The 30-Day Alzheimer’s Solution is a Guide to Preventing and Reversing Mental Decline

Drs. Dean and Ayesha Sherzai are arguably the best Alzheimer’s researchers in America. Instead of looking for a cure, which is a long way off and doesn’t really solve the problem of chronic disease in our country, they have developed a plan that will really work to help prevent up to 90 percent of all dementia cases. That’s right, up to 90 percent. In their new book The 30-Day Alzheimer’s Solution: The Definitive Food and Lifestyle Guide to Preventing Cognitive Decline, they articulate how eating a Blue Zones Diet, having a sense of purpose, shedding stress, and getting a good night’s sleep can be better than taking a pill or getting on any other sort of pharmaceutical strategy for prevention. And the beauty of their approach is not only that your mind stays sharp, but you’re hardwired to stay healthy. You’re unlikely to develop diabetes or suffer a stroke or develop certain types of cancers. You’ll feel more vitality in your later years. And who knows? You might just live to 100. I sat down with Ayesha to ask the big picture questions about Alzheimer’s and here’s what she told me. —Dan Buettner

Dan Buettner: How many people in America are suffering from dementia in America and who is it most affecting?

Dr. Ayesha Sherzai: The numbers are astronomical. Currently, around 6 million people are living with Alzheimer’s, the most common type of dementia. Every 64 seconds, someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. We believe this number is an underestimation of the true incidence and prevalence, as many communities consider having cognitive impairment as part of normal aging, and therefore never report it. 2/3 of these individuals are women. The likelihood of a woman developing Alzheimer’s disease during her lifetime is 1 in 6 compared to men in whom the likelihood of the disease is 1 in 11. And it is projected that if we don’t establish measures to prevent the rate, by 2050, more than 16 million people will be living with this horrible disease.