Exercise- Non-Medical Intervention for Alzheimer’s

6 years ago
/ chronic disease non-conventional therapies nutrition side effects ID and prevention
/ By David Emerson
/ 8 COMMENTS

“physical activity, exercise among people already diagnosed with the early stages of Alzheimer’s, moderate to high-intensity workouts may not only slow down the biological symptoms of Alzheimer’s—but may lead to improvements in cognitive functions as well”

Alzheimer’s Disease. The studies linked and excerpted below point to information that is not rocket science nor revolutionary. We’re talking about frequent but moderate exercise. Exercise treats, and can even reverse, many diseases. Exercise is a non-medical intervention for Alzheimer’s. Most people know of the benefits of exercise yet moderate, frequent activity is relatively rare. I’ll explain my method for frequent, moderate exercise routine below…

I am a long-term cancer survivor who has remained in complete remission from incurable cancer, multiple myeloma, through therapies such as nutrition, supplementation, lifestyle, bone health therapies and even evidence-based, mind-body therapies. I exercise too. Frequently but moderately.

I worry about the health of my brain is because I developed chemo brain/chemo fog/cerebral dysfunction shortly after my active therapies between ’95-’97. I wonder how if my chemobrain makes me more prone to Alzheimer’s. Exercise has become another non-medicine therapy for me.

When I come across an article like the one below that is linked and excerpted I can’t help but think about how this “non-medicine intervention“ supports cancer survivors like me as well as Alzheimer’s patients.

If you have Alzheimer’s or caregiver someone who does, please scroll down the page and post some of the common symptoms. I want to compare my chemobrain with your Alzheimer’s symptoms.

Thank you,

David Emerson

MM Survivor
MM Cancer Coach
Director PeopleBeatingCancer

P.S. okay- here is my methodology- 1) become a member of the closest “big-box” type of exercise organization in your area. I belong to Lifetime Fitness (Big and inexpensive). 2) Make sure the membership is a low monthly fee. I pay $77.oo a month. I feel better knowing that I can exercise as many times each month as possible an not pay any more or less. I have gotten to know others who exercise regularly like me. Social interaction is also therapy for us.

How Exercise Helps Curb Alzheimer’s Symptoms

“In the first studies to look at physical activity among people already diagnosed with the early stages of Alzheimer’s, moderate to high-intensity workouts may not only slow down the biological symptoms of Alzheimer’s—but may lead to improvements in cognitive functions as well…

Compared to the control group, the exercisers showed fewer symptoms such as anxiety, changes in mood and depression that are common among Alzheimer’s patients. Overall, those who were more active did not show any changes in cognitive functions, but when Hasselbalch looked at the results more carefully, he found that participants with milder disease who exercised actually did perform better on intellectual skills after the 16 weeks. They were tested on memory, language, mental speed, and other executive functions…

The result was a dramatically increased score, by 80%, on average on the cognitive tests than those who just stretched, even after accounting for age-related changes in thinking. More intriguing, the exercisers also showed on average a 14% lower level of the protein tau, which is a good indicator that brain neurons are dying and Alzheimer’s processes are well underway, at the end of the study compared to before they began the exercise regimen…

What’s encouraging to us is that we don’t have treatments now; there’s nothing for Alzheimer’s patients,” says Baker. “The possibility that a non-medicine intervention could actually change the disease — we’re just very encouraged by these results,.”…

Poor fitness linked to weaker brain fiber, higher dementia risk

“Scientists have more evidence that exercise improves brain health and could be a lifesaving ingredient that prevents Alzheimer’s disease…

White matter

The study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease focused on a type of brain tissue called white matter, which is composed of millions of bundles of nerve fibers used by neurons to communicate across the brain.

Dr. Ding’s team enrolled older patients at high risk to develop Alzheimer’s disease who have early signs of memory loss, or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The researchers determined that lower fitness levels were associated with weaker white matter, which in turn correlated with lower brain function…

Prior findings

The research builds upon prior investigations linking healthy lifestyles to better brain function, including a 2013 study from Dr. Zhang’s team that found neuronal messages are more efficiently relayed in the brains of older adults who exercise.

In addition, other teams at the O’Donnell Brain Institute are designing tests for the early detection of patients who will develop dementia, and seek methods to slow or stop the spread of toxic proteins associated with the disease such as beta-amyloid and tau, which are blamed for destroying certain groups of neurons in the brain…”

Aerobic exercise slows cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease

“(Reuters Health) – Cardiovascular exercise training may help slow the decline in brain function seen in Alzheimer’s patients, a new review of past research suggests…

Researchers assessed data from 19 studies conducted between 2002 and 2015 that examined the effects of exercise on cognitive ability in 1,145 people at risk of or diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Nearly 90 percent were randomized controlled trials, which are the most reliable type of study…

Aerobic exercises include brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling and other activities that boost the heart rate and strengthen the heart and lungs.

On average, participants exercised 3.5 days per week at moderate intensity, with each session lasting 30 to 60 minutes. While the programs tested in some of the studies were as short as 8 weeks, others lasted more than 6 months…

“We found a statistically significant increase in cognitive function that favored the groups receiving the exercise interventions compared to the non-exercise control groups,” lead study author Gregory Panza, from the University of Connecticut in Storrs…

“Exercise can change the brain chemistry. It can change neurotransmitters associated with depression, anxiety, and stress as well as brain chemicals associated with learning…” “These changes can result in improved mood, resilience to stress and improve functions of the brain such as processing speed, attention, short-term memory and cognitive flexibility among other things.””

Reduced Mobility = Increased Mortality - PeopleBeatingCancer says 9 months ago

[…] Exercise- Non-medical intervention for Alzheimer’s Disease […]

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Alzheimer's, Dementia - PeopleBeatingCancer says a couple of years ago

[…] Exercise- Non-Medical Intervention for Alzheimer’s […]

Choline, Non-Toxic Therapies to Fight Alzheimer's - PeopleBeatingCancer says a couple of years ago

Alzheimer's, Cognitive Function, Mind-Body Therapy - PeopleBeatingCancer says 5 years ago

Nutrition and Dementia - PeopleBeatingCancer says 5 years ago

benefits of regular moderate exercise says 5 years ago

Vitamin D Blood Levels and the Risk of Dementia and Alzheimer's - PeopleBeatingCancer says 6 years ago

[…] Exercise is Non-Medicine Intervention for Alzheimer’s […]

Brain Games Heals Chemobrain says 7 years ago

[…] to heal this debilitating side effect. There are a growing number of nutritional, supplement-based, exercise-based and lifestyle-based therapies that studies show help heal cognitive function. One of the most […]

Diagnosed with Cancer? Your two greatest challenges are understanding cancer and understanding possible side effects from chemo and radiation. Knowledge is Power!

Exercise- Non-Medical Intervention for Alzheimer’s

“physical activity, exercise among people already diagnosed with the early stages of Alzheimer’s, moderate to high-intensity workouts may not only slow down the biological symptoms of Alzheimer’s—but may lead to improvements in cognitive functions as well”

Recommended Reading:

How Exercise Helps Curb Alzheimer’s Symptoms

Poor fitness linked to weaker brain fiber, higher dementia risk

Aerobic exercise slows cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease

Leave a Comment:

8 comments

Popular posts

Multiple Myeloma Diet

Multiple Myeloma Survivor- A Different kind of Second Opinion-

C-B-D Enhances Velcade (BORT)

Are Endometrial Polyps Overtreated?