Living in Fear of Dementia
Alzheimer’s is one age-related disease that people are often living in fear of getting. No one likes losing their mental capacity as they grow older. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, but luckily, according to be.group, there are ways to prevent it before it has a chance to ravage your mind.
Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease
- Speak a second language – The Journal Neurology found that bilingualism may strengthen overall cognitive skills and delay the development of Alzheimer’s disease by an average of four years.
- Flex your brainpower – Older adults who frequently read books and newspapers, do crossword puzzles, or play cards could reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 47 percent, according to the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center.
- Eat like a Mediterranean – Researchers at Columbia University say a diet rich in vegetables, legumes, fruits, fish, and mono-unsaturated fats has been linked with a 48 percent reduction in risk for cognitive impairment, a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease.
- Drink red wine – Polyphenol, a compound in red wine, may reduce plaque formations the brain that are linked to memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease, according to research done by the Montana School of Medicine and UCLA.
- Drink coffee – Yes, that magical drink that seems to prevent almost anything is also linked to preventing Alzheimer’s according to the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. If you drink 3-5 cups of coffee a day, you’ll reduce your risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s by a whopping 65 percent!
- Lower your blood pressure – The Journal of the AMA Neurology says controlling hypertension in the early stages of Alzheimer’s may reduce or delay its effects. Whole Body Vibration machines have been shown to lower blood pressure.
- Consume fatty acids – Omega-3 fatty acids, which you can find in salmon, walnuts, and other foods, help to lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and slower cognitive decline according to the Journal Neurology.
- No smoking – Smoking doesn’t just cause lung cancer for you and those around you who might inhale your smoke, there’s also a 157 percent higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s, according to the Archives of Internal Medicine. Quitting can lessen the risk of developing dementia.
- Aerobics and exercise – Moderate aerobic exercises such as walking may strengthen connections between circuits in the brain that are associated with cognitive abilities.
- Get rid of stress – We’ve already discussed here how yoga and other exercise can assist with Arthritic pain, but did you know that it also helps improve cognitive functions and reduce the effects of memory decline and Alzheimer’s? It’s true. Finding ways to reduce stress will help stave off Alzheimer’s effects.