More than 6.5 million people in America are living with Alzheimer's disease, and many more remain undiagnosed.

But Alzheimer’s may be easier to identify with a newly designed blood test. In January, a study in JAMA Neurology announced the development of a test that's up to 96% accurate in identifying elevated levels of beta amyloid and up to 97% accurate in identifying tau, two substances associated with the development of Alzheimer’s.

This is heralded as a way to catch the disease early (even preclinically) and take steps to ease its progression. And one day, if the right medications are developed, we may be able to reverse it.

However, the Alzheimer's Association points out that up to 80% of people with Alzheimer’s also have cardiovascular disease and "autopsy studies suggest that plaques [from tau] and tangles [from beta amyloid] may be present in the brain without causing symptoms of cognitive decline, unless the brain also shows evidence of vascular disease." 

That means prevention of heart disease could be a smart approach to reducing your risk of Alzheimer’s.

So avoid exposure to first-, second-, or third-hand smoke; keep blood pressure below 120/80; adopt a plant-based diet with proteins such as salmon and skinless poultry; ditch red meats, processed foods, and added sugars; and get 150-300 minutes of physical activity, aerobic and strength-building weekly.