With the rapid progress being made in understanding, diagnosing and treating Alzheimer’s, it is time to understand that our future is only as healthy as our brains. The Alzheimer’s Association offers the following advice on ways to live a brain-healthy lifestyle and potentially reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. There are a number of things you can do to help keep your brain healthier as you age, Debra Cherry, executive vice president of the Alzheimer’s Association, California Chapter observes that, “Increasing evidence shows that healthy lifestyle habits, such as being heart smart, eating a brain-healthy diet, staying physically and mentally active, and staying socially involved contribute to healthier aging and may also decrease your risk for Alzheimer’s”.
1. Stay Mentally Active – Mentally stimulating activities strengthen brain cells and the connections between them, and may even create new nerve cells.
2. Remain Socially Active – Social activity not only makes physical and mental activity more enjoyable, it can reduce stress levels, which helps maintain healthy connections among brain cells. A recent study reported that leisure activities that combine physical, mental and social activity are the most likely to prevent dementia. In the study of 800 men and women age 75 and older, those who were more physically active, more mentally active or more socially engaged had a lower risk for developing dementia.
3. Stay Physically Active – Physical exercise is essential to maintain good blood flow to the brain and encourage new brain cells. It also can significantly reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and diabetes, which are risk factors for Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
4. Adopt a brain-healthy diet - According to the most current research, a brain-healthy diet is one that reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes, encourages good blood flow to the brain, and is low in fat and cholesterol. And there is growing evidence that an antioxidant-rich diet of dark skinned vegetables and fruits helps protect brain cells.
5. Manage your body weight – A long-term study of 1,500 adults found that those who were obese in middle age were twice as likely to develop dementia in later life. Those who also had high cholesterol and high blood pressure had six times the risk of dementia. Studies also have shown that high intake of saturated fat and cholesterol clogs the arteries and is associated with higher risk for brain impairment.
