Sailing Through Alzheimer's

You may forget your date of birth, or whether or not you switched off the heater after a shower. Sometimes you are not able to recall your child’s name, at times you do not remember your chain of thoughts in the middle of the conversation. If such incidents keep happening frequently with you are or your loved ones, it can be the case of Alzheimer’s. A recent study concludes that more than 4.1 million people in India have Alzheimer’s.

Early onset of Alzheimer’s is rare, but do not make the mistake of considering it as a part of ageing. Making such assumptions would only make it worse. You need to be extra careful while dealing with Alzheimer’s and we are here to help you with this journey. A Little About How It Happens In technical terms; amyloid is protein formed by the body that a healthy brain can break down. From it comes beta-amyloid. This is what the plaques between nerve cells are formed of, which affects the dendrites and axons giving the nerve impulses. As this continues, it shrinks brain tissues recurringly. Thus, affecting your memory, judgment, behaviour, and intelligence.

Prevention

If it is genetic, it cannot be fully be avoided, but it is still possible to slow down its effects. 

• Keep your brain active at all times - Participate in different kinds of activities, be anxious about learning new things to have brain activities. Try your best to not stay idle for a long time and test your memory by playing the famous memory game.
• Exercise - It helps secrete hormones continually that we lack due to not giving our muscles movement.
• Eat healthily - You must know the importance of consuming the nutrients required for your body and brain to function. Consume fruits, seafood and avoid sugar, to begin with.
• Social engagement - You may be an introvert, but humans are social animals, so it is important for us to have people to communicate and share with continually. It could be just one person or hundreds of people but always give in to that need of meeting people.
• De-stress from time to time - Avoiding stress 100% is impossible but manage it. Do not let it affect your brain to the extent that it may lead to you forget what you’re stressing about.

Alternative Treatment Solutions

There are multiple alternative treatments available for Alzheimer’s such as:-

• Aromatherapy - This technique uses essential oils such as- rosemary, lemon, lavender, and orange. Researchers find that it can be helpful in improving thinking abilities.
• Light therapy - If you are having Alzheimer’s, it can get difficult having a set pattern of sleep. Light therapy in the morning can improve your nighttime sleep pattern.
• Acupuncture - Acupuncture is a Chinese medical technique which uses fine, sterile techniques. It helps in relieving stress and pain and improves the energy level. That’s why it can be handy in Alzheimer’s.

However, it is better to consult with your doctor before going for any alternative treatments.

Be There For Your Loved Ones

You can get a little worried if someone from your loved ones is having Alzheimer’s. But always remember, now you have to be the support for them.

• They might forget the most obvious thing, however being frustrated and agitated is not going to help either. Be patient and learn to adapt things to them.
• Use simple words and short sentences.
• Address them personally before talking. Make sure that they are with you when you are talking to them.
• Find the support groups and join them. Usually, the members in support groups are helpful in providing solutions for specific problems.
• Learn more about Alzheimer’s. Ask the doctors, read and learn about it. The more informed you are, you can be more helpful to your loved one.

Concluding Thoughts

  It is possible that Alzheimer's may occur even when you’re very careful and at a young age, but don’t lose hope, there are ways of living with it. And if you do not have it yourself, be the support that your loved one needs because it is hard for both of you. Try not to be agitated at all times, have a notebook and reminders on your phone. Keep notes. Difficult, but accept and let go of a few things that you could and can do but causes harm to others, i.e. driving. You can also try some of our Leisure products, to keep your loved ones engaged from time to time. Whether books, stitch kits or even music, small gestures do make an impact. It comes with many of sacrifices, but it's possible to live a beautiful life combating the Alzheimer's as well!- Team Seniority.