What Do We Know About Reducing Risk For Dementia
The number of older Americans is rising, so the number of people with dementia is predicted to increase. However, some studies have shown that incidence rates of dementia meaning new cases in a population over a certain period of time have decreased in some locations, including in the United States. Based on observational studies, factors such as healthy lifestyle behaviors and higher levels of education may be contributing to such a decline. But the cause and effect is uncertain, and such factors need to be tested in a clinical trial to prove whether they can prevent dementia.
A review of published research evaluated the evidence from clinical trials on behavior and lifestyle changes to prevent or delay Alzheimers or age-related cognitive decline. The review found encouraging but inconclusive evidence for three types of behavioral changes : physical activity, blood pressure control, and cognitive training. The findings mean that interventions in these areas are promising enough that researchers should keep studying them to learn more. Researchers continue to explore these and other interventions to determine whether and in what amounts or forms they might prevent dementia.
Watch a video below that highlights conclusions and recommendations from the research review.
Be Sure To Take Your Vitamins And Memory
If youre serious about the prevention of Alzheimers and improving memory loss, you should definitely take a high potency multiple vitamin and mineral capsule. Be sure the vitamin formula you choose contains folic acid and vitamin C. Folic acid reduces homocysteine levelshigh homocysteine levels put you at risk for both heart disease and memory loss. Vitamin C has been shown to reduce your risk of Alzheimers disease by 20% when taken with vitamin E. To take advantage of its fullest benefits, you should take a dose of 2,000 mg of vitamin C per day.
When you create a balanced diet that puts your overall wellbeing at the forefront, youre not only doing good for your body, but youre also supporting and enhancing your memory as well.
Consider including the following memory-specific nutrients in your daily vitamin plan:
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Be Cautious About Alzheimer’s Cures
Because Alzheimer’s disease is so devastating, some people are tempted by untried or unproven “cures.” Check with your doctor before trying pills or any other treatment or supplement that promises to prevent Alzheimer’s. These “treatments” might be unsafe, a waste of money, or both. They might even interfere with other medical treatments that have been prescribed.
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Dark Skinned Fruits With Antioxidants
Scientists have also been exploring the benefits of antioxidants and there is some evidence that dietary antioxidants may improve cognitive function in patients with Alzheimers and other types of dementia.
- The antioxidants and flavonoids in berries, melon, plums, and oranges have high fiber content and can also help prevent cancer. Another benefit seems to be helping protect cognitive function. Some research shows that women who consume high amounts of berries can delay cognitive aging by as much as 2.5 years.
For example, one study reported on in the Journal of Alzheimers Disease found that an antioxidant may be able to reduce plaques in the brain associated with Alzheimers. Foods high in antioxidants include: berries like raspberries, strawberries, oranges and other dark skinned fruits.
Targets Of Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention Research
Researchers are exploring these and other interventions that may help prevent, delay, or slow Alzheimer’s dementia or age-related cognitive decline. Other research targets include:
- New drugs to delay onset or slow disease progression
- Diabetes treatment
- Blood pressure- and lipid-lowering treatments
- Sleep interventions
- Vitamins such as B12 plus folic acid supplements and D
- Combined physical and mental exercises
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Other Guidelines For Cognitive Health
Again, while there is no real way to prevent Alzheimers disease, taking care of your health starting at a younger age is always recommended. Here are some other tips that researchers in the field of dementia suggest that we all strive to maintain:
- Keep your blood pressure low ideally below 120/80 or lower
- Keep your weight in a healthy range: obesity can be a risk factor for Alzheimers disease
- Total cholesterol below 200 mg/d. and an LDL of 70 mg.
- Consume Alcohol in moderation
- Exercise increases blood flow to the brain aim to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily
- Watch your sugar lower your risk factors for diabetes as it has been know to aid in developing Alzheimers
- Avoid trans fats
Can Controlling High Blood Pressure Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease
Controlling high blood pressure is known to reduce a person’s risk for heart disease and stroke. The NASEM committee of experts concluded that managing blood pressure when it’s high, particularly for middle-aged adults, also might help prevent or delay Alzheimer’s dementia.
Many types of studies show a connection between high blood pressure, cerebrovascular disease , and dementia. For example, it’s common for people with Alzheimer’s-related changes in the brain to also have signs of vascular damage in the brain, autopsy studies show. In addition, observational studies have found that high blood pressure in middle age, along with other cerebrovascular risk factors such as diabetes and smoking, increase the risk of developing dementia.
Clinical trialsthe gold standard of medical proofare underway to determine whether managing high blood pressure in individuals with hypertension can prevent Alzheimer’s dementia or cognitive decline.
One large clinical trialcalled SPRINT-MIND found that lowering systolic blood pressure to less than 120 mmHg, compared to a target of less than 140 mmHg, did not significantly reduce the risk of dementia. Participants were adults age 50 and older who were at high risk of cardiovascular disease but had no history of stroke or diabetes.
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Pillar #: Stress Management
Chronic or persistent stress can take a heavy toll on the brain, leading to shrinkage in a key memory area, hampering nerve cell growth, and increasing the risk of Alzheimers disease and dementia. Yet simple stress management tools can minimize its harmful effects and protect your brain.
