If you’re over age 40, this is a good time to start thinking about making changes that will improve your brain health. Dementia affects 5.7 million Americans. The term “dementia” is a catch-all for a group of diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, that cause the brain to progressively lose tissue. Although some dementia is caused by genetics, it might surprise you to learn that the majority of dementia is not. Depending on the cause, some dementia symptoms can be slowed or stopped. Here are some lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk of dementia.
Exercising Your Body
will reduce your risk of dementia
Thirty minutes of exercise at least 5 days a week will significantly reduce your risk of dementia. This is because aerobic or cardiovascular exercise increases the flow of oxygen and blood flow to your brain, which keeps your brain healthy. It also stimulates the connections between the nerve cells in your brain and helps new brain cells and connections form. Exercise also slows the buildup of bad proteins, free radicals, and inflammation in the brain that can learn to cell death and slowing of brain connections. Make a resolution to start doing a combination of activities such as a brisk walk, riding a bicycle, pushing a lawnmower, shoveling in the garden, or lifting weights.
ExercisING Your Mind
will reduce your risk of dementia
The old saying says, “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” That is especially true of the brain. Doing regular activities that require a lot of mental stimulation and learning helps slow cognitive decline. Taking time each day to intentionally challenge your brain builds up its ability to cope with disease.
Some of the things that you can do to challenge your brain include working puzzles, playing board games that require thinking, logic, and strategy, taking classes where you learn something new, learning a foreign language, learning to play a musical instrument, playing and/or composing music, dancing, working on cars, tinkering with computers, writing stories, poetry, articles, or blogs.
Eating Healthy
will reduce your risk of dementia
Research shows that eating fruits, vegetables, olive oil, fish, legumes, nuts, and whole grains reduce your risk of dementia while eating saturated fat, empty carbs, sugar, red meat, and processed foods increase your risk. Part of the reason for this is that increased body weight is tied to increased risk of dementia. Also, a healthy diet decreases inflammation of the body and brain. Some foods have been found to actually prevent the brain from declining. A glass or two of red wine, caffeine in coffee and tea, and lots of water are good for your brain. As a rule of thumb, try to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables every day, eat fish or other omega-3 rich foods at least twice a week, eat wholegrain, and cut out sugars and salt as much as possible.
Getting Good Sleep
will reduce your risk of dementia
Sleeping for six hours or less a night in middle age increases the risk of dementia. During sleep, your brain cells shrink, which allows harmful proteins to be flushed away. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, the harmful proteins and toxins build up in your brain, which causes dementia symptoms. So, for the sake of your brain health, try to get at least eight hours of uninterrupted sleep every night.
quitting Smoking and using Less Alcohol
will reduce your risk of dementia
Smoking is a huge risk factor for dementia, not to mention cancer and stroke. The toxins in cigarette and cigar smoke cause cell damage and inflammation, which damage the brain. It also affects your blood vessels to the brain, which can lead to dementia developing. And drinking too much alcohol increases the risk of developing dementia because alcohol kills brain cells. Try to quit smoking altogether and, if you drink, reduce your drinking to no more than 14 unites per week.
Connecting With People
will reduce your risk of dementia
Connecting with other people is good for the brain. Studies show that being highly social later in life decreases dementia risk by seventy percent. That is very significant. “Highly social” doesn’t mean going to a lot of parties. It means being active in your church, being involved with your friends and family, talking to people, volunteering in service projects, and helping others. We are literally created for connection. Read Genesis 2. Our Creator said, “It is not good that man should be alone,” and He created Eve so that people could have someone to be in relationship with. Study after study shows that when our relationships are disconnected, we fall into dysfunction. Our brains literally suffer damage. So, if your relationships, particularly your primary relationship such as your marriage, is disconnected, seek help with a trained counselor who uses Emotionally Focused Therapy, which is designed to help you repair and reconnect.
Managing Stress
will reduce your risk of dementia
Chronic depression and anxiety can increase your risk of dementia. Stress releases the hormone cortisol, which has been linked to decreased cognitive function. It is impossible to have zero stress or anxiety, but it is important to keep it under control and manage it well. If you are struggling with depression or anxiety, make an appointment to see your doctor and also make an appointment with a licensed professional counselor to help you manage your depression and anxiety, which will reduce your risk of dementia.
If you are worried about getting dementia, know that worrying about it won’t prevent it. In fact, stressing about it can actually increase your risk. The key is to control what you can control. Make a resolution to improve your brain health and reduce your risk of dementia. You can also read more about anxiety treatment, and then reach out to us at SoulCare Counseling for a free thirty-minute consultation.
Catrina Berkey is a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate and Licensed Marriage and Family Associate at SoulCare Counseling. She is under the supervision of Dr. Bernis Riley, LPC-S and Certified EFT Therapist, and Dr. Shaun Burrow, LMFT-S and LPC-S.