Know These 5 Helpful Tips to Prevent Memory Loss Disorder in Alzheimer Disease

Alzheimer disease is a progressive and degenerative disorder that directly impacts our brain’s nerve cells. This disease usually occurs due to ageing and certain protein buildup in our brains. It also comes with a lot of complications, one of which is memory loss. It can take a toll on the person who is affected by it as well as their surrounding loved ones. This article details more on the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease symptoms, how they affect individuals, and whether there is a way to prevent memory loss in this disease.

Alzheimer's Disease Symptoms and Signs

The symptoms and signs of this memory loss disorder vary depending on the stage of Alzheimer's the person is at, but they can start during the early onset of the disease. Generally, Alzheimer disease patients see symptoms with a gradual decline in daily functions. One can observe symptoms such as memory loss, language decline, a change in reasoning abilities, difficulty making decisions, etc. Listed below, you’ll find certain symptoms you can look out for as per the progression stage of Alzheimer's:

1. Mild-stage symptoms:

• Unable to find the right words
• Losing items frequently
• Facing issues with organising things and making plans
• Taking a longer amount of time to do daily tasks that did not take as much time before

2. Moderate-stage symptoms:

• Increased loss of memory and a lot of mental confusion
• Short-term memory
• Facing difficulty in recognising loved ones
• Repeating words and stories
• Facing delusions and growing suspicions about loved ones
• Having trouble controlling bowel movements
• Facing issues with sleeping

3. Severe stage symptoms:

• Full memory loss
• Unawareness of the surrounding environment
• Require assistance with doing day-to-day tasks
• Loss of ability to communicate
• Weak immune system and highly susceptible to infections and other diseases

Causes of Alzheimer Disease

Alzheimer’s is caused by excessive protein buildup in our brains. Two proteins called amyloid protein and tau protein build up in our brain’s nerve cells, which results in the formation of huge masses called plaques (amyloid) and tangles (tau). These formations can cause damage to our nerve cells and block communication between them. This can cause our nerve cells to slowly die, which then results in Alzheimer's disease. The main cause of why these proteins build in our brains is still being studied, but genetic mutations and environmental factors have been identified as the two primary reasons. 

Can You Prevent Memory Loss in Alzheimer Disease?

While Alzheimer's is a degenerative, non-curable disease, there are still ways that can help you manage the disease and its side effects better. Listed below, you can find the top 5 tips and tricks to use to help manage memory loss:

1. Doing mentally stimulating activities: Alzheimer disease directly affects a person’s cognitive functions. Doing mentally stimulating cognitive activities can help preserve brain function for as long as possible. Keeping the brain’s memory and cognitive functions active and sharp is necessary for a healthy mind. Certain activities that can help the patient ensure this are as follows; crosswords, books, sudoku puzzles, studying languages, learning instruments, and taking up new hobbies to name a few.
2. Maintaining a healthy diet: Including healthy food items in your daily diet has shown to be promising in maintaining and preserving the cognitive functions of a patient suffering from Alzheimer's. Adding leafy vegetables, nuts and berries, beans, whole grain items, olive oils, fish, and poultry can be great for brain health. Patients can also take certain supplements in their diets such as Resveratrol, which is made from red wine.
3. Managing a proper sleep schedule: Irregular sleep activities have been linked with poor brain health and can also take away from the adequate amount of rest required for the brain and body. Ensuring that you sleep and rest at least the minimum required number of hours (7 to 8 hours) can go a long way in keeping your brain healthy.  
4. Doing exercises and being physically active: As the disease progresses over time, the patient's physical motor functions also end up getting affected. Exercises and daily physical activities help the patient in preserving brain function. Exercising has also been known to reduce the risk of memory loss disorders by approximately 50% as well. It can also help your body fight against other diseases that can happen due to ageing such as depression, diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke. Patients can do cycling, walking, swimming, balance training exercises, yoga, tai chi, etc. to name a few.
5. Managing stress levels: Stress factors can impact your health and deteriorate it. Persistent and constant stress has also oftentimes been linked with nerve cell decline in the brain. Since Alzheimer's disease occurs due to the death of the brain’s nerve cells, stress can increase the risk of the disease and all issues that come along with it. Doing breathing exercises, opting for prayer activities, yoga, and meditation can help manage stress in our daily lives.

Conclusion

While it is not entirely possible to cure and prevent any kind of memory loss issues that may occur in a patient due to Alzheimer disease, there have been promising leads on certain tips that can help manage the disease better. Exercising, eating healthy foods, maintaining cognitive health by doing stimulating activities, and managing stress levels in life are all great ways to manage the disease at hand. The only thing to remember is that while this can be an extremely stressful time, spending time with loved ones can go a long way in ensuring a healthy and long life.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. What causes Alzheimer disease?
   
   Answer:- The build-up of amyloid and tau protein in our brains has been identified as the main cause of Alzheimer's.
   
   
2. Can memory loss caused by Alzheimer's be cured?
   
   Answer:- While so far there have been no cases where the memory loss caused by Alzheimer's disease has been cured, there have been certain ways identified through which a person can manage the side effects better and keep the brain health in good shape.
   
   
3. How can one manage this memory loss disorder better?
   
   Answer:- Ensuring a healthy diet, maintaining physical activities, and doing cognitively stimulating activities such as reading books and solving crossword puzzles have all been great ways to manage the disease better and ensure good brain health. These daily life practises can also help in preventing this disease in the later stages of your life.
   
   
4. What are some common Alzheimer's disease symptoms?
   
   Answer:- Memory loss, confusion, difficulty completing familiar tasks, and changes in mood or behaviour are all common signs of Alzheimer's disease.
   
   
5. Is Alzheimer's disease genetic?
   
   Answer:- While the disease itself happens due to specific protein buildup in our brain and the death of nerve cells, genetic mutations are one of the causes of this buildup.