Overall, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the seventh-leading cause of death in the U.S., and the fifth-leading cause among Americans ages 65 and older.

That's because AD is associated with complications related to progressive brain damage, such as life-threatening dehydration and malnutrition, respiratory problems, emotional turmoil, infections, falls, trouble swallowing, and loss of mobility.

A lot of those challenges associated with AD are fueled by chronic inflammation.

A study in the journal Experimental Gerontology now shows that eating an (unfortunately typical) inflammatory diet — with highly processed foods, added sugars and syrups, and red and processed meats — can increase the risk of death from AD over a stretch of about 14 years by 44%, compared to eating an anti-inflammatory diet.

Such a diet extends the lifespan of a person with AD because it eases neuroinflammation in the brain, soothes the gut microbiome, and protects the cardiovascular system.

The basic components of this diet include whole grains, fresh produce, and nuts and seeds. Harvard Medical School especially recommends tomatoes; olive oil; green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, and collards; almonds and walnuts; fatty fish such as salmon; and strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges. 

Quality of life is something everyone deserves, so help your loved one with AD put out the life-shortening fires of inflammation.

In addition to adopting lifestyle changes, talk to your doctor about adding a low-dose aspirin to your daily regimen, and visit LifespanEdge.com to see data on using therapeutic plasma exchange to reverse early cognitive decline. Improvement is possible.