Simple and Effective Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Dementia

Over 55 million people worldwide suffer from dementia, a brain illness that has become an increasing cause of worry. Even currently, there's no known cure for Alzheimer's disease; research suggests that a healthy lifestyle can help lower the risk of acquiring this medical ailment. But what’s meant by a healthy lifestyle? 

In this article, we’ll explore several easy yet effective lifestyle modifications that can help you have a healthy life while preventing dementia. 

What is Dementia?

Dementia is a broad term for brain disease characterised by declining cognitive functions, leading to damaged or changed memory or thought processes. In addition, it can also affect your personality, reasoning, problem-solving ability, communication ability, and other mental functions required to live a normal life. 

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, followed by vascular dementia, which results from impaired blood flow to the brain.  

What are the Risk Factors of Dementia? 

Anyone can develop dementia, but the following factors can increase the risk:

Can Dementia Be Prevented? 

So, is it possible to prevent dementia? Even after years of research, no certain way has been found to prevent all types of dementia, from Alzheimer’s disease to vascular dementia. It’s because healthcare professionals still don’t know what causes this brain disease to develop. 

However, good evidence of a healthy lifestyle reducing the risk of developing dementia has been discovered, especially for older people. For instance, simple behaviours of a healthy lifestyle can also prevent cardiovascular diseases, like heart attacks or strokes, which contribute to some types of dementia. So, remember that what’s good for your heart can also do good for your brain. 

Now that dementia is often progressive, your symptoms can worsen over time. But by making the following positive changes in your life, you can slow down dementia’s development: 

• Maintaining a healthy weight 
  
• Having a balanced diet 
  
• Exercising regularly 
  
• Consuming alcohol within recommended limits 
  
• Avoiding smoking 
  
• Maintaining a healthy blood pressure level 
  
• Weight and Dementia 
  

Being overweight or obese, particularly in midlife, can increase your blood pressure and make you vulnerable to type 2 diabetes, both of which can contribute to Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. Furthermore, having too much body fat can result in insulin resistance and inflammation, both of which impair brain function. 

So, to reduce the risk of developing dementia, you should maintain your weight within the healthy BMI range. If you are obese, losing even 5% to 10% of your excess weight can help lower the risk of dementia to a great extent. 

Diet and Dementia

What you eat plays a significant role in brain health. A diet full of saturated fats, sugar, and salt can increase your blood pressure and cholesterol level, weight, and risk of type 2 diabetes, all of which are linked to declining brain health.  

In contrast, diets rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, and essential vitamins can protect your brain from inflammation, oxidative stress, and cognitive decline. 

Exercise and Dementia

Not being physically active can raise your risk of becoming overweight or obese, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes, making your brain vulnerable to dementia. Older people who don’t engage in physical activity are more likely to have problems with their cognitive abilities, such as memory, reasoning, and thinking.  

Staying active, on the other hand, can boost blood flow to your brain, promote the growth of new neurons, and help reduce the risk of chronic conditions associated with cognitive decline. It will help if you: 

• Find hobbies that include physical activity, like walking, running, swimming, cycling, hiking, weight training, or yoga. 
  
• Do at least 150 minutes of light to moderate-intensity aerobic activities every week. 
  
• Do strengthening exercises at least twice a week. 
  
• Make small daily choices, like taking stairs rather than escalators or elevators. 
  
• Sit less, try to get up, and move around more. 
  

Smoking and Dementia 

Smoking can cause your arteries to become narrower, impairing blood flow to the brain and raising your blood pressure, which further increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and vascular dementia. 

You can reduce the risk of cognitive deterioration by stopping smoking. Nicotine gums and prescription medications can help you quit smoking by controlling your cravings and withdrawal symptoms. 

Alcohol and Dementia 

Alcohol consumption, especially in excessive amounts, can damage your nervous system, including your brain, leading to irreversible cognitive decline. 

The key to reducing dementia risk is drinking alcohol in moderation. Try to keep alcohol consumption within recommended limits, i.e., not more than 14 units of alcohol a week. Also, try to spread your drinking over three or more days and have some alcohol-free days.  

To Sum Up It All!

Many older people are susceptible to developing dementia. In addition, sometimes, genetics, lack of physical activity, air pollution, and many other factors can contribute to cognitive decline. But you can prevent all these risk factors from damaging your brain functioning. Remember that it’s never too early or late to start protecting your brain health. So, consider adopting the above-discussed healthy lifestyle habits to keep Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia types at bay, especially when growing older.