Best Alzheimer’s Doctor California - Dr. Jason Shumard, D.C.
The cause of Alzheimer’s has evaded the medical world for decades, but new research suggests we may be on the path to uncovering the source of this devastating disease. Over the last few years, evidence has been pointing to infections caused by bacteria and virus as the trigger of Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline. These tiny bugs are linking chronic disease and cognitive decline for the first time.
The suspected microbes are common infections that affect the majority of Americans, but for many, their immune system cannot keep them at bay. In fact, this may be the reason that the Alzheimer’s epidemic has reached over 5 million Americans and is expected top 10 million by 2050.
When once our bodies could overcome these microbes, changes in our environment, diet, pollution, stress and activity levels may be compromising our ability to kill infections before they reach the brain.
This may also explain why pharmaceutical therapies have done little to impact this chronic degenerative disease which has reached an annual cost of over $440 billion per year. While drug companies try to treat the symptoms of cognitive decline, the cause of the disease goes unattended.
The Research
Latent infections are linked to Alzheimer’s and other chronic diseases. In fact, many of these common microbes are found in the brains of those with Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers wanted to explore this connection, so they diluted fluid from the brains of Alzheimer’s patients and infused that fluid into the brains of mice. The “infected” mice developed amyloid plaques, the signature of Alzheimer’s disease. Microbes such as Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori, Herpes simplex 1 and spirochetes are all linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
What to Do
Some of these infections can be difficult to diagnose because they’re so common today and do not cause symptoms for many people. For instance, Helicobacter Pylori is a now considered a usually occurring bacteria in our systems but causes problems when the colonies grow too large or spread throughout the body to areas that they should not live in.
The most practical way to protect your brain from rogue microbes is to maintain a healthy and robust immune system.
Follow these 6 immune-boosting tips, and your brain will thank you.
Narrow in on Nutrients
Eat whole foods, dense with vitamins and minerals. Processed food products that are laden with preservatives, sugar and unhealthy fat feed pathogenic microbes and starve out good bugs.
1. Get Saturated by Sunshine
Our bodies were meant to be outside in the natural environment. In fact, one of the most important nutrients is synthesized by exposure to the sun. Vitamin D is critical to immune function and countless other systems in the body. If you can’t get regular exposure to the sun, make sure to have your levels tested and take a supplement to maintain healthy levels.
2. Reinvent Rest
Good quality rest fosters growth, repair, and cellular cleanup in your body and brain which supports the immune system and supports the brain’s ability to remove harmful waste.
3. Stand Up and Stretch
Sedentary time is directly linked with decreased immune function and increased risk of disease. Avoid long stretches of being sedentary. Instead, get up and stretch, walk and move frequently throughout the day.
4. Connect with Your Community
Research confirms that feeling socially connected boosts overall health while feeling isolated decreases your immune function.
5. Live with Intention and Joy
Emotional stress has a profound impact on the immune system. While we can’t always influence our external stressors, we can shift our mindset and perception. Living with joy and purpose can offset the feeling of stress and improve immune resilience. Mindset influences the amount of perceived stress you have, which can have a profound influence on your immune health.
Final Thoughts
Common and chronic infections are not always apparent and may not result in obvious symptoms. In fact, low-level infections may impact the immune system overtime without you ever knowing it. Being proactive is the best way to protect against cognitive decline. Following the tips above is a great start. However, identifying latent infections and repairing the damage is also essential to prevent neurological damage and Alzheimer’s. Creating a successful plan begins with comprehensive diagnostics that assess your individual risk. From there, we can fix your underlying imbalances and help your body function at its best.
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