5 doctor-approved ways to cut your risk of dementia

By Dr Roger Henderson

Dementia seems to be in the news all the time at the moment and there is no question that the number of people suffering with this problem is increasing as the elderly population steadily increases.

However, all is not doom and gloom – although it certainly does get more common with age, four out of five people aged 80 and over still have no significant memory problems.

About half of people who develop dementia have the condition Alzheimer’s disease. This occurs when the numbers of nerve fibres in the brain drop as the brain shrinks, and ‘clumps’ of protein build up in the brain affecting how nerve impulses pass through brain cells.

Read: A crossword a day could make your brain 10 years younger

There can be an inherited tendency towards developing this but it can also occur without any obvious risk factors being present – however for many people, altering their lifestyle can reduce or delay the likelihood of it developing.

The second most common kind of dementia is called vascular dementia – caused by many tiny strokes blocking off the small blood vessels in the brain over a long period of time. This type of dementia can be slowed down or prevented with some simple lifestyle changes.

To help cut your risk of developing dementia, follow these simple tips:

1. Keep physically active

For at least 30 minutes, five times a week. It doesn’t matter what you do to keep active, just do what you enjoy whether it’s walking, cycling, swimming or joining an exercise or dance group. Do it at a level that makes you slightly short of breath so you know you are getting the benefit.

2. Don’t smoke

This is a big one. If you already do smoke, try to stop. By smoking you are at a greater risk of developing dementia and so if you want to stop smoking, talk to your GP. They can provide help and advice about quitting.

3. Give your brain a daily workout

This could be reading, doing crosswords, puzzles, word searches, playing cards or learning something new such as another language. If you can keep your mind active you are likely to reduce your risk of dementia. Interestingly, drinking coffee (up to four cups a day) may also slow down memory loss, so you can enjoy your daily cup!

4. Eat a healthy diet

Eat a diet that’s rich in oily fish, fruit, vegetables, unrefined cereals and olive oil, and low in red meat and sugar. Cut down on cakes, biscuits, and cheese and keep your sugary ‘treats’ to a minimum! Cutting down on the salt in your diet makes a big difference – don’t forget that much of the salt we eat is ‘hidden’ in processed foods, so do read the labels because salt raises your blood pressure and the risk of stroke.

5. If you’re invited by your GP for a health check, try to attend

Go for a health check. It will check your blood pressure, weight and cholesterol level, all of which are linked to dementia and conditions that are strong risk factors for dementia such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes. If you’re over 60, you should probably get your blood pressure checked at least once a year anyway.

We may not know all the answers to dementia yet, and a cure remains elusive but by following a healthy lifestyle we can all reduce our chances of developing this increasingly common problem.

From: Good Housekeeping UK

Photo: iStock/AlexRaths