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Chris Hemsworth has opened up on the dramatic changes he has made in his life following the result of his Alzheimer’s test.
The Thor actor, 40, learned he was at higher risk of developing the disease during the filming of his National Geographic docuseries Limitless on Disney Plus.
The Australian star carries two copies of the gene APOE4 – which studies have linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Since receiving the news, Hemsworth has revealed how he’s changed his lifestyle, after being told that he could die earlier as a result of Alzheimer’s.
‘I’ve always been pretty consistent with my exercise commitments, but lately, I’ve really felt the importance of taking time for yourself without any outside voice or stimulation and making time for stillness,’ he said during an interview with Men’s Health.
He also explained that he now focuses more on his brain health than the rigorous workout routines he is used to, and has introduced ‘more solitude’ into his life.
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He continued: ‘My weight fluctuates a lot due to differing roles and also my own interests in regards to challenging my body in different ways.
‘I’m lifting less frequently than I was and I’m incorporating more cardio and endurance workouts which I much prefer than heavy body-building style sessions.’
Speaking to Dr Peter Attia on his Drive podcast, the Extraction star spoke about how he worried his health revelation would affect his family – including wife Elsa Pataky and their children India, 11, and twins Sasha and Tristan, nine.
‘It made me think about my kids and how they’re growing up and things are changing so dramatically, and I want to sit, I want to soak it in,’ he said.
What are the symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease?
Early symptoms
- Forget about recent conversations or events
- Misplace items
- Forget the names of places and objects
- Have trouble thinking of the right word
- Ask questions repetitively
- Show poor judgement or find it harder to make decisions
- Become less flexible and more hesitant to try new things
Middle-stage symptoms
- Increasing confusion and disorientation – for example, getting lost, or wandering and not knowing what time of day it is
- Obsessive, repetitive or impulsive behaviour
- Delusions (believing things that are untrue) or feeling paranoid and suspicious about carers or family members
- Problems with speech or language (aphasia)
- Disturbed sleep
- Changes in mood, such as frequent mood swings, depression and feeling increasingly anxious, frustrated or agitated
- Difficulty performing spatial tasks, such as judging distances
- Seeing or hearing things that other people do not (hallucinations)
Later-stage symptoms
- Difficulty eating and swallowing (dysphagia)
- Difficulty changing position or moving around without assistance
- Weight loss – sometimes severe
- Unintentional passing of urine (urinary incontinence) or stools (bowel incontinence)
- Gradual loss of speech
- Significant problems with short- and long-term memory
‘I don’t want to be in a sprint anymore. I want to be right here and appreciate everything that’s in front of me.’
After receiving the diagnosis, Hemsworth spoke to Vanity Fair about what it was like to hear the news while sitting in a room with his parents.
‘It was a pretty brief conversation, all things considered. I hung up the phone and my parents were there, at the time. They were like, “What was that about?” And I told them, and then they had a bunch of questions,’ he revealed.
‘I had a bunch of questions, but no one answered them. I wish I’d had a more intense follow-up with it because I didn’t really know what to think.
‘I was like, “Am I supposed to be worried? Is this concerning?”’
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