Delayed Retirement Lowers Risk of Alzheimer’s

The weak economy and lack of savings means baby boomers are staying longer in the workforce before retiring.

But there could be a bright side to that reality. New research says the longer you work, the less likely you are to develop Alzheimer’s Disease.

The recent study of 5,000 people shows for each additional year a person worked, the risk of contracting Alzheimer’s was reduced by 3 percent.

That’s because working is more physically, mentally and socially demanding than retirement.

Stimulation in all three areas leads to a healthier brain by increasing blood flow in the brain and also the production of chemicals that protect the brain and slow its deterioration.

In addition to those activities, a healthy brain also depends on a good diet a study at the Oregon Health and Science University revealed.

“We’re interested in things that might have a role in the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, but also looking for things that actually might be causing the disease,” lead investigator Dr. Gene Bowman told CBN News.

Bowman and his colleagues studied 104 seniors with an average age of 87 and found people who ate trans fats scored lower on thinking and memory tests.

Trans fat is in processed food. It’s called hydrogenated oil on nutritional labels. It’s also in fast food, margarine and vegetable shortening.

“Trans fats are, they’re kind of all over the place,” Bowman said.

On the other hand, seniors who ate diets rich in Vitamins B, C, D, E and Omega-3 fats scored higher.

“So it’s a combination of staying away from the bad and getting the good,” Bowman explained. “If you just do one, you may not get the bonus effect.”  

Some Alzheimer’s patients exhibit tremendous improvement after taking coconut oil.

Steve Newport’s Alzheimer’s was so advanced he couldn’t draw a picture of a clock.

But then his wife, who is also a doctor, started giving him coconut oil and two weeks later, his clock drawing improved dramatically.

“I thought at the time was it just good luck,” Dr. Mary Newport said. “Was it a lot of prayer, was it the coconut oil?  And I thought, well, we’re going to keep the coconut oil going.”

Three weeks later, his clock drawing demonstrated even healthier brain function. Dr. Newport wrote a book about Steve’s success with coconut oil and has since heard from readers with similar stories.

“Some of these responses have been quite dramatic,” she said. “I do have a collection now of almost 220 reports, mostly from caregivers and some from the person themselves, reporting that they saw improvement after they started taking coconut oil.”

So there are lots of things you can do to improve your brain’s health: stimulate your mind with work and puzzles, challenge your body with cardiovascular and strength training and connect emotionally with others.

Also, eat a diet rich in vitamins, Omega-3 fats and coconut oil while avoiding trans fats.

For the original article, visit cbn.com.