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Influenza Vaccine Can Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease: 7 Other Preventive Measures You Must Follow

Influenza Vaccine Can Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease: 7 Other Preventive Measures You Must Follow
Flu Vaccine Can Help Prevent Alzheimer's Disease

A new study found that a regular dose of flu vaccines can reduce the chances of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) or delay the manifestations of the disease by several years.

Written by Kinkini Gupta |Updated : June 27, 2022 2:39 PM IST

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a serious neurologic disorder that causes the brain to shrink and brain cells to die leading to memory loss. the disease affects persons cognitive function, behavioral skills, social skills and ability to function independently. Can all of these be prevented? Experts say that AD can be prevented by the influenza vaccine. In a recent study, experts have found that flu vaccines can reduce the chances of Alzheimer's disease or delay the manifestations of the disease by several years.

Experts claim that the effectiveness of the vaccine against AD will increase with time. In the study, the scientists revealed that those who have received at least one influenza vaccine are 40 per cent less likely to get AD than the people who have not. The authors of the study also stated that the vaccine is not 100 percent effective. The rate of developing AD becomes lower if a person takes one vaccine every year. The study results showed that nearly 5.1 per cent of flu-vaccinated patients had developed Alzheimer's disease. Meanwhile, 8.5 per cent of unvaccinated patients had developed Alzheimer's disease during follow-up.

Causes of Alzheimer's Disease

One per cent of all AD's are hereditary. In this case, the disease cannot be avoided at any cost. But it can be delayed and the symptoms can be reduced by awareness and lifestyle alterations. The other 99 per cent is caused by factors such as lifestyle, vascular risk factors, and inflammation in the brain. This is why it is extremely essential that people are aware of the cause of this disease and know the preventive measures.

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Preventive Measures That You Can Take Early In Life

Here is a list of all the preventive measures that you can take in order to keep the disease at bay:

Exercise

Physical activity is the best way to ward off AD. There is enough medical evidence regarding this. Exercise can help prevent Alzheimer's and slow the progression of the disease in people who are already experiencing symptoms.

Healthy Diet

Experts claim that a Mediterranean diet can thwart AD and slow its progression. A Mediterranean diet would include fresh vegetables, fruits, olive oil, whole grains, legumes, nuts, fish, eggs, poultry, dairy. You could drink red wine occasionally. It is known to help with such diseases.

Sleep

Doctors suggest that less sleep and poor sleep has major impacts on a person's brain and memory. Try to get at least seven to eight hours of quality sleep every day.

Exercises To Stimulate Your Brain

Physical exercise is not the only exercise that you need. Cognitive stimulation exercises are also important. The best recommendations given by experts are: learn new things, take up new tasks, maintain a journal, and meditate.

Social Connections

Building social contacts and interacting with people also helps delay AD. Socializing also is a part of cognitive stimulation. This will help your brain stay focused and alert and will have effects in the long run as well.

Moderate Alcohol Consumption

There isn't much evidence by experts regarding the link between alcohol consumption and Alzheimer's disease but wine is particular may be helpful. But, too much consumption of any alcohol should be avoided at all costs.

Know And Spot the symptoms

Sometimes, symptoms of AD can manifest very early in life. They might not seem severe of cause for concern but that is how AD begins. The first symptoms are very common and you might ignore them. But awareness about the symptoms is important for early diagnosis and treatment. This way the progression of AD can be prevented.