Preventing Alzheimer's: lifestyle strategies for keeping the brain healthy

Mr. Smith, a 75 year-old retired doctor, has been living with Alzheimer’s disease for more than 4 years. His days include reading, attending seminars, volunteering in the community and spending time with his grandchildren. Recently, he returned from a 2-week trip to Italy with his wife. Mr. Smith is not this man’s real name, but he is a patient of mine.

A highly educated and intelligent individual, Mr. Smith typically reads several books each week. About 4 years ago, he found it difficult to retain the information he read and visited a family doctor, who dismissed his condition as normal aging. After meeting with my future patient, I diagnosed him with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.