How do you get Alzheimer's?
Getting Alzheimer’s is a real fear with many people, especially those who have seen a relative struggle with the disease. They wonder, is Alzheimer’s genetic?. A person can’t inherit dementia, but they can be at a greater risk of getting the disease if a close relative had dementia at an early age. As with many diseases, there can be a genetic tendency for dementia, but because a relative had dementia it doesn’t follow that you will inherit it.
Dementia risk increases with age. While statistics vary, some say close to half of the population will develop dementia after their mid-eighties. In that case, the disease is more a part of the damage the aging process does to the body than to genetic risk. Therefore preventing Alzheimer’s may be a good focus, which means keeping your body healthy, paying attention to your heart, taking fish oil to get Omega 3 fatty acids, keeping your brain active and exercising. Getting Alzheimer’s is something that scientists are studying, but for now preventing it if you can is what is important.
