Alzheimer's is a fatal, progressive disease impacting at least 44 million people worldwide yet it is widely misunderstood. According to an Alzheimer's Association 12-country survey, 59 percent of people surveyed incorrectly believe that Alzheimer's disease is a typical part of aging, and 40 percent of people believe that Alzheimer's is not fatal. During the inaugural Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month this June, the Alzheimer's Association is initiating a global conversation about the Alzheimer's crisis and asking people around the world to use their brains to fight the disease.
The survey, conducted in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Japan, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom, also found that 37 percent of people surveyed incorrectly believe that you have to have a family history to be at risk for Alzheimer's disease. The Alzheimer's Association 2014 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures report released in March found that nearly a quarter (24%) of Americans hold the same mistaken belief, despite advancing age being the greatest risk factor for Alzheimer's.
"Alzheimer's is a devastating disease that slowly robs people of their independence and eventually their lives," said Harry Johns, president and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association, according to the PR Newswire release.
"Sadly, Alzheimer's disease knows no bounds. Anyone with a brain is at risk for Alzheimer's disease, so everyone with a brain should join the fight against it."
Despite lack of understanding of the severity of Alzheimer's, it is still one of the most feared diseases. When asked what disease or condition they were most afraid of getting, a quarter of people selected Alzheimer's, second only to cancer. When asked what disease or condition they were most afraid of a loved one getting, a third of people in Japan, Canada, and the UK selected Alzheimer's. When considering health priorities, 96 percent of people surveyed said that being self-sufficient and not depending on others – an inevitability as Alzheimer's disease progresses – is important.
Government Responsibility
Unless something is done to change its course, worldwide prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias will soar to 76 million by 2030 and threaten economies around the globe. A large majority of people surveyed – 71 percent – say that the government is responsible for helping find a cure or way to prevent Alzheimer's.
"Despite an obvious and large knowledge gap, people around the world still recognize the threat the Alzheimer's crisis presents and hold their government accountable for finding a cure and prevention," said Johns. "In the U.S. and among the G7, federal governments have committed to preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer's disease by 2025. We must hold our leaders responsible for investing in the research needed to realize that goal."
Country and Age Breakdown
The mistaken belief that Alzheimer's is a typical part of aging was highest in India (84%), Saudi Arabia (81%) and China (80%). The UK and Mexico had the highest recognition that Alzheimer's is not a typical part of aging (62%), but 37 percent and 38 percent, respectively, were still misinformed.
More than half of people surveyed in Germany (56%) and Mexico (55%) and Brazil (53%) did not realize that Alzheimer's is fatal. While 40 percent were misinformed, more people ages 18-34 (60%), 35-44 (61%), and 45-44 (58%) agreed that Alzheimer's is a fatal disease than people ages 60+ (53%).
Get Involved
During Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month, people around the world will come together on a special day to raise awareness and funds for the fight against Alzheimer's disease. On June 21, teams will participate in The Longest Day®, a sunrise-to-sunset event to honor the strength, passion and endurance of those living with Alzheimer's and their caregivers. To start or join a team, visit alz.org/thelongestday.
Other ways to join the fight against Alzheimer's disease during June include:
Share the facts – Post and tweet about Alzheimer's disease and brain risk throughout the month. If you have a brain, you are at risk for Alzheimer's disease.
Be social – Turn Facebook purple using an END ALZ graphic as your profile picture.
Go purple – Wear purple all month but especially on Saturday, June 21, the longest day of the year, to support those facing the devastation of Alzheimer's disease every day.
Use your brain to learn about Alzheimer's disease – Take the Brain Tour at alz.org (available in 15 languages) – PR Newswire
Doctor pursues Alzheimer's cure for husband, world...
Though Dr. Mary Newport has provided professional care to newborns since 1983, she's led a double life since 2000 when she became a caregiver at home. That's when her beloved husband, Steve, first showed signs of Alzheimer's disease, as documented in the bestselling book, Alzheimer's Disease: What if there was a cure?
After Steve's deterioration accelerated in 2004, Dr. Newport began avidly researching ways to keep him functional for as long as possible. She put her medial knowledge and research skills to work and found new research showing that medium-chain fatty acids, which act like an alternative fuel in the insulin-deficient Alzheimer's brain, can sometimes reverse or at least stabilize the disease. When she gave Steve about 2 tablespoons of coconut oil (a source of these fats) at breakfast before a memory test that he had previously failed, Steve miraculously passed the test. Since then, Steve continued to maintain improvement while taking daily doses of coconut oil and MCT (medium-chain triglyceride) oil with meals.
Dr. Newport's story of Steve's reprieve from Alzheimer's provides hope for caregivers eager to learn about readily available fatty acids in foods that may reverse the ravages of this dreaded disease. Changes in loved ones may take many forms, including improved memory, return of personality, resumption of activities and social interaction, and relief from certain physical symptoms. Because ketone esters, a synthesized form of these powerful fatty acids, work faster and more comprehensively than fatty acids in foods, Dr. Newport has become an ardent advocate for ketone ester research, with FDA approval her final goal.
Caregivers for the more than 5 million people in the United States who suffer from Alzheimer's disease are searching desperately for hope, relief, and a cure. They will find all that in this book that summarizes Dr. Newport's research and Steve's reprieve, the importance of medium-chain fatty acids, and how Alzheimer's patients can make the transition to a healthy diet rich in these vital fats.
For more information about Dr. Newport's work, go to http://www.coconutketones.com. To buy the book, go www.basichealthpub.com or www.amazon.com
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