6. Beware of Low Vitamin D Levels
In 2015, U.K. researchers published a study in Neurology suggesting that people severely vitamin D deficient (less than 10 ng/mL) face a 122 percent increased risk of dementia. Those who were just “deficient” (less than 20 ng/mL) experienced a 51 percent higher risk of all-cause dementia. (Note, some vitamin D test results come in nmol/L form, so a conversion to ng/mL may be necessary.) (17)
To figure out your baseline vitamin D levels, ask your doctor for a 5-hydroxyvitamin D or 25(OH)D blood test. Be sure to get the actual test result number, too. Your test may come back as “normal” if it’s above 30 ng/mL, but the truth is many functional medicine doctors and researchers believe minimum levels of 60 or even 80 ng/mL are needed to prevent many health problems.
Once you know your levels, you can increase vitamin D, if needed, by getting sensible sun exposure and working vitamin D-rich foods into your diet. If you need to supplement, make sure it’s with the vitamin D3 form, which is more readily available to your body than D2.
7. Be a Stickler for Good Oral Health
Taking care of your teeth and gums also helps protect your brain. A large study investigating the dental habits of about 5,500 older people over an 18-year period found a strong link between people with poor oral hygiene and the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Those who reported brushing their teeth less than once a day were up to 65 percent more likely to develop dementia compared to people who brushed twice a day. (18) Gum disease bacteria may find its way to the brain, setting off an inflammatory process that causes brain damage, the study author noted. (19)
In addition to brushing your teeth, Ayurvedic practice of oil pulling with coconut oil can also improve oral health. And believe it or not, you can actually reverse cavities naturally using diet.
dementia Symptoms
Dementia is an umbrella term for a group of cognitive disorders typically characterized by:
•Memory impairment
•Difficulty with language
•Problems with object recognition
•Motor activity difficulties
•Problems planning and organizing
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, accounting for 60 percent to 80 percent of dementia cases.
Dementia is a general term for loss of memory and other mental abilities severe enough to interfere with daily life. It’s caused by physical changes in the brain. Around the world, more than 44 million have Alzheimer’s or related dementia
Final Thoughts on Dementia
It’s emotionally taxing to watch a loved one decline as dementia sets in and progresses, but there is increasing hope and evidence that a comprehensive, personalized approach can work to slow or even reverse the disease.
We also know that while some causes of dementia are genetic, lifestyle factors play a large role, too. That’s great news because it gives you more control to take action and prevent symptoms by:
•following a more Mediterranean diet
•exercising regularly, at least 150 minutes a week
•filtering excess copper from your water
•finding a purpose in life
•practicing good oral hygiene
•avoiding unnecessary drugs linked to dementia
•sleeping on your side
•eating lots or organic produce
•maintaining healthy vitamin D levels
Beyond that, unless we figure out a way to slow progression of the disease and prevent it from affecting a growing percentage of our population, various forms of dementia will become an even heavier burden on the U.S. economy, possibly bankrupting Medicare, which is even more reason — of course secondary to health — to take all the steps necessary to prevent and treat this disease.