Alzheimer's: a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior.
Alzheimer's disease accounts for anywhere from 50% to 80% of dementia cases so it is not uncommon to have had an encounter, either with a relative or family friend, with Alzheimer's and seen first hand the effects of the disease and the 7 stages of the disease. As a patient moves through the 7 stages they go from not being able to remember new information to losing the ability to respond to their environment.
While researchers are not sure on what causes Alzheimer's, they have found a correlation between Alzheimer's and the presence of plaques and tangles in the brain. Though most people develop some plaques and tangles as they age, those with Alzheimer's tend to develop more and in a predictable pattern starting from areas important to memory and then spreading to other areas of the brain.
Currently there is no cure for Alzheimer's so the idea of prevention is a big one with many different ideas ranging from preventive drug treatments to something as simple as stay healthy through diet and exercise. With no conclusive evidence of a certain cure or prevention method many ideas abound on how to deal with the disease. The leading idea, however, is that a healthy lifestyle can help prevent the onset of Alzheimer's which marks yet another reason why it is important to stay healthy with diet and exercise.
Alzheimer's is a serious and scary disease that does in fact affect many people and their entire family. My grandfather is showing symptoms of early stages of dementia and it is a scary thing to see happen. I hope that in the future, scientists will find a cure for this disease and allow older people to finish their lives with at least knowing where they are and who they are with. A healthy lifestyle seems to be a good alternative for any illness. Keeping a healthy diet and healthy exercise seems to help in almost every aspect of older age problems. I know that if this runs in my family, which it doesn't, because my mother was adopted and so my grandfather with dementia and I do not share the same genetics, I would make sure to keep a healthy diet, exercise and always just be aware of the potential possibilities.