzheimer's, scientists still don't know which are the main culprits.

Thies said even though there are now 35 million Alzheimer's cases around the world, and numbers are expected to triple in four decades, the U.S. government investment in Alzheimer's research is $450 million a year, compared to $6 billion on cancer, $4 billion on heart disease and $3 billion on HIV.

Chertkow, whom McGeer described as Canada's leading Alzheimer's clinician, said up to 20 years before a diagnosis, neuron damage is occur-ring in the brain, from protein misfolding, inflammation and cellular oxidation. That may be why drug trials have been disappointing; researchers are enrolling patients too late in the disease process.

He said a more promising approach may be to study cognitively normal people who have positive amyloid biomarkers or those with mild cognitive impairment.

Chertkow agreed with McG-eer that some non-pharmacological interventions, such as exercise, are likely helpful. Physical activity should be in the forefront of public health recommendations since drug trials have been disappointing insofar as removing plaques from the brain, he said.

Indeed, there have been 172 drug development trial failures. "It's hard to develop a treatment if you don't know the cause," he said, adding that researchers have to look beyond amyloids to inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain.

Nearly three dozen Alzheimer's treatment or prevention trials are going on now involving non-pharmaceutical interventions like exercise, cognitive/ behavioural training, transcra-nial magnetic stimulation and deep brain stimulation.

Other trials are exploring the usefulness of immunotherapy, cholinesterase inhibitors, statins, antihypertensives, vitamin supplements, anti-diabetic medications, BACE gene mutation inhibitors, hormones, stem cell therapy, gene therapy, thalidomide, nicotine and antibiotics.

PREVENTIVE FOODS

Rhubarb

Tumeric

Cranberries

Cinnamon

Blueberries

Pomegranate

Ginger

Blackberries

VASCULAR RELATED RISK/PROTECTIVE FACTORS FOR DEMENTIA

RISK FACTORS

. Cerebrovascular disorders

. Hypertension

. High cholesterol

. Obesity

. Diabetes

. Homocysteine

. Smoking

. Depression

. Head trauma

PROTECTIVE

. High education

. Physical activity

. Alcohol consumption

. Antioxidants

. Fish oils

. Coffee

. Antihypertensives – lowers blood pressure

. Statins – lowers cholesterol

. NSAIDs and anti-inflammatories

. Estrogen

Source: Dr. Howard Chertkow, McGill University and Jewish General Hospital

4 Essential Lifestyle Changes that Can Help Prevent Diabetes, Heart Diseases & Dementia

By Dr. Harvey Gilbert, MD

Many common and sometimes fatal diseases are potentially avoidable. By making small but important changes in your diet and exercise routines, you can have a major impact on your health both now and in the future to prevent diabetes, heart disease and dementia. The following steps are recommended to help maintain the health of both your brain and your body. All of them will help you to avoid Metabolic Syndrome (MsX), which in turn reduces your risk of diabetes, heart disease and dementia.

What’s Metabolic Syndrome?

The underlying cause of Metabolic Syndrome is a person being overweight or obese and storing too much harmful fat in the abdomen. This tummy fat often leads to diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, obesity and many other forms of inflammation in the body that are harmful to a person’s total well-being. The syndrome is often the result of a lifestyle that lacks exercises and incorporates too many and the wrong kind of calorie consumption, such as fast food or eating out rather than cooking healthy meals at home. These lifestyle choices are then compounded by preservatives and toxins in our food sources that cause brain inflammation and toxicity. Preventing inflammation in the body, in turn, helps to avoid or postpone dementia.

How to Avoid Metabolic Syndrome: 4 Easy Steps

In order to avoid Metabolic Syndrome and help prevent diabetes, heart disease and dementia a person needs to re-structure four major components of how they live their lives, including how they eat, exercise, sleep and go about their daily lives.

Step 1: Change Your Eating Habits

        Get into a Routine. Eat a healthy diet by avoiding saturated fats, simple sugar foods, fried and fast foods. Concentrate on eating veggies and whole fruits and avoid continuous snacking.

        Stop Drinking Soda. Avoid sweetened, fizzy or carbonated beverages as much as possible.

        Pick up a Yoghurt. Eat low-fat yogurt three times a week.

        Take Your Vitamins. Take the proper supplements, such as a complete age-related multivitamin plus Vitamin D3, Calcium, Omega-3, Magnesium and Co Q-10. The body needs antioxidants and flavonoids to fight the intracellular junk that has accumulated in your body over the years. Consult your physician as to the correct dosage.

Not sure how to make these changes? Check out our handy The All-In-1 Pocket Guide to Healthy Choices for specific suggestions for how to have a healthier diet.

Step 2: Exercise Your Body & Mind

        Get Moving. Participate in aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes a few times a week.

        Keep Your Brain Working. Perform mental exercises such as crossword or language puzzles. Try out some of the online “brain training” programs, such aswww.lumosity.com.

Step 3: Get a Proper Amount of Sleep

        Keep Track of Your Sleep. Make sure your sleep patterns are healthy. Many people suffer unnecessarily from sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea which is treatable. Individuals with sleep apnea often feel tired during waking hours and have trouble concentrating.

        Natural Remedies Can Help. Many alternative remedies can help with sleep, such as melatonin, kava kava and valerian root.

        Everything is Related. Be aware that losing weight, especially as a result of a healthy diet and exercise, can have profoundly positive effects on sleep patterns.

Step 4: Stop & Think

        Wear Your Helmet & Seatbelt. Protect your brain while bike riding, skiing or participating in any activity where your head potentially could suffer any damage—no matter how minor as any trauma to your head causes the release of glutamate, which is harmful to your brain.

        Treat Pain Effectively. Strong opiates are not always necessary to treat pain instead simple medications, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs, can be augmented with acupuncture, massage and music therapy. Always seek medical help for pain that is not explained.

        Protect Your Brain from Toxins. Besides steering clear of smoking, drugs, excessive alcohol consumption, you should also watch the amount of preservatives in foods and the toxins found in the environment. Wash all food items before eating them. Placing vegetables in a blender is a healthy way to get many varieties in one big gulp. (Red wine drinker and latte lovers will be happy to hear that a glass or two of red wine and 1-2 cups of caffeinated coffee have been clinical proven as healthy for the brain.)

        Get Out & About. Make sure you socialize and experience healthy emotions. Participate in groups and interact with others as much as possible.

        Focus on the Positive. Emphasizing the positive, rather than the negative, can help with an overall sense of well-being. Some people find that hypnosis, yoga, tai chi and meditation are very helpful in helping to re-focus the mind on positive things.

        Understand Your Place in the World. Take responsibility for your own world and life, to the degree possible, while also accepting your limitations on what you cannot change. Always seek out professional help when necessary to help you cope.

Keeping our bodies and therefore brains healthy is about how much we move, what we eat and how we think about our selves and our lives. Get started today with more nutritional information and real-world advice with our handy The All-In-1 Pocket Guide to Healthy Choices.