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This week on the Community Affairs Show, Cheryl Jackson speaks with Ana Nelson, Vice President of Programs and Services of the Alzheimer’s Association National Capital Area Chapter. Anna recently attended the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference and shares some of the highlights. The Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, or AAIC, is the world’s largest forum for the dementia research community to gather and share discoveries that will lead to methods of prevention and treatment and improvements in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
New research reported at AAIC 2022 covered the breadth of Alzheimer’s and dementia research, including the basic biology of aging and the brain, risk factors and prevention strategies, and caregiving and living well with the disease.
Anna shared how researchers continue to see a great deal of interest in life style interventions, including eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, getting good sleep, staying cognitively engaged, protecting from head injury, not smoking and managing heart health. In fact, there is growing evidence that what we eat can impact our brains as we age, and many studies suggest it is best for our brain to eat a heart-healthy, balanced diet low in processed foods, and high in whole, nutritional foods like vegetables and fruits. New data from AAIC suggests eating a large amount of ultra-processed food can significantly accelerate cognitive decline. Check out the full report here www.alz.org/aaic
Join us this fall for Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Not only will you be helping to raise funds and awareness, you’ll have the opportunity to talk with our staff and volunteers about education and support resources, clinical trials, volunteering and advocacy. We have several Walks taking place this fall, including Oct. 8 on the National Mall, Oct. 23 at the Reston Town Center, and Oct.29 at National Harbor. Register at http://www.alz.org/walk
