Expert: Paula Damgaard - 8/4/2009

Question
I am an attorney,retired, age 64. For reasons of extra income I have regularly (and for the last 4 years) taken professional translation work from clients in my country and abroad at an average of 6 hours 24/7 (Spanish-English-Spanish).

My health condition is fine, except for high blood pressure which has been and currently is under control (by way of medication prescribed by an MD).

Question: is my present translation activity any good to somehow prevent or delay Alzheimer?
Thanks,

Juan Carlos  

Answer
Juan, I would love to tell you that absolutely without a doubt this will prevent/delay Alzheimer's for you, but I wouldn't be able to swear in court on it!  

We really don't know.  Mostly because we don't know what causes it or how it develops.  We do know that people who are "heart healthy" and lead an active lifestyle seem to develop symptoms later in life, but we don't know if that is the exact reason why they don't.  So we tell people to use their brains as much as possible, which you seem to be doing, and to maintain a healthy life style.  Keeping your blood pressure under control is a very good thing because we have found that people who haven't over the years sometimes develop vascular dementia from the small strokes that occur in their heads.

Hope that answers your question.  Keep up the good work.  Paula