Baby Boomer Health and Wellness Center

While there are genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease, the question of risk related to a family history of Alzheimer’s is a complicated area of ongoing research. Most cases of Alzheimer’s…up to 75%…are not inherited, especially those cases where the disease starts at an older age. So, chances are that my risk is not too much higher than that of the general public, even though my mother died from the disease two years ago.

That said, anyone who has a first-degree relative (mother, father, brother, or sister) who had Alzheimer’s has an increased risk of getting the disease — probably because of shared genes. Since we can do absolutely nothing about the genes with which we were born, it is up to us to take preventive measures. The prevailing medical opinion is that the steps for preventing  Alzheimer’s are the same as those for preventing heart disease: healthy diet, exercise, and keeping blood pressure and cholesterol under control. Some research also suggests that keeping your mind active doing puzzles, playing games, reading, going to museums, etc. is helpful in preventing Alzheimer’s. In other words, staying active professionally, socially and physically is one of the best things you can do to keep your brain healthy and delay the onset of Alzheimer’s.

The symptoms of Alzheimer’s (cognitive problems with thinking, speaking, reasoning, understanding, remembering, planning, and demonstrating good judgment) are only one part of the prevention puzzle. Other parts also need to be considered — there is an association with Alzheimer’s disease symptoms and a lack of glutathione in the brain.

Susan Juricek Uncategorized Alzheimer, Array, Blood Cholesterol, Blood Pressure, Brain, Brother, Cholesterol, Cholesterol Control, Cognitive Problems, Diet Exercise, Family History, First Degree, Genes, Genetic Risk Factors, Glutathione, Healthy Diet, Heart Diet, Heart Disease, Judgment, Mother Father, Museums, Ongoing Research, Parents, Playing Games, Preventing Heart Disease, Preventive Measures, Puzzles

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I maintain that careful, intelligent use of natural supplements can improve memory and help our aging brains adapt to today’s information overload. BUT, what supplements should we take…which are most beneficial with the least amount of possible side effects? Without a doubt, our first move should be toward supplementing antioxidants.

Antioxidants are truly nature’s little miracles. Their benefits are enormous and endless…they are true superstars in our bodies and our cells. They are on guard 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, protecting us from the free radicals that are produced by cellular action which occurs after we breathe in oxygen.

Each time we breathe in oxygen and our cells produce energy through normal everyday living processes, molecules inside of our cells react with the oxygen we inhale. This is called oxidative stress. Just like oxygen reacts with metal on a car and produces rust, “rust” (oxidation) happens in every single one our cells. In other words, every moment of every day, our cells are “rusting”…this rusting is known as “aging”. We experience oxidative stress in our cells, which leads to damaged tissues and damaged body organs…which will eventually lead to the many diseases of aging (Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, dementia, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, etc.).

So we agree that we need to be taking an antioxidant supplement — but which one is best to take? I personally am big on ‘natural’ supplements, and every cell in our bodies have a natural antioxidant called glutathione.

Glutathione is produced by every cell in the body. It is so critical to cellular function that thousands and thousands of medical articles have been written about it. It is the body’s most powerful antioxidant…millions of times more effective than Vitamin C and E. Intracellular glutathione fights inflammation and preserves cellular health. It also works to help improve mental functions, increase energy, improve concentration, support increased exercise, and improve heart and lung function.

Glutathione has been shown to slow down the aging process, detoxify and improve liver function, strengthen the immune system, and reduce the chances of developing cancer. Glutathione also works to help improve mental functions, increase energy, improve concentration, permit increased exercise, and improve heart and lung function - just to name a few. IV glutathione is being examined as a possible treatment for autism (autism is often associated with low glutathione levels in the cells of the body).

The body’s supply of glutathione begins to decline 10% to 15% per decade starting at the age of twenty. Stress, exercise, infection, injury, and environmental toxins are a few things that significantly reduce glutathione. Low glutathione levels result in lower energy, higher cellular inflammation, greater vulnerability to cellular damge, accelerated aging, and less effective immune function.

Energy, healthy organs and skin (after all, your skin is an organ), and the ability to fight the damage caused by free radicals all require healthy cells. While adding antioxidants to your diet can be beneficial to supporting good health, it is glutathione…the natural antioxidant produced by your body… that is most important for protecting healthy cells.

Susan Juricek Uncategorized Alzheimer'S, Antioxidant, Antioxidant Supplement, Autism, Benefits, Body Organs, Cellular Action, Cellular Function, Cellular Health, Dementia, Everyday Living, First Move, Free Radicals, Glutathione Deficiency, High Blood Pressure, Improve Memory, Increase Energy, Information Overload, Intracellular, Low Glutathione, Max Gxl, Max International, Maxgxl, Medical Articles, Mental Functions, Natural Antioxidant, Natural Supplements, Parkinson'S, Single One, True Superstars, Type 2 Diabetes