Tips on How to Prevent the Onset of Dementia
Dementia is linked to aging even though younger people can get early-onset dementia. Fortunately, this is unusual.
But whatever our age, it is wise to follow some suggestions to lessen our chances of developing dementia.
If you can incorporate these suggestions into your daily habits, it can only be an advantage.
Learning new things
According to Professor Richard Restak of Georgetown University in Washington, USA, it is important to understand how the brain is organized.
He says: "It is organized according to parallel processing. That means there is a lot of linkage between things that you learn; one thing is stimulating another. As a result, when the brain is linking to different facts, it links nerve cells together".
The good news is that brains grow from learning more, increasing brain health. Show an interest in something and then continue to learn about it.
Another suggestion from the Professor is to learn one new word every day.
Giving your brain daily challenges
Doing jigsaws and puzzles daily help to stimulate the brain, keeping the brain neurons interconnecting into our later years and providing an excellent way to exercise the memory.
While jigsaw puzzles can often seem a bit old-fashioned and dull, they are a very good way to help fight off dementia as we grow older.
Some of the benefits of doing a jigsaw are that they can be done at leisure, they are cheap to buy, and can be easily stored.
Considering giving up alcohol
If you don't drink alcohol, then all is well. But if you are close to the age of sixty five, it is good time to give it up.
The Professor points out that apart from the impact of alcohol on the brain to consider, the older we get the more we actively have to work on avoiding head injuries caused by falls. Such head injuries could even lead to dementia. And as you grow older, your balance might not be as good as it was - with alcohol possibly contributing to a deterioration.
Looking after heart health
And this means eating sensibly by avoiding ultra processed foods and ensuring you get as many nutrients as possible.
Constantly eating burgers, french fries, sodas and other ultra processed foods is bad for the heart and its health, affecting the blood vessels and even causing coronary artery disease. In addition, the arteries going up to the brain can be impacted, a cause of vascular dementia.
Looking after your heart health will also indirectly help your brain.
Walking every day
In the same way as cardio exercise is good for the heart, it is also good for brain health.
It is very important to pick an exercise that you enjoy - and make sure to do it every day.
Walking is one of the easiest to choose and carry out but it can be swimming, cycling, jogging or something else.
SOURCES:
Stair climbing activity and vascular function in patients with hypertension - PubMed (nih.gov)
Jigsaw Puzzles. A simple way to exercise the mind (dementia.co.uk)
Written by Jane Chitty
Jane writes for Healing Natural Oils, a producer and retailer of high-quality, all-natural treatments for a variety of conditions as well as a range of beauty products. Apart from writing about those various conditions, she also covers general health, environmental and other subjects of interest. She has lived in Kenya as well as Cape Town, South Africa and spent time in San Diego, USA. She now lives in Somerset, England with regular visits from her far-flung children and grandchildren. She is a keen gardener and enjoys growing fresh fruit and vegetables with her husband on their joint allotment. As a result, there is something available to use in the kitchen virtually all year round. Her regular posts can be found on our blog.