SLASH your risk of dementia by 55 percent!?

More than 55 million people worldwide are living with dementia. And millions more get diagnosed each year.

In fact, according to a recent report from the World Health Organization (WHO), that number is set to grow to 78 million in the next 10 years. That’s an astounding 40 percent increase!

This disease costs our healthcare system billions of dollars—not to mention, the price of losing your independence and precious memories.

The good news is, your future cognitive health is very much in your hands.

You could even SLASH your dementia risk by 55 percent… even if you have a family history of the disease.

Let me explain…

Wrestling with Alzheimer’s genes

Researchers at Boston University’s School of Public Health and School of Medicine looked at data from more than 1,200 participants of the Framingham Heart Study—the longest-running study of heart disease in the country.

Their analysis included information on genes as well as heart health data, collected between 1991 and 1995. They also looked at dementia screening results, collected between 1998 and 2001.

Each participant was assigned a genetic risk score from low to high based on a handful of common gene variants. And they found that participants with high genetic risk were more than 2.5 times more likely to develop dementia, compared to counterparts with low genetic risk.

The researchers then examined the risk associated with another dementia-linked genotype, called APOE-ε4, separately. (Roughly 10 to 15 percent of the population carries this form of gene.) This study determined those people were 2.3 times more likely than the rest of the population to suffer from dementia down the road.

Now, this might sound like devastating news to anyone who carries any of these particular risky gene variants. But here’s where things get really interesting…

You can STILL cut your risk

While plenty of previous studies have already established a link between heart health and dementia risk, these researchers took things a step further.

They scored each participant’s heart health based on seven different lifestyle factors: exercise levels, cholesterol, diet, blood pressure, weight, blood sugar, and smoking status. And guess what they found?

Subjects who had a high heart health score were 55 percent less likely to go on to develop dementia later in life, compared with those who had low cardiovascular health scores.

In addition, the researchers didn’t find any interaction at all between genetic risk factors for dementia and overall cardiovascular health. Which means that these two factors operate completely independently of one another… and ultimately, they can cancel one another out, too.

This study appeared in the journal Neurology. And the take-home message is clear: It’s never too late (or too early) to turn your health around—and to slash your risk of even the scariest diseases in the process, no matter what your genes might bring to the table.

(Learn addition ways to slash your dementia risk with my Alzheimer’s Prevention and Treatment Plan.)

Just remember, every positive change counts. And when it comes to dementia prevention, in particular, you can’t afford to neglect your heart health.

As always, that starts with regular, moderate exercise and a healthy, balanced diet.

But there are a handful of other natural approaches to help prevent and reverse America’s biggest killers—high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke—and ultimately, to keep your heart healthy. To learn more, check out my Ultimate Heart Protection Protocol.

Until next time,
Dr. Fred

Source:

“Genes and cardiovascular health both affect dementia risk: Individuals with genetic risk factors for dementia can still reduce their risk by improving their cardiovascular health.” Science Daily, 07/21/2020. (sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200721114729.htm)