Breathe! Quiet your stress response with deep, abdominal breathing. Restorative breathing is powerful, simple, and free!
Schedule daily relaxation activities. Keeping stress under control requires regular effort. Learning relaxation techniques such as meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, or yoga can help you unwind and reverse the damaging effects of stress.
Nourish inner peace. Regular meditation, prayer, reflection, and religious practice may immunize you against the damaging effects of stress.
Make fun a priority. All work and no play is not good for your stress levels or your brain. Make time for leisure activities that bring you joy, whether it be stargazing, playing the piano, or working on your bike.
Keep your sense of humor. This includes the ability to laugh at yourself. The act of laughing helps your body fight stress.
Improve Your Lifestyle For Alzheimers Prevention
Healthy habits may help ward off Alzheimer’s. Consider the following steps to help prevent Alzheimers.
Exercise. “The most convincing evidence is that physical exercise helps prevent the development of Alzheimer’s or slow the progression in people who have symptoms,” says Dr. Marshall. “The recommendation is 30 minutes of moderately vigorous aerobic exercise, three to four days per week.”
Eat a Mediterranean diet. “This has been shown to help thwart Alzheimer’s or slow its progression. A recent study showed that even partial adherence to such a diet is better than nothing, which is relevant to people who may find it difficult to fully adhere to a new diet,” says Dr. Marshall. The diet includes fresh vegetables and fruits whole grains olive oil nuts legumes fish moderate amounts of poultry, eggs, and dairy moderate amounts of red wine and red meat only sparingly.
Get enough sleep. “Growing evidence suggests that improved sleep can help prevent Alzheimer’s and is linked to greater amyloid clearance from the brain,” says Dr. Marshall. Aim for seven to eight hours per night.
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Stay Mentally And Socially Active
Engaging in mental or social activities may help to build up your brains 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.
Find activities you enjoy that challenge your brain, and do them regularly. This could be puzzles or crosswords, but there are also many other activities you could do.
Anything that engages your mind, processes information and develops your thinking skills is good for the brain and reducing your risk. For example:
- any kind of adult education or learning
- arts and crafts
- playing a musical instrument or singing
- doing brainteasers, such as puzzles, crosswords or quizzes
- playing card games, chess or board games
- reading books, or becoming a member of a book club
- creative writing or keeping a diary
- learning a new language.
If you use a smartphone or tablet you might enjoy apps that can provide mental stimulation. These include puzzle, memory or board game apps.
Social activities are also good for the brain, making them a great way to reduce your risk of getting dementia. This includes interacting with other people online as well as in person. This means its important to try to keep in touch with the people who matter to you, such as friends and family.
What Can You Do
Although there is no effective treatment or proven prevention for Alzheimers and related dementias, in general, leading a healthy lifestyle may help address risk factors that have been associated with these diseases.
Researchers cannot say for certain whether making the above lifestyle changes will protect against dementia, but these changes are good for your health and are all part of making healthy choices as you age.
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Tips For Cutting Down On Alcohol
- Set yourself a weekly alcohol limit and keep track of how much youre drinking.
- Have several alcohol-free days each week.
- Try low-alcohol or alcohol-free drinks, or smaller sizes of drinks.
- Try to alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks like cola, water or juice.
- Let your friends and family know that you’re cutting down, and how they can support you. This can make it easier to drink less, especially at social events.
- Take advantage of particular dates and events to motivate you. For example, you could make a new years resolution to drink less.
What can increase a person’s chances of getting dementia?What can increase a person’s chances of getting dementia? .
Discover how age, genetics, gender, ethnicity and many other factors can increase a person’s risk of developing dementia.
Other Ways To Take Care Of Your Health Other Ways To Take Care Of Your Health
Get a good nights sleep Get a good nights sleep.
Sleep is important for your mental wellbeing and it may reduce your risk of dementia. A good nights sleep for many people is around seven to eight hours.
Obstructive sleep apnoea is a sleep disorder that may particularly increase a persons risk of getting dementia. This is because it reduces the amount of oxygen that gets to the brain. People who have sleep apnoea stop breathing during their sleep and then wake up with a start.
If you have any problems sleeping well, particularly sleep apnoea, speak to your GP about getting support.
Protect your hearing and get it tested Protect your hearing and get it tested.
Hearing loss may increase your risk of getting dementia. However the reasons for this are still unclear.
Many people start to lose their hearing as they get older, though they may not notice it at first.
To avoid hearing loss increasing your risk of getting dementia, its important to get your hearing tested. You may be able to book a free hearing test at your local optician or speak to your GP about being referred to an audiologist . This will show up any hearing issues and provide ways of managing them, such as using a hearing aid.
Often, managing hearing loss works best when you start doing it early on. This means protecting your hearing from a young age. For example, you can avoid listening to loud noises for long periods, and wear ear protection when necessary.
Protect your head Protect your head.
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Tips For Stopping Smoking
- Talk to your GP or pharmacist about different ways to stop smoking.
- Try using a date or event as motivation for stopping. For example, you could make it a new years resolution.
