100 Simple Things You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer's and Age-Related Memory Loss

Book review by Richard L. Weaver IIYou must buy this book!I have reviewed over 250 books (many of my reviews are categorized under the name of my publishing company, And Then Some Publishing, LLC), but this one -- among them all so far -- is one that should be read by everyone.If you believe the title, Carper's book is about Alzheimer's and age-related memory loss, but when you read the book you quickly realize it is a book about healthy living, having a healthy lifestyle, and following a regimen that will bring you strength, vitality, and wellness.100 suggestions seems like a lot; however, when you get going (each suggestion only takes up two or three pages) in this small, 294-page book. She has over 200 references for the book, and she gives you the web site where you can go to check out her sources:What I especially enjoy is finding a book that underscores and supports the lifestyle that I have already adopted. I found that many of the suggestions by Carper are things I am already doing. Most healthy readers will find the same thing; however, most healthy readers (like myself) will also be interested in obtaining just a little more, going for that extra edge (the extra mile), and not just getting their current lifestyle reinforced but finding something that pushes them a little harder, a little farther, too.A couple of the suggestions I have highlighted include #24, "Build `Cognitive Reserve'--Fill up your brain with lots of fascinating stuff." That idea delighted me because of the book reviews and essays I write. I think loving school, too, helps anyone build a cognitive reserve right from the outset. Getting immersed in information, learning, knowledge, and experiences builds a useful lifelong benefit.In addition to writing about the importance of higher education, Carper also upholds the value of reading and writing in her #56, "Learn to Love Language -- Linguistic skills build bigger, smarter, stronger brains" (p. 168).There are so many of her ideas that are just smart and worthy of adoption. Whether you have heard much of this before, Carper offers the research to support her ideas. We all need reminders to live properly and to be concerned about good health.Two parts of the book need highlighting. First, within each chapter Carper ends with "What to do?" where she translates what she has said in explaining the idea of the chapter into practical, down-to-earth, specific kinds of things readers can do to achieve the results they want. For example, in #80, "Get a Good Night's Sleep," she writes as the first sentence of "What to do?": "Don't think of sleep as an inconvenience but as a legitimate way to subdue some of the brain's most devastating enemies. Take naps. . . . (pp. 233-234).Also, the second part of the book that needs highlighting, I thought her section at the back of the book, "Putting it all together: Your anti-Alzheimer's plan" was especially good for it underscored what everyone can begin doing right now -- or, in other words, what the absolute, bottom-line, essentials are that can be started immediately: 1) surprise your brain, 2) get physical activity, 3) eat the right stuff and take supplements, and 4) take care of yourself.You must buy this book! (I'm encouraging my wife and my other family members to read it. It's that good!) We purchased copies of the book and gave it as a gift to each of our four adult children.

This easy to read book is packed with tips and information anyone can apply to their lives to help delay or prevent Alzheimer’s disease. It is well written in a clear and concise manner and backed by accessible researched evidence.

Book has a very enticing title for anyone dealing with possible Alzheimer's and memory loss with a loved one. The "Things" are presented in a concise and straight foward manner. Most of the topics presented can be substantiated in other literature, however, not so sure that all professionals in this field (neurologists, etc.) completely agree with the presentations. For example, was told by one that "Americans have the most expensive urine in the world" when addressing the subject of supplements. It is apparent that much more research needs to be done into this problem to make writings like this completely valid. For the moment, however, the topics in this book can be useful for caregivers to at least try and discuss.

I am very pleased an impressed by this book. It is divided into 100 short (approx 4-8 pages) chapters, each of which contains a well-justified recommendation for a food to be added or removed from your diet, a physical activity to be undertaken, medical advice to be sought, dietary supplement to boost brain health and functioning, each of which is explained clearly, is fascinating and informative, and to the point. I had been experiencing a dramatic and, frankly, frightening lessening of my attention span, short- and long-term memory, emotional well-being, and social skills. I started to follow some of the recommendations in the book, and, astonishingly, experienced a very noticeable improvement in only a week. I don't feel foggy or depressed much any more; I still remember the names of two people I met three days ago (!!); I now seldom walk into a room not knowing why I went in there, and I've only misplaced my keys twice this week. I have no idea if this is typical, but I would have to say that it's worth the price of the book to try it and see for yourself. There are a lot of details: I made an Excel spreadsheet of all the suggestions, and refer to it often to try to incorporate more of its information into my life. Please try it.

Everyone beyond a certain age should be concerned about Alzheimer's. It is a terrible disease. While there is no Alzheimer's in my family, it is a concern. So when a friend who does have Alzheimer's in her family recommended this book, I decided to buy it.The theory is that you remove yourself from the pool of people who statistically get Alzheimer's. So if Alzheimer's patients have been sedentary, you should exercise, and these are some good ones. If Alzheimer's patients usually have balance problems, you should improve your balance, and here's how. Each trait has a chapter, usually rather short, easy to read, based on studies, but not bogged down in the details that only scientists are interested in. I'm half through the book, and so far the ideas are the ones that we all know are good for you, nothing bizarre.It makes a lot of sense, is not difficult to follow, and you might even avoid Alzheimer's. It certainly can't hurt, and if it introduces you to new healthy habits, so much the better.

Another Jean Carper goldmine of useful suggestions on how to combat Alzheimer's disease clearly, simply, and concisely stated.I recommend the purchase of this book to anyone who is interested in thwarting this disease before it strikes or after.