Alzheimer's & Dementia: Are They Preventable?
June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness month so I wanted to talk to you about Alzheimer’s and dementia - is it preventable? Are there changes you can make to protect your brain’s function? There is strong new evidence that people can prevent or reduce their risk of cognitive decline by making key lifestyle changes and maintaining good heart health. Combined with early detection, you can have significantly better results at treating and preventing the onset of dementia.
Can Alzheimer’s and Dementia Be Prevented?
Just as we have found ways to reduce heart disease risk, researchers are finding evidence that there may be steps we can take to reduce our risk of cognitive decline, or at least delay it’s onset. In previous years, the only answer to treating cognitive decline was medication after it started, but now, there is rapidly advancing science that points to the ability to reduce that risk and enhance cognitive function and health as we age! In fact, researchers now challenge the view that dementia is an inevitable condition of old age, which we have no control over and can do nothing for.
There are steps that you can take to prevent or reverse mild cognitive impairment and improve cognitive function, performance, and brain health. Globally renowned researcher Dr. Laura Baker has developed some lifestyle changes to improve brain health:
1. Physical activity
Exercise has been shown to reduce the risk for dementias. However, the frequency and level of intensity required to reduce your risk is not yet known. If you exercise now, try increasing the intensity of what you do (In a previous study, she notes, the most physically active group showed the strongest cognitive improvement.). No age is too old to start!
2. Eating healthily
Studies to date suggest that Mediterranean diets may be beneficial to brain health and other conditions including cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity, stroke and heart disease. No single ingredient, nutrient or food can improve brain health by itself. Instead, eating a range of different foods in the right proportions is what makes a difference.
3. Don't smoke
If you smoke, you’re putting yourself at a much higher risk of developing dementia later in life. Smoking does a lot of harm to the circulation of blood around the body, particularly the blood vessels in the brain, as well as the heart and lungs. It’s never too late to quit smoking. However, the earlier you stop, the more brain damage you will avoid.
4. Drink less alcohol
Drinking too much alcohol increases your risk of developing dementia. If you regularly drink alcohol, try to do so in moderation and within recommended limits. Drinking too much alcohol at one time exposes your brain to high levels of harmful chemicals. Try to drink no more than a small glass of wine each day. If you regularly drink much more than this, you are increasing your risk of damage to your brain and other organs, and so increasing your risk of dementia.
5. Stay mentally and socially active
Engaging in mental or social activities may help to build up your brain’s ability to cope with disease, relieve stress and improve your mood. This means doing these activities may help to delay, or even prevent, dementia from developing. Think of things like puzzles, crosswords, adult education, playing a musical instrument, volunteering, card games, reading books, creative writing, or even learning a new language. Another simple way to stay socially active is to have conversations! Actively listen to and communicate with the other person, consider the meaning of what someone is trying to tell you, and find the right way to express what you want to say.
Most Importantly - Early Detection!
In addition to these 5 lifestyle changes, there is one other key factor at reducing the impact of Alzheimer’s and Dementia: early detection. Today, the estimated number of people over 65 with any cognitive impairment is between 25 and 40 percent, but 60 to 80 percent of these cases go unrecognized. However the risk and indications of Alzheimer’s can be recognized as much as 20 years before apparent symptoms. This is a window of opportunity to delay onset, improve overall health, lower costs, and increase clinical trial participation.
Do yourself a favor and ask your physician for a cognitive exam during your next physical. You’ve got nothing to lose and early detection & prevention to gain!