Thursday, February 2, 2012--6:15p.m.

MADISON--We spoke with a local expert about Alzheimer's disease. He said genetics definitely play a role in determining whether you'll get the disease--but there are things you can do now to help manage your risk factors for later in life. "The key things that everybody should do is have a very healthy lifestyle," said Paul Rusk, of the Alzheimer's and Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin. "That includes exercise and a healthy diet and you want to monitor your numbers carefully."

Rusk said you should avoid high blood pressure--and watch your cholesterol numbers.

He said maintaining a healthy lifestyle, while also staying socially and intellectually active, will definitely cut down on heart disease.
That is key--because he said there appears to be a link between heart disease and Alzheimer's, so preventing heart disease may help you head off Alzheimer's and dementia as well.