67 out of every 1,000 older Americans have been diagnosed with some form of Alzheimer's. By 2050, more than 26 million people worldwide will be living with Alzheimer's disease.  Will you be one of them?

What can you do now to slow the onset of Alzheimer's or possibly to avoid its devastating  destruction of your brain?

Here are four tips experts believe can help you keep your brain healthy.

 1. Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and heart-healthy fats

People who do eat the "Mediterranean Diet" have a lower risk of Alzheimer's, according to studies.

This diet also includes Omega-3s, the fats found in fish oils.  Researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, came to the conclusion the Omega-3 fatty acids may also  benefit those patients already in the earliest stages of Alzheimer's. Also the Framington Heart Study found possible evidence that high levels of the "good" fish fat may help you actually avoid Alzheimer's, although that is still a theory.

2. Exercise

Housework and yard work may have greater benefits than you think. 

Walking around the block could also help keep your brain  youthful. 

Researchers believe this is because even simple exercise can lower your chance of developing vascular dementia, which is the second most common form of dementia.  That  agrees with a Scottish study's findings that the more physically active a senior is during his later years, the better his memory skills.  Some scientists go even farther stating they believe exercise can actually change the physical structure of the brain.

3. Get social

The American Medical Association's Archives of General Psychiatry reports lonely people may have twice the risk of Alzheimer's.

That's possibly because social isolation, or a limited social life, may cause a person to lose social skills. Because the neural systems which control social behavior may not be exercised, the person's brain may not be able to deal with such diseases as Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia.

Getting involved with others also helps you stay connected emotionally which can save you from feelings of isolation and despair.

4. Keep your mind stimulated

People who read, do crossword puzzles, attend adult education classes, or are involved in other mentally stimulating activities seem to be delaying Alzheimer's, according to more studies.

So is it really possible intellectual brain exercise can help your brain fight dementia?

Some scientists think so based on the brain's cognitive reserve.  This is the brain's ability to compensate for the loss of nerve cells often caused by Alzheimer's.

Researchers do not know for sure, but suspect keeping your brain mentally sharp can help establish new brain cell connections. Some scientists state they believe mental exercise can even help you grow new brain cells.

More Alzheimer's research needs to be done, but our knowledge about this terrible disease is increasing daily.  While we anticipate a cure, we can still keep ourselves healthy mentally, physically, and emotionally, which could possibly help us avoid Alzheimer's altogether.

Popularity: 19% [?]

• Centenarians Number Men Women People  How many centenarians, or people over the age  of 100, are there?  How many people will be celebrating their 100th birthdays in the future?Projected numbers are 125,000 American centenarians in 2011 followed by in increase  of 834,000 to possibly 1 million by 2050.These estimations are based on the American population growing......
• 3 Reasons Why Adult Day Care is Gaining Popularity  Yesterday we talked about some of the  most serious problems with nursing homes.  Since the government is cracking down on elder abuse in nursing homes are there other alternatives for your aging parents?Adult day care may be a good option if you want more supervision over your aging parents' care, but......
• Active aging is the new keyword for those of us approaching our senior years." title="duck height=199 alt="" src="http://agingparentsauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/duck.jpg" width=200/>Active aging is the new keyword for those of us approaching our senior years." border=0>Active Aging Protects Seniors from Mobility Loss Active aging is the new keyword for those of us approaching our senior years. What exactly is it and why should we care? It's physical fitness for seniors. If we exercise, even for small spurts of time (ten minutes three times a day) we can greatly prevent future mobility loss.......
• The Rewards of Alzheimer's Caregiving Cindi Antone writes about her experiences as a caregiver for her Mom who is suffering from Alzheimer's. The work is hard, often frustrating, but immensely rewarding, according to Cindi. Cindi believes as I do that nursing homes should be the absolute last option for Alzheimer's patients. Keeping them in their......
• Doubt Cast on New Alzheimer's Drugs  Do the new Alzheimer's drugs really work?Apparently not, according to some recent Italian studies.Three drugs, Aricept, Exelon, and Reminyl are being prescribed to patients who are in the  mild to moderate stages of Alzheimer's.But these drugs  are also being prescribed for people who have pre-dementia.  Such prescriptions are referred to as "off-label".Off-label......

• What Is The Difference Between Social Anxiety And Panic Disorder? The distinction between social anxiety and panic disorder is probably the most misunderstood subject concerning anxiety disorders. Many clinicians and therapists have not been adequately trained to understand or diagnose anxiety disorders in general -- and the clear-cut distinction between these two anxiety disorders is often misunderstood. Even normally reliable......
• Keeping the Right Perspective During Your Diet Dieting is not for the faint hearted, and it is not easy. If you fail to keep the right perspective during your diet, it is all too easy to give into cravings, to fall off the wagon and simply give up. Before you even think about going on a diet,......
• Coming Back After an Injury Injuries are an unfortunate part of exercise for many people, and in some cases, one bad injury can completely derail your plans for weight loss and getting fit. However, there are certain techniques that you can use to ensure that you’ll keep losing weight and getting healthier, even if you......
• Exercise - What’s in it for you? “The good Lord gave you a body that can stand most anything. It’s your mind you have to convince.” ~ Henry Ward Beecher Most of you have your resolutions in mind or written down for 2010. Most likely at the top of your list is weight loss or getting in......
• How to Lose Weight Over the Long Term When you first start a diet, it's easy to get all excited about the amount of weight you're losing and how great you look. Unfortunately, most of us reach our goals and then go off of our diets. Within a few months, we may be back where we started, or......