How to Prevent Dementia?
I do not think dementia is an invariable accompaniment of Old Age but part of the Total End Organ Failure that is determined by Cell Cycle Events and the inability to Heal or Repair, lost cells.
Healing and Repair are inherent processes which we are born with (it cannot be upgraded).
One is free to share this with kith and kin.
This piece is in development stage.
If one modifies the contents one is responsible (copyright) for his or her own vagaries.
Apply cause and effect principle as the driving force with Kalama Sutta as the safeguard for any diversion in focus of attention.
Let me take the putative causes first.
1. Lack of proper sleep (in reality disturbance of diurnal melatonin secretion).
Early to rise and early to bed is bottom line.
2. Alcohol consumption on regular basis as a energizing tonic.
Alcohol is a universal cell poison including neurons.
3. Over use of cellphone that effect on and off switch of brain frequencies.
It is much complicated than this (plasticity of brain is a misnomer).
Living under giant Telecom Towers even affect grassing cattle.
Computers and Television Screens are included in this frequency modulation effect.
4. Too much attention to Meditation and physical inactivity (means lack of physical exercise).
Walking meditation is probably better than sitting meditation.
I have documented cases.
5. Fifth is most abundant and damaging.
Strict conformity to a bizarre religious dogmatism that can cause Third World War.
Currently it is in active mode.
6. Some medicinal derivatives, especially cholesterol lowering drugs.
Drug companies are hiding these facts and I have documented this elsewhere in detail.
7. Ayahuasca consumption with Spiritual upliftment (in fact a grand delusion). Delusional states are as worse as dementia.
8. Consumption of beef.
This is related to Amyloid Proteins which are not broken down to amino acids and deposited in brain in nano quantities to begin with.
Their ongoing assimilation to bigger molecules is automatic and do not need catalytic activity of enzymes.
Read the next item.
8. Certain viruses cause brain damage. Savages in Papua New Guinea known for cannibalism who eat brains of the victims harbour (long names which I have forgotten) these viruses.
This virus was generally named as Mad Cow Disease Virus.
Mrs. Thatcher in 1980s as the PM in UK suppressed this Scientific Information deliberately.
I was in UK during this period and left UK never to return.
Ready made Remedies
1. Avoid above putative causes and have 8 or 9 hour sleep rhythm.
Power snooze (nap) of one (1) hour on the desk is mandatory at least for university students and school children.
In practice 4 hours of Deep Sleep is enough and Lord Buddha was a good exponent of this strategy and he used his waking hours to the benefit of mankind.
By the way, he walked length and breath of India.
Sleep less and work more for your fellow beings.
Do not work like Ceylonese Civil Servants.
8 hours with big lunch and prolong absence from the desk on working hours.
Better skip lunch.
Memory which I have NOT discussed here is established in these 4 hours of Deep Sleep.
Breaking Sleep and overnight cramming is BAD.
I never had this habit and slept well the day before the examination (bit difficult at first but one has to cultivate it gradually)
2. Use plenty of pol sambol (kernel) or coconut oil for food.
Coconut fat has medium change fatty acids and are readily metabolized.
Do not contribute to obesity.
Besides, the ketone bodies provide ready made energy even for dementia patients.
It is a fact.
Coconut water (has an excess of potassium) is iso-osmottic and provides electrolytes in a suitable package.
3. Missing one meal out of three (single good meal strategy) with a good breakfast. Hunter gatherer survived on one meal.
A good banana and a good cup of Ceylon Tea (not coffee) for breakfast are adequate.
Too much Tea effects your SLEEP.
4. Regular Exercise at least twice a week.
5. Lots of Fruits and Vegetables with antioxidants including Cashew Nuts.
Cashew is a mild aphrodisiac which one of our previous Residents demanded in Sri-Lankan Airline.
I prohibit this delicacy to Presidents and Prime Ministers.
Bottom line is, the temporary loss of memory is an early sign of Dementia and that is the time for one to act and not later.
This transient memory loss comes after 30 years and certainly after 45 years and is probably related to prolonging (lag) of late cell cycles in a strict 50 Cell Cycles Events in Biology.
Astroglia has some role in this.
To learn about the cell cycle read my book on three demented dogs, coming after the Ceylon Elections.
This is the summary of the 1st chapter on Three Dogs with Dementia funded by none other than Maha Brahma, himself.
Humour (not political satire) is the best Medicine and this is what we lack during our extended Election Campaign.
By the way, I sleep well in my retirement.
There is some relationship (brain activity) of calcium metabolism which I do not understand in memory channels or networks.
I think vitamin D has some relationship which we do not lack in Ceylon (probably early morning hours, later in the day there are more UV light damage).
In the West taking Vitamin D supplement is mandatory.
There is special Vitamin supplement for those who are over 50.
Vitamin B1 and B6 are vital for brain function and Hemoglobin level is also important.
In my case, I have too much of it from early days of my life probably related to sports activity.
I do not think I have an understanding real tumour.
