ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

You can't change a genetic predisposition for Alzheimer's 1r disease, but you may be able to reduce your risk of developing it--just by choosing the right beverages.

In a new study comparing alcohol intake in 238 Alzheimer's patients with that of 699 subjects who did not have the disease, men who drank two alcoholic beverages a day and women who drank one during the same period were half as likely to get the illness than teetotalers or people who imbibed less alcohol. Lead Investigator Lindsay Farrer, Ph.D., chief of the Genetics Program at Boston University School of Medicine, thinks alcohol may protect the brain the way it does the heart: by lowering Mood pressure and cholesterol and Improving blood flow. Still, she warns, her findings are not cause to down mass quantities of booze. Says Farrer: "We purposely looked et safe limits for drinking."

Meanwhile, s study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology reports a link between Alzheimer's and drinking water containing high concentrations of aluminum. In the eight-year French study Including more than 2,500 people aged 65 or older, those who drank water with aluminum levels above 0.1 milligrams per liter had a significantly Increased risk for developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease. This finding is supported by earlier research showing that aluminum damages nerve cells and their connections. So if you drink tap water, investing in a water filtration device might be the first step to take in fighting memory loss.

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