How to Help Prevent Dementia

Dementia is an epidemic in America and other developed countries. The most common forms of dementia are Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is more common, and it is linked to genetics. Many forms of dementia are a mix of vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. While research has not developed a clear cause of Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia does have clear preventable links to lifestyle choices. Diabetes and/or high blood pressure present in middle age increase the chances of being diagnosed with dementia by 40 to 80%. Diabetes and high blood pressure are clearly preventable conditions of the body. This is pivotal since understanding this connection gives us clear evidence to determine that good lifestyle habits will help to prevent dementia. Of these good lifestyle habits, diet and exercise are key. Nutritious food intake plays a significant role in overall brain health. It’s also important to quit smoking and limit alcohol, as both habits can have detrimental effects on cognitive function. Additionally, when making lifestyle choices to help prevent dementia, cognitive exercise is crucial.

Preventing High Blood Pressure

First, let’s look at the prevention of high blood pressure to prevent dementia. High blood pressure in middle age can increase the risk of vascular dementia by 40%. Prevention of high blood pressure can be achieved primarily by focusing on diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management. Also, limiting alcohol use and smoking are also primary factors that contribute to maintaining a healthy circulatory system. For the focus of this article, we will not be addressing the management of alcohol and smoking choices; however, awareness of their impact is essential.

Diet

A balanced diet that emphasizes natural foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins, not only nourishes the body but also supports healthy blood pressure levels. The Mayo Clinic explains that the Mediterranean diet is a good framework to follow when trying to eat heart-healthy. This diet has a focus on consuming a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats for the body, which collectively nourish not just heart health but overall bodily function. Making good food choices will help to nourish the underlying processes of the heart and vasculature and help them to function correctly. The outcome of un-nourishing food choices may not be evident at first; many individuals may not realize the repercussions until significant damage has been done to their health. The underlying chronic disease processes take many years to manifest outwardly, hidden while they are developing in the body, often leading to serious health crises. One may not see the effects of bad food choices until it is too late.

Exercise

In addition to a healthy diet, daily exercise is also important for managing high blood pressure. General recommendations for daily exercise advocate for around 30 minutes a day of moderate-intensity physical activity. This might include something as simple yet effective as taking a walk at a significantly brisk pace for 30 minutes, something that is easily incorporated into most daily routines. Research is also starting to identify the effectiveness of weightlifting as an important component of exercise as well. Whatever the exercise is, it must meet the requirements of moderate intensity. Moderate intensity can be simply defined by the difficulty of holding a conversation while it is being carried out, serving as a practical guide for individuals assessing their workout intensity. For further information, one can speak with their healthcare provider about establishing a target heart range to be at when performing moderate-intensity exercise.

Sleep and Stress Management

Getting good sleep is the next lifestyle factor in managing high blood pressure to prevent dementia. One can proactively manage their sleep behaviors by carrying out regular routines that foster good sleep patterns, such as maintaining a consistent sleep-wake schedule and creating a restful environment. Along with good sleep routines, regular stress management routines are needed to mitigate the adverse effects of ongoing stress. Stress relief is very individual and can be achieved in many different ways, some may benefit from activities like deep breathing, meditation, or yoga, while others might find solace in social interactions and community engagement. Whatever the routines are, they must be proactively repeated on a regular basis to effectively influence stress management and subsequently benefit overall health.

Preventing Diabetes

Next in dementia risk reduction, let’s look at the prevention of diabetes. Hopkins University explained research showing that people with diabetes in middle age have an 80% increase in the risk of developing vascular dementia, while in the case of high blood pressure, there was only a 40% increase. Type 2 diabetes is known to be a highly preventable disease, requiring a proactive approach from individuals to make sustainable lifestyle changes. Type 2 diabetes prevention is centered on diet and exercise, just like the management of high blood pressure; therefore, these areas intersect significantly in the quest for healthier living. Diabetes and high blood pressure are definitively interrelated, creating a cycle that feeds into health decline. With diet and exercise, a focus unique to diabetes prevention is decreasing the intake of added sugars, processed foods, and refined grains. Refined grains are most commonly consumed in products made with white flour, which can be found in numerous foods that dominate grocery store shelves. Most breads, cereals, crackers, and pastries contain these refined ingredients, making it hard to avoid them entirely. Unfortunately, these products and other processed foods laden with added sugars contribute to underlying dysfunction in the body, leading to conditions such as diabetes, which, when left unmonitored, can escalate to even more severe complications. The body treats refined grains like sugar, and excessive sugar consumption over time can compromise the cells’ ability to utilize glucose effectively, leading to a host of metabolic issues. The sugar often floats around in the bloodstream unchecked, leaving the cells starved of the necessary nutrients they require for optimal functioning, which induces further cravings for sugar. High blood sugar over time leads to a dangerous state known as prediabetes, which develops silently over many years without noticeable symptoms. This condition usually does not present itself until diabetes has developed, making awareness and preventive action pivotal.

Lifestyle Choices

In the body, the building blocks for chronic disease development, like diabetes, high blood pressure, and dementia, are being established before middle age. Hence, it is crucial to take proactive measures by addressing a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, engaging in regular exercise, adhering to good sleep practices, and managing stress levels now. Imagine the body as a house; the house must be kept in good condition now in order to live comfortably in it in the future.

Cognitive Exercise

Therefore, the last focus in helping to prevent dementia is cognitive exercise! Harvard Health quoted a longitudinal study in which older adults who maintained a high level of cognitive activity significantly delayed the onset of dementia and showcased better cognitive function in later years. Activities said to promote cognitive engagement included visiting local libraries, reading newspapers, magazines, and books, writing letters, and engaging in various games that challenge the brain. Doctor Heather Sandison, ND, in her YouTube video (link below) explains that combining physical exercise with cognitive exercises can yield powerful results in preventing dementia, suggesting activities like dancing, playing tennis, or brisk walking while having meaningful conversations with others in order to keep both the body and mind active. Being proactive about maintaining a high level of cognitive activity as a normal part of one’s life is important in helping to prevent or delay dementia, allowing individuals to build resilience against cognitive decline.

Changing Habits and Routines

Finally, Stating simple recommendations in relationship to lifestyle will not lead to the comprehensive changes that are necessary to prevent chronic illness, and one must understand that this requires a holistic approach. Habits and routines are built over a lifetime and are a part of our neuropsychology; therefore, patience and resilience in this process are essential. Planning is fundamental to carry out any goal, along with focused attention on one goal or lifestyle choice at a time rather than overwhelming oneself with multiple changes at once. Give grace to the process of trial and error, adjusting as needed, and strive to make the goals reachable and attainable. These are all proponents of positive behavioral change that contribute positively toward long-term health. Overall, keep having hope because change is actually possible; one can truly prevent unnecessary chronic illnesses in their life with consistent and informed lifestyle choices. The proven processes for effective health behavior change must be taken in strategic sequence and prioritized to truly adopt long-term change that lasts through the ages.