Dementia is a common and serious brain disorder that mostly affects people over the age of 65. Symptoms include trouble remembering things, getting lost in places you know well, and being unable to make good decisions. Damage to brain cells is what causes dementia. The risk of developing dementia rises as you get older, have a severe head injury or have Parkinson’s disease, but there are ways to lower this risk. Dr. Tomi Mitchell, a Board-Certified Family Physician with Holistic Wellness Strategies, talked about everyday habits that could lead to dementia. Identifying these daily habits can help you lower your chances of getting dementia. So, what are these 10 habits? Let’s find out.
Those already at risk for dementia may get it faster if they have a bad diet. There are many ways that a bad diet can increase your chances of developing dementia. First, it can make you deficient in important nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. These deficiencies can affect the brain and make it harder to think and remember things. Second, a bad diet can cause long-term inflammation, which is linked to memory loss and dementia. Lastly, it is often linked to other things that put people at risk for dementia, such as being overweight, having high blood pressure, or having diabetes. Even though there is no sure way to avoid dementia, one of the best ways to lower your risk is to eat well.
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People who smoke are more likely to get dementia than people who don’t smoke. It’s not clear why smoking increases the risk, but it could be because of what smoking does to the brain. When you smoke, you hurt your blood vessels and get less blood to your brain. This can cause plaques and tangles to build up in the brain, which is a sign of Alzheimer’s. Cigarette smoke also has chemicals that are bad for you and can hurt brain cells. Also, smoking makes the body have more inflammation, which has been linked to dementia. Quitting unhealthy daily habits like smoking is one of the best things you can do for your brain health if you’re worried about dementia.
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The risk of dementia is increased if you drink a lot of alcohol. Dementia is a broad term for a group of symptoms that make it hard to think and act, like forgetting things and having trouble solving problems. It is known that drinking too much alcohol can damage your brain and make you forget things. But research has shown that even moderate drinking can raise the risk of dementia. One theory is that alcohol hurts the hippocampus, an important part of the brain for making memories. Alcohol also makes it harder for the body to absorb thiamine, an important vitamin for nerve function. This can cause Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, which can cause confusion, trouble remembering things, and changes in how you see things.
Also, alcohol makes inflammation worse all over the body, even in the brain. This inflammation can result in memory loss and dementia. Due to these factors, it is important to be aware of the risks of drinking, especially as you get older. To lower your risk of dementia, you should also avoid daily habits like binge drinking and limit how much you drink, even if you drink moderately.
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A big risk factor for developing dementia is not getting enough exercise. There could be more than one reason why exercise lowers the risk of dementia. More brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that helps nerve cells grow and protects them from damage, is made when you exercise. Exercise also improves blood flow and lowers inflammation all over the body, which are important for keeping your brain healthy. Exercise has also been shown to lower the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other conditions that can lead to dementia. With this new information, it’s clear that there are many reasons to make exercise part of your daily routine.
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Social interaction is an important part of mental health. People who don’t socialize with others are more likely to get dementia. One belief is that interacting with others helps keep the mind active and interested. People who spend a lot of time with others are more likely to do mentally stimulating things like talking, solving problems, and playing card games. This stimulation keeps the brain active and can delay the onset of dementia. Stress can also be reduced by spending time with other people.
Researchers have found that having a lot of stress makes you more likely to get dementia. When interacting with other people, your body produces feel-good hormones, like oxytocin. These hormones make you feel less stressed and happier overall. In this way, being around other people can help protect the brain from the damage that long-term stress can cause.
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It’s important to work out your mind as it is to work out your body. If you spend too much time on your couch, passively watching Netflix instead of actively using your brain, you may be more likely to get dementia. Heather Snyder, PhD, senior director of medical and scientific operations for the Alzheimer’s Association, says that research shows that keeping the brain busy seems to make it healthier and may build up its stores of brain cells and connections. Do a jigsaw, or crossword puzzle, or play games like chess or bridge that require strategic thinking to keep your brain active.
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Studies show that sleep problems like insomnia and sleep apnea increase your chances of dementia. A study of almost 7,500 women, published in the journal Alzheimer’s & dementia, found that getting less than six hours of sleep a night raised the risk of dementia by 36%. You can lower your risk by sleeping at the same time every night and getting treatment for sleep disorders like sleep apnea. It’s also best not to work out or eat within two to three hours of bedtime since both can make it hard to fall asleep.
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As you get older, it’s normal for your sleep habits to change. For example, parents of a new baby might sleep an average of three to four hours a night, while a 60-year-old who just retired might sleep nine hours a night. In the same study of 7,500 women, published in the journal Alzheimer’s & dementia, researchers found that sleeping more than eight hours a night raised the risk of dementia by 35%.
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High blood pressure and diabetes that are not treated are two of the biggest risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. People with diabetes are up to 73% more likely to get dementia, and people with diabetes are even more likely to get vascular dementia. Taking care of it with medicine, a healthy diet, and exercise can greatly lower the risk of dementia.
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You should reduce your daily sugar intake because a diet high in sugar may cause dementia. A study that was just published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that sugar and dementia are linked even if you don’t have diabetes and that a blood sugar level above normal (numbers vary depending on your activity level, weight, and other factors) can increase the risk of dementia. It is very important to keep track of how much sugar you eat every day, especially if you have a family history of dementia.
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Dementia is a painful disease that can make people forget things, lose their independence, and lose the ability to talk. As the disease worsens, the symptoms worsen and can eventually make it hard to do everyday things. There is no specific test that can tell if someone has dementia. Instead, the diagnosis is usually based on the person’s medical history, a physical exam, cognitive tests, and a brain scan. There is no cure for dementia right now, but there are treatments that can help manage the symptoms and make life better.
You can make choices now that will decrease your chances of ending up with dementia later in life. Keeping your body active and adopting good daily habits is one of the most important things you can do. Exercise keeps your brain healthy and increases the flow of blood to it. Adopting a healthy diet with lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains helps prevent brain damage as these foods are full of essential nutrients. Socializing with friends and staying interested in what’s happening keeps your mind active and sharp, lowering your risk of dementia.
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