How to Lower Your Risk of Dementia

Suffering from dementia can take a huge toll on your loved ones and caring for a victim of this diseases can be a heart wrenching experience.

Why do I want to discuss on this topic?

Here are some stats about dementia in the United States:

• It’s the 6th cause of death (deadlier than breast and prostate cancer combined).
• 1 in 3 seniors dies from Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia.
• One in 10 people age 65 and older (10 percent) has Alzheimer’s dementia.
• Almost two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s are women.
• More than 5 million Americans live with Alzheimers’s.

Of the estimated 5.5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s dementia in 2017, an estimated 5.3 million are age 65 and older and approximately 200,000 individuals are under age 65 and have younger-onset Alzheimer’s.

But besides all these, I also have family members and friends who suffer from this dreadful disease.

It’s a no brainer that we all must do something to prevent this from happening not only to us, but to the people we love.

Here are some tips you can follow:

1. Incorporate Healthy Foods

This is what your diet should consist of:

• Fresh fruit
• Fresh vegetables
• Wholegrains
• Low-fat, high-fiber meats

Bonus trick: Stick to no more than six grams of salt a day. Why? Too much salt increases your blood pressure, which in turn puts you at risk of developing some types of dementia.

1. Control You Weight

You have a higher risk of suffering from dementia and if you are obese, your chances multiply.

However, a healthy diet and exercise (even brisk walking) will play a huge difference in your health quest.

1. Include Active Habits into Your Life

These are just some of the benefits of an active lifestyle:

• A more efficient blood circulatory system
• A stronger heart
• Lowers your cholesterol levels
• Keeps your blood pressure at a healthy level
• Decreases your risk of developing dementia

Start developing good habits and stick to them religiously. Like brisk walking or dancing. It doesn’t have to be something you hate to start a sweat.

Do what you love as long as it keeps you active.

1. Let Go of Bad Habits

Drinking too much alcohol and smoking can be in the detriment of your health.

Both habits increase your blood pressure.

The recommended daily limit for alcohol consumption is:

• three to four units of alcohol a day for men
• two to three units a day for women.

A unit of alcohol is equal to about half a pint of normal-strength lager, a small glass of wine or a pub measure (25ml) of spirits.

1. Intellectual Activities

Keeping your mind sharp is vital. Just like your body, your brain is a muscle that if left untrained, stops working at its highest capacity.

That’s why you should always keep your mind active. There are plenty of games that you can do to keep your mind sharp.

Here are some brain boosting activities:

• doing puzzles
• word searches
• crosswords
• playing cards
• learning something new
  • another language
  • a new instrument
  • etc.

Another way to keep your brain sharp is to engage and keep social activities. Invest in a good social network, visit people or have them visit you. Join a club or volunteer. I know this is a little bit difficult considering the times we are living, but I think it’s good from time to time.

Your life is not over just because you are long in the tooth.