Dakota Bogan

Stalbird

Eng. 1201

March 2020

What is actually causing Alzheimer’s Disease, and why is the disease on the rise?

The year is now 2020, and overall, there are around 44 million people in the

world living with Alzheimer’s disease, or some case of dementia. To sum up Alzheimer’s,

it is a progressive disease of the brain, which is also irreversible, and over time, destroys

one’s memory, and thinking development. Majority of this disease takes toll on

individuals in their mid-60’s. The disease itself, has no given timeline once an individual

is diagnosed, which leaves much grey area for doctors, victim’s of the disease, and

victim’s family members. But what exactly is it that causes this god awful disease? Can it

be reversed, by making different life choices in one’s younger timeline? Are there cures?

To be blunt, there are over 400 types of dementia that is known to mankind.

Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia are the most known, and most common

amongst the human race. Alzheimer’s starts by accumulation of protein in the brain. The

two types of this protein are tangles (tau) and plaques (amyloid-beta). Studies with diets,

exercise, lifestyle choices, have all been linked to possible reversibility of this disease,

but none known to fact on paper.

Research has linked our food intakes with our brain health. Certain foods that can

induce memory loss include white breads, pasta, processed meats, fast foods, and

preservatives. These types of foods can clog arteries which restricts blood flow, and spike
blood sugar, which leads to inflammation. The human body is composed of 73% of water,

with the lungs being around 83%. With the brain and heart, being two of the main vital

organs of the human body, our bodies act as machines, and when taken care of properly,

optimal performance is at peak. Foods that have been linked to memory boost, as well as

maxim cognitive performance are salmon, berries, dark-skinned fruits, leafy green

veggies, coffee, dark chocolate, and even coconut oil. This doesn’t mean that if one

consumes these foods, that they won’t later develop Alzheimer’s disease, or some other

form of dementia. Diet and exercise, go hand in hand allowing our bodies to either

function poorly, or properly.

Our bodies replace, and re-grow cells constantly. It is a normal and regular

function of mankind’s biology and physiology. If an individual’s brain has fewer healthy

cells, the brain function alone, gets smaller overtime. The neurofibrillary tangles act as

twisted fibers, which can keep from certain needed nutrients from passing from one cell

to another. Beta-amyloid plaques, cause build up between different nerve cells with sticky

clumps of protein, that restrict the cell from breaking down. Results of these brain cells

which are affected, interfere with chemicals that act as our neurotransmitters, which are

used for sending messages to each other.

This is where exercise comes to play a huge role in optimal brain health. Exercise

influences the pathology of the entire body and it’s regular homeostasis. Cardiovascular

health influences a person’s cognitive health in exchange. In recent studies, reports that

people over the age of 60 who do at least 30 minutes of exercise five days a week, have

fewer biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s. Exercise acts as a “flush”, to a person’s

body. Higher heart rates from exercise, lead to faster blood flow, which flows through the
whole body and all systems ridding of toxins, wastes, and harmful chemicals. When

blood flows through the brain, the leeway path where these two types of main biomarkers

are produced, get worn down, keeping the brain pathways open for cell reproduction and

oxygen.
 Works Cited

Berger, Matt. “30 Minutes of Daily Exercise May Help Reduce Alzheimer’s Symptoms”,
Healthline. Written August 9, 2019.

Neurol, Ann. “Exercise and Alzheimer’s Disease Biomarkers in Cognitively Normal

Older Adults.”
US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. Published Sept. 1, 2011
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2936720/

WebMD Medical Reference, reviewed by Lava, Neil MD November 11, 2018,

Wegerer, Jennifer. “Nutrition and Dementia: Foods That May Induce Memory Loss &
Increase Alzheimer’s.” Nutrition & Health Infographics, Alzheimer.net. Jan. 2, 2014.
https://www.alzheimers.net/foods-that-induce-memory-loss/

“What Causes Alzheimer’s Disease?” National Institute on Aging, U.S. Department of

Health & Human Services. Content reviewed by National Institute on Aging, December
24, 2019.

Sauer, Alissa. “History of Alzheimer’s: Major Milestones.” Alzheimer’s Statistics

Alzheimers.net. December 30, 2013.