You Can Now Reduce Your Risk of Acquiring Dementia, Recent Study Claims

As we grow up, we get used to the idea of seeing our grandparents being sent to aged care home and facilities. This scenario has become the norm and we have accepted the possibility that we’re going to suffer the same, unfortunate fate. However, that isn’t always the case. We can apparently reduce our risk of acquiring dementia if we opt to live a healthy lifestyle. Here are the latest findings that can help us fight this condition.

Engage in Mental Games

Studies suggest that problem-solving strategies and group-based memory training can help improve our cognitive function

In order to retain your mental alertness, you need to engage in mentally-stimulating activities to challenge your brain. For instance, you can start by reading for an hour or two every day to process more information.

If reading bores you, then you can move on to chess, card games, puzzles, and other similar activities to practice your logical and analytical reasoning. If you love dealing with numbers, then solving complex math problems can do the trick. You can also teach yourself a new language or a new skill to challenge your brain.

Stop smoking

You may have known that cigarette smoking carries a ton of danger to your health, especially to your lungs and heart. But did you know that the chemicals found in these sticks trigger inflammation and vascular changes in your brain too?

This phenomenon is called oxidative stress, in which the free radicals it emits cause damage to your cells. Most patients with dementia have had past records of smoking.

Maintain Your Social Connections

Bonding with your friends and family helps not only in alerting your brain but keeping your heart healthy too.

Are you a loner who prefers to stay at home and avoid social contact? While having some alone time is good for you, try to expand your horizon and connect with your friends too. Engaging in social contact such as visiting your family and relatives, bonding with your friends, or talking with your acquaintances on the phone.

Getting involved in your social group or community associates to lower the risk of memory degradation. This is because having social contact lifts up your mood, which in turn decreases the loneliness you feel. Aside from that, your brain keeps recollecting beautiful memories you have of others.

Live a Healthy Lifestyle

Having a healthy heart means having a healthy brain too

Aside from keeping your brain mentally active, the doctors also suggest their patients to be physically active too. Being overweight increases your risk of acquiring cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, etc., which also increases the risk of acquiring dementia.

Just by managing one of these medical conditions, you already reduce the risks of getting dementia. You can achieve a healthy lifestyle by eliminating junk and processed foods from your diet, concentrating on eating healthy foods and incorporating exercise to keep your body moving.

Seek Help If You Have Depression

Mental Disorders such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD affects approximately 14.8 million people in America. Mental Illness is a serious medical issue that needs to be addressed before it’s too late. Not only is the patient’s life endangered physically, but it’s also dangerous to your mental stability too.

High levels of stress hormones, loneliness, frustration, and other heavy emotions cause brain shrinkage which can affect your memory. A 28-year study conducted on 10,000 people found that dementia often develops in people with depression. If you suspect you’re experiencing a mental disorder, don’t hesitate to ask for professional and medical help. These medical professionals can help you overcome depression in order to improve your health and well-being.