From StarLight CareGivers: 5 lifestyle changes to cut dementia risk

A healthy aging charity has issued advice on the 5 lifestyle changes that evidence suggests can help reduce the risk of developing dementia.

Although there’s no guaranteed way to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, Age UK says up to 76% cognitive decline is due to lifestyle and other environmental factors, including a person’s level of education.

-The findings come from a study, funded by the Age UK charity, called The Disconnected Mind carried out by the University of Edinburgh.

Around 850,000 people in the UK have dementia, with the condition predicted to affect 1 in 3 over 65s.

[Related: Alzheimer’s Game Changer: Scientists Find That Changing One Molecule Reverses Memory Loss.]

The 5 steps are:

1. Regular physical exercise

Physical exercise, whether aerobic, resistance or balance, was found to be the most effective way to ward off cognitive decline in healthy older people and reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Studies suggest that exercise three to five times a week for between 30 minutes and an hour is beneficial.

2. Mediterranean diet

Although the Mediterranean diet, rich in vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, olive oil and oily fish is often recommended for heart health, studies have found it may be beneficial in protecting the brain too.

3. Not smoking

There are significantly more new cases of Alzheimer’s among current smokers compared with those who have never smoked.

4. Alcohol in moderation

Heavy drinking of alcohol is linked to dementia and the loss of brain tissue particularly in the parts of the brain responsible for memory and processing and interpreting visual information.

However, moderate levels of alcohol were found to protect brain tissue by increasing good cholesterol and lowering bad cholesterol.

5. Managing diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity

The fifth step looks at preventing and treating diabetes, managing high blood pressure and reducing obesity, all of which were found to reduce the risk of dementia.

‘Simple and effective’ steps

In a statement, Caroline Abrahams, charity director of Age UK says: “While there’s still no cure or way to reverse dementia, this evidence shows that there are simple and effective ways to reduce our risk of developing it to begin with.

“What’s more, the changes that we need to make to keep our brains healthy are already proven to be good for the heart and overall health, so it’s common sense for us all to try to build them into our lives. The sooner we start, the better our chance of having a healthy later life.”

Reacting to the new analysis in a statement, Dr Matthew Norton, head of policy atAlzheimer’s Research UK says: “This review of existing research highlights a growing body of evidence suggesting that lifestyle factors play an important role in our risk of dementia and cognitive decline. It’s now recognised across public health authorities that lifestyle changes could contribute to reducing dementia risk. It’s now time for these messages to start reaching the public to help empower people to protect their cognitive health as they grow older.

However, he cautions: “It’s important to remember that diseases like Alzheimer’s are complex and are likely to be caused by a mixture of genetic and environmental factors, which are still not fully understood. While there are ways to reduce our risk of dementia, there is currently no sure-fire way to prevent the condition, which is why continued investment in research is vital.”

Visit Starlight Caregivers for help. www.starlightcaregivers.com