Thank you, Dr. Harry [Rick] Moody,
director of Creativity Longevity and
Wisdom Program at Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara,
California. You are awesome! The Agedoc
Myth 1: Memory loss is a natural part of aging.
Cognitive slowing is normal. A good comparison is a computer.... older computers are not as efficient as new ones and retrieval is slower. The memories are "in there" but it is the retrieval of the memories that is slowed and that is absolutely normal. Not remembering everyday objects [television remote, chairs, etc.] is not normal. When a
person gets lost going home [to and from a familiar place] or forgets their own birthday or name of a pet, that is not normal aging.
Myth 2: Alzheimer’s disease is not
fatal. AD has no survivors and yes, it is
fatal. It destroys brain cells, causes
memory changes, erratic behaviors, and loss of body functions. It takes away personal identify, ability to
connect with others, think, eat, talk, and walk.
Myth 3: Only older people get AD.
Although 5.2 million people age 65+ have AD, we estimate that around
200k younger people have younger-onset AD.
It can occur in people as young as age 30, although that is quite rare.
Myth 4: Drinking out of aluminum
cans or cooking in aluminum pots and pans can lead to AD.
There is no scientific proof.
That was an “urban legend” in the 1960’s and 1970’s that won’t go
away. Other “urban legends” as possible
causes were antacids and antiperspirants.
Myth 5: Aspartame causes memory
loss. This artificial sweetener marketed as
Nutrasweet and Equal were approved in 1996.
There is no scientific evidence that it causes AD.
Myth 6: Flu shots increase the risk
of AD. Another “urban legend” that is false. It is just the opposite. Scientific studies show that flu shots and
other vaccinations REDUCE the risk of AD and lead to better overall health.
Myth 7: Silver dental fillings
increase the risk of AD. Another “urban legend.” There is no scientific evidence that silver
fillings cause AD. Dental amalgam is not
a major risk factor in AD.
Myth 8: There are treatments
available to stop the progression of AD. At this time,
there is no treatment and no cure.
Why? We do not yet know the cause
of Alzheimer’s. There are FDA-approved
drugs to temporarily slow the worsening symptoms and negative behaviors. These drugs are most often prescribed for the
benefit of caregivers who are burned out.
Only about half of individuals taking these drugs benefit from
them.
