Alzheimer’s researchers are saying that juice, wine, exercise, and healthy gums may help to prevent the dreaded dementia that affects 4.5 million elderly Americans and climbing.
The recent surge in research is due to expectations that the number of dementia cases is expected to rise among the general population 70 percent by 2020. In America, the concern, though an emotional one for victims and families, is related to the financial realities of the Medicare system. In 2005, Medicare spending for Alzheimer’s is about $91 billion, expected to increase to over $1 trillion by 2050, according to Ronald Petersen of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Center.
“We’ve got to do something about this disease or it’s going to bankrupt the system,” he says.
The answer to prevention seems to be directly related to lifestyle. In a study of 1800 elderly Japanese-Americans, those who drank at least three glasses of fruit or vegetable juice a week were 75% less likely to develop dementia than those who drank less than one glass of juice a week.
Amy Borenstein of the University of South Florida’s College of Public Health seems to think this is because of “polyphenol exposure.” Polyphenols, which are also known as flavonoids, have strong antioxidant properties and are found in higher concentrations in juices than the fruits and vegetables themselves.
These antioxidants are also found in wine and another study, presented by Mark Sager, a professor of medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, showed that moderate consumption of alcohol, especially wine, had a nice effect on the prevention of Alzheimer’s.
Following 500 middle-aged Wisconsin residents, all of whom had parent(s) with Alzheimer’s, the study found that moderate drinkers performed better on various cognitive tests than non-drinkers, including one that tested verbal fluency.
Other findings showed that exercise had a significant impact on protecting the brain from damage and deterioration.
“In our study, almost any report of exercise seemed to be good for the brain,” said Sager.
An unexpected twist to the fight against dementia involved oral care. Margaret Gatz of the University of Southern California reported that people with gum disease had a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
