St. Jude Marathon and Alzheimer’s

St. Jude Marathon and Alzheimer’s? A strange title, I know. But there is a connection, albeit not obvious at first.

I have registered to run/walk (it will be more walk than run, I assure you) the December half-marathon in Memphis. I am not doing this to force myself to exercise more. I already walk regularly, use light weights, etc. I am participating in the half-marathon because I want to support my favorite charity and have the experience of the marathon atmosphere (I have heard that I will experience a myriad of emotions).

But what does this marathon have to do with Alzheimer’s? Exercise.

 The Today Show this morning had a feature on the prevention of Alzheimer’s. The research shows that many cases of Alzheimer’s may be prevented by lifestyle changes that take place at any age but especially in the twenties and thirties. According to the report, Alzheimer’s kills more people than breast cancer or prostate cancer.

I didn’t know that. For many, there is a genetic connection, but even for those with a genetic connection, maybe these steps will help delay or prevent completely the onset of the disease.

The steps:

1.  At least three hours of RIGOROUS exercise a week. Two-thirds should be cardio, one-third weight-training, depending on body type. Health experts have recommended thirty minutes of exercise at least five times a week for years, but this moves it up a notch or two. The cardio recommended is not a thirty-minute walk. Rigorous is walking or running or dancing or anything that gets your heart rate elevated.
2. Get at least 7 1/2 hours of QUALITY sleep each night. Not interrupted sleep (which I tend to have). We stay up too late and get up too early. The researchers recommend being sure you sleep in a darkened room, not one with the television running or other electronic lights interfering.
3. Eat lots of vegetables and fruits. The anti-oxidants help prevent the disease. Avoid unhealthy fats. Use olive oil instead of margarine or butter. Avoid processed foods. Don’t eat meats high in fat content like red meat.
4. Your job may contribute to Alzheimer’s. Work stress is a contributor. If your job causes you a great deal of stress, you might want to consider changing jobs or seeking other ways to relieve your stress.

How do these steps help prevent Alzheimer’s? They lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar, all of which can contribute to the disease. Some people will have the disease in spite of their best efforts, but I think these things are worth considering.

We have so much information about how exercise, eating right, and other healthy lifestyle choices will improve health, give us better quality of life, and reduce health care costs, yet so many ignore the information. Millenials, you have this information now. My generation didn’t hear as much about it (although my generation can follow these principles), but you have no excuse for not making healthy choices now.

You may think old age is a long time away, but I guarantee you will be turning sixty before you know it. Time flies. Make your life now and your life then the best it can be.

The patients at St. Jude did nothing to cause their diseases. Too many of us, though, have health issues because of poor lifestyle choices. Shame on us.

Resolve today to make your life a healthier one. And while you’re at it, do what you can to help the efforts at St. Jude. I make no apologies for it being my charity of choice since 2004. Those kids and their families need our support. Do the 5K there or the half-marathon or the full marathon. Donate to someone who is participating (you can find the link on my Facebook page for my fund raising efforts). Become a Partner in Hope by making monthly donations.

I realize we are going to have health issues in spite of our best efforts, but if there are things we can do now to make our own lives better and improve the quality of life for our loved ones, shouldn’t we do so?

I guarantee if you told a patient of St. Jude that all he had to do was exercise, eat better, and get more sleep to be cured, he’d do it, no questions asked. We can all do better with our lifestyle choices, so let me encourage you, along with encouraging myself, to do better.

Preventing Alzheimer’s, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and more—great perks to some lifestyle changes. Join me on Dec. 1 in Memphis for an experience I am sure we will never forget.

Make 2018 your healthiest year yet.