5 methods to help lower your chance of Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's disease can be one of the most frightening diseases to affect people in old age. Research is ongoing, but these simple lifestyle changes could help to reduce your chances of getting this detrimental condition.

• Although the theory is still controversial, population, animal and laboratory studies suggest a link between high cholesterol levels in midlife and Alzheimer's disease.
• High cholesterol levels interfere with the breakdown of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). This plays a major role in the development of Alzheimer's disease.
• There's also some evidence that using cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may help prevent Alzheimer's. It's still too soon, however, for doctors to start prescribing the drugs just for that reason.
• The link between statins and Alzheimer's prevention may actually be unrelated to the drugs' ability to lower cholesterol. It may instead result from their ability to reduce inflammation.

• The link between Alzheimer's disease and heart disease grows clearer every year.
• There's now evidence that high blood pressure may hasten the development of Alzheimer's in people with early memory loss.
• Researchers found that those with systolic blood pressure readings higher than 160 mmHg can decline 100 percent faster than those with normal blood pressure.
• In the same study, those who also had angina and/or a heart attack before their diagnosis declined even faster.
• Another study found that taking medication to reduce high blood pressure reduced the risk of Alzheimer's.
• Check your blood pressure once a week. If it's higher than 120/80, see your doctor.
• You may need to increase your exercise, change your diet or take medication to bring it down to normal range.

• At a brisk pace, this should take you no more than 30 minutes. Doing so can slash your risk of Alzheimer's by 50 percent, according to a Canadian study of about 10,000 people.
• Exercise probably has numerous benefits, including increased blood flow to the brain and increased production of a chemical called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).
• BDNF is a sort of "brain fertilizer" that encourages nerve cells in the brain to multiply and create more connections with each other.

• If you're obese, your risk of Alzheimer's is nearly twice that of someone whose weight is normal.
• An analysis of several studies concluded that one in five cases of Alzheimer's disease in the United States was related to obesity.
• Carrying extra body fat, particularly around your abdomen, bumps up your risk of heart disease and diabetes. These both make people more vulnerable to Alzheimer's.
• Fat also releases inflammatory chemicals that may contribute to brain inflammation — and Alzheimer's.

• Every time you challenge your brain to learn new information or attempt a new task, you create new connections between brain cells. This, in effect, strengthens your brain.
• Research suggests that daily mental stimulation could reduce Alzheimer's risk by as much as 75 percent, depending on which study you look at.
• So get out those crossword puzzles, and think about learning a new language or how to play an instrument.
• The activities can be simple as well, such as learning to brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand.

When considering your mental health as you age, its best to think of your brain as a muscle. Keep it active and live a lifestyle that keeps it healthy. If you do, your chances of getting diseases like Alzheimer's disease could drop.