Alzheimer’s Awareness Month
September marks World Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, a campaign that aims to challenge the stigmatisation that is associated with dementia.
Dementia is a word that is used to describe the symptoms that affect a person’s ability to think, their memory and their behaviour. It can be caused when the brain is damaged by disease, for example by Alzheimer’s disease, or a series of strokes. There are around 520,000 people in the UK* suffering with Alzheimer’s, a physical disease that affects the brain and was named after the doctor who first described it, Alois Alzheimer.
At present there isn’t a cure for dementia, but there are numerous methods of support and advice available to help those who suffer or may be worried about suffering from the disease in the future.
The link between Alzheimer’s and Homocysteine.
Homocysteine, which can be measured in your blood, has been highlighted as a factor that, if raised, may increase your level of risk of numerous conditions, including Alzheimer’s and dementia.
The good news is that abnormal homocysteine levels can usually be brought back to normal by simple dietary changes, so it is important to understand your current level so that if necessary, you can take action to maintain good health. As high homocysteine levels highlight an increased risk, you may find yourself asking the question, “What are my homocysteine levels?”
How can YorkTest help?
As one of the leading providers of diagnostic testing services and with over 30 years of experience, YorkTest offer a homocysteine test to help our customers identify whether they could be at higher risk of diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
YorkTest have developed the UK’s only finger prick home testing kit for homocysteine, a test that is quick and easy to use. Once you return your blood sample to the accredited laboratory, it will be processed and your results will be delivered within just 21 days.
To find out more about testing your homocysteine levels, you can speak to a member of our Customer Care Team who can discuss our test further, or simply order it here today.
