How dark chocolate and red wine can help prevent Alzheimer's

We don’t always pay attention to the fact that we keep forgetting where the house keys are kept or lose a train of thought during a conversation. Such minor lapses in memory might be just a fall-out of stress, but it is not entirely impossible that they are also the very early signs of Alzheimer’s. While like several other diseases, it’s not possible to make completely sure that one doesn’t fall prey to the disease in the advanced years, there are ways at least to considerably reduce the risk of coming down with Alzheimer’s during old age. [caption id=“attachment_538383” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Agencies.[/caption] A column by clinical psychologist Cynthia R Green on Huffingtonpost.com observes that research in the field of Alzheimer’s prevention might still be in the nascent stages, but some qualitative changes to your lifestyle might actually go a long way in reducing the risk of contracting the disease. • Green notes that research has suggested that regular physical activity keeps the brain active and considerably reduces the risk of dementia. Green recommends aerobic activity of any sort or walking for 45 minutes everyday as ways to make sure you don’t get Alzheimer’s. • The article says that obesity considerably increases the risk of dementia and it’s important to have a healthy metabolism that prevents diseases like Type II diabetes, which compound the risk even more. Two servings of fish a week, nuts and dark chocolate, blueberries, garlic, avocado, green leafy veggies, cabbage, cauliflower and whole grains boost brain alertness and secures you against Alzheimer’s. • Staying socially and intellectually engaged reduces risk too. “Intellectual engagement has been found to not only lower our Alzheimer’s risk but  may even delay the onset of symptoms if we develop the disease. Such activities may build cognitive reserve, providing us with more of a “cushion” in the face of neuro-degeneration,” says Green. In fact Jean Carper notes in his book ‘100 simple ways to prevent Alzheimer’s’, mentions that searching the internet stimulates one’s brain more than reading a book! • A glass of red wine (rich in anti-oxidants), a day with dinner goes a long way in preventing an onslaught of the disease. • Research has also suggested that a Mediterranean style diet works better in preventing incidences of Alzheimer’s than any other diet. • A research conducted in Europe also suggested that five cups of strong J ava coffee a day reduces risk of Alzheimer’s considerably. So next time the mother gets annoyed at staying up nights with Facebook and cups of coffee, you know what to tell her!