Alzheimer's and Your Brain, part II

Argentine researchers have linked severe emotional stress or grief during two years prior to a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. According to lead author, Dr. Edgardo Reich:

"Stress, according to our findings, is probably a trigger for initial symptoms of dementia. Although I rule out stress as monocausal in dementia, research is solidifying the evidence that stress can trigger a degenerative process in the brain and precipitate dysfunction in the neuroendocrine and immune system. It is an observational finding and does not imply direct causality. Further studies are needed to examine these mechanisms in detail."

What does this mean? Remember the old saying an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure? To me this means that you are wise to avoid negative stressors whenever possible. When the negative stressors are unavoidable, you are wise to create and implement effective stress-management techniques to minimize the impact to brain and body. And there are many stress-management techniques that can be implemented. Reframing (altering the way you perceive the stressor), refocusing (choosing to think different and more empowering thoughts), and reselecting (making careful decisions about with whom, when, and for how long you are going to hang out with specific individuals on your own discretionary time) are just a few of them.

Part III of VI tomorrow