- Consider using a less harmful nicotine product such as e-cigarettes , lozenges, patches, mouth and nasal sprays, or gum.
- Try using NHS Smokefree support services, which include a helpline, app and local support services.
Four Natural Ways To Prevent Dementia
Michael Edson, MS, LAc, a licensed acupuncturist, certified herbalist and qi gong teacher based in Yonkers, New York. He is author of Natural Brain Support and Natural Parkinsons Support. EdsonAcupuncture.com
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Much of the research on Alzheimers and other forms of dementia focuses on pharmaceuticals, which often fail to reduce risk for dementia or improve symptoms. Problem: About one-third of people who live to age 80 or older suffer from dementia.
Good news: Licensed acupuncturist and certified herbalist Michael Edson says there are safe, gentle, nondrug therapies that help delay the onset of symptoms and slow their progressionapproaches that are supported by a growing body of evidence. His four favorites*
Juicing
Every minute of the day, you are exposed to environmental toxins, such as smoke and pollution. Your body also produces toxins as it goes about the very important job of keeping you alive. These toxins, known as free radicals, essentially rust your brains wiring. Antioxidantswhich are abundant in fruits and vegetablesneutralize free radicals, preventing them from causing damage.
Finding: Studies of centenarians have linked a high-antioxidant diet with reduced free radical damage and lower incidence of dementia.
Antioxidant supplements
In addition to an antioxidant-rich diet, those with a family history of dementia also should consider taking these supplements
Socialize
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Can Alzheimers And Dementia Be Prevented Or Slowed
Alzheimers disease is one of the biggest concerns many of us have as we get older. The thought of developing the disease can be a frightening prospect, especially if youve witnessed a loved one affected by dementia. While you may have been told that all you can do is hope for the best and wait for a pharmaceutical cure, the truth is much more encouraging. Promising research shows that there are steps you can take to both reduce your risk of developing symptoms of Alzheimers and other dementias, or slow the process of deterioration if youve already been diagnosed.
Alzheimers is a complex disease with multiple risk factors. Some, like your age and genetics, are outside your control. However, there are seven pillars for a brain-healthy lifestyle that are within your control:
Experts now believe that the risk of Alzheimers is not limited to old age, but in fact can start in the brain long before symptoms are detected, often in middle age. That means that its never too early to start taking care of your brain health.
The more you strengthen each of the seven pillars in your daily life, the longerand strongeryour brain will stay working. Youll also be better able to reduce your risk of developing Alzheimers disease and other types of dementia, or delay the onset of more severe symptoms.
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Natural Alzheimers Treatment #: Nutrition
There have been extensive studies in recent decades, as well as centuries-old wisdom across the globe, that shows how many aspects of nutrition work to help those with memory impairment and dementia. Improving some symptoms of dementia may be as simple as adding a supplement to your daily vitamin regimen, but it could also involve making drastic changes to your diet like eliminating white sugar. The effectiveness of nutrition therapy varies from person to person, but its likely that you may see some benefit.
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Can Increasing Physical Activity Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease
Physical activity has many health benefits, such as reducing falls, maintaining mobility and independence, and reducing the risk of chronic conditions like depression, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Based on research to date, there’s not enough evidence to recommend exercise as a way to prevent Alzheimer’s dementia or mild cognitive impairment , a condition of mild memory problems that often leads to Alzheimer’s dementia.
Years of animal and human observational studies suggest the possible benefits of exercise for the brain. Some studies have shown that people who exercise have a lower risk of cognitive decline than those who don’t. Exercise has also been associated with fewer Alzheimer’s plaques and tangles in the brain and better performance on certain cognitive tests.
While clinical trials suggest that exercise may help delay or slow age-related cognitive decline, there is not enough evidence to conclude that it can prevent or slow MCI or Alzheimer’s dementia. One study compared high-intensity aerobic exercise, such as walking or running on a treadmill, to low-intensity stretching and balance exercises in 65 volunteers with MCI and prediabetes. After 6 months, researchers found that the aerobic group had better executive functionthe ability to plan and organizethan the stretching/balance group, but not better short-term memory.
Natural Alzheimers Treatment #: Sleep
Research indicates there is a strong link between cognition and sleep. Studies into sleep deprivation show that healthy adults losing even one-third of a normal nights worth of sleep can suffer severe short-term memory loss, comparable to cognitive impairment seen in dementia. Those diagnosed with Alzheimers disease and related dementias can suffer even greater consequences when their sleep is disturbed, making normal dementia symptoms worse. Normally, sleep disturbances are common side effects of dementia, so this problem can be quite complicated for an elder with dementia as well as their caregiver.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy has been shown to improve symptoms of insomnia as well as depression in elders, the main benefit of therapy being education about good sleep hygiene. Elders and their caregivers both benefit from CBT for stress relief and insomnia.
Another useful tool to help regulate our circadian rhythms as we age is bright-light therapy , where bright lights are viewed by the person with insomnia at certain times of day in order to prompt the body into picking up a healthy circadian rhythm. Exercise is also a great way to improve sleep, with research showing that regular aerobic exercise is one of the best ways to naturally regulate sleep.
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