The SHIELD is a New Hope to Protect Our Brain Against Alzheimer's Disease – Alzheimer's 10

Hummus, one of Mediterranean cuisine.

The NBC TODAY just released a short video about a new hope to against Alzheimer's disease. A background of the message in the video is the sadness of a longtime journalist.

He has to write down everything because of the impairment of his short memory. Everything can be gone in 30 seconds. He can't remember them.

He was diagnosed Alzheimer's since 9 years ago. His mother dead from this disease, and now, his son fear of it.

This video remind me to a friend of mine, she is also a bit worry about her dad since her dad was diagnosed probably has Alzheimer's.

She said her dad is still okay, his forgetfulness is still in “normal”. She said her dad taking dexa (dexamethasone). 

Dexa is for inflammation.

Inflammation, that is what Dr in video TODAY mention about. He compares the images between the brain severe with Alzheimer's and the healthy brain.

In the brain with Alzheimer's disease, there is inflammation that cause tangles and plaques.

No current medicines can cure Alzheimer’s or stop it from progressing. They only help lessen symptoms for a limited time. Inflammation is a new target. 

Learning a new language.

Healthy Life Style habit is a new finding that can prevent inflammation of the brain cells. Healthy life can protect our brain. Dr call this brain protector is the shield.

We can reduce up to 60% risk of inflammation that can cause the Alzheimer's disease through healthy life style. Dr. Natalia Azar in an interview introduce acronym of the brain protector:

S H I E L D

Sleep

Handle stress

Interact

Exercise

Learn

Diet

Here her short explanations:

Sleep - We need to get enough sleep because sleep can clearing out the debris (or the thing is not good) from our brain. Sleep enough for 7-8 hours a day. A nap is counted!

Handle stress – Doing some meditation. Stress promotes inflammation, any meditation can reduce brain inflammation.

Interact with friends - Engaged with people you like. Loneliness can increases risk this disease two-fold. So stay active with people who like to be with socialize.

Exercise - Exercise and exercise. It can create new cells.

Learn - Learn new things. Try to learn a language or an instrument or music or dance, or anything we like to learn. It can increase new synapses and force the old synapses.

Diet - Try Mediterranean diet. Gut health tied to brain health. Healthy gut bacteria decrease inflammation.

So, keeping up the healthy life habit. Shield the brain.