How To Prevent Dementia Through Lifestyle Habits
Here are three science-backed ways to reduce your dementia risk.
Written by Being Patient
Every day in Canada, 350 people develop dementia. This means over 120,000 new dementia diagnoses each year — and cases are on the rise.
Although a recent study found that improved access to education could lead to six million fewer dementia cases by 2050, this figure will be offset by seven million additional dementia cases linked to high blood sugar, obesity and smoking — coupled with the fact people are living longer.
The risk of developing Alzheimer’s can be linked to family history and genetics, specifically whether or not you carry APOE4, a variant researchers have dubbed “the Alzheimer’s gene.” But research shows that up to 40 percent of dementia cases could be prevented through individual lifestyle changes. Here are three science-backed ways to reduce your dementia risk.
1. Treat underlying health conditions
Many common underlying health conditions can increase dementia risk if they go untreated. For example, having Type 2 diabetes can lead to a two-fold increase in the risk of developing dementia, since the condition is linked to the degeneration of small blood vessels and increased stroke risk, which are both risk factors of dementia.
People with high blood pressure in midlife are more likely to be at risk of developing dementia since high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can cause cognitive impairment through clotting or bleeding. A recent study found that when blood vessels in the brain experience high blood pressure levels over a long period of time, brain cell death can occur which can contribute to declined memory and cognitive functioning.
Dr. Michelle Canavan, a senior author of the study, advises people to get their blood pressure checked. “If it is high, it can be readily treated with lifestyle changes and medications. We hope that our study will heighten awareness of the importance of controlling blood pressure to maintain brain health, combined with a healthy lifestyle.”
2. Exercise regularly
While exercise can slow the symptoms of dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases, it can also be preventative. A common misconception is that more rigorous forms of exercise are associated with higher cognitive benefits, but New York University neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki says regular walking has immediate benefits to the brain and can decrease dementia risk by 30 percent in the long-term. Walking outdoors can also provide people with greater emotional and cognitive benefits due to increased time spent in nature.
Eric Larson, a senior investigator at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle, recommends getting 150 to 210 minutes of exercise per week. Any amount of exercise is better than staying inactive — if Larson’s recommendation isn’t attainable for your lifestyle, start off small, perhaps by walking for 15 minutes three times a week.
“People tend not to realize that you don’t have to be a marathon runner,” Larson said. “You just have to have regular physical activity. The greatest danger is not doing anything.”
The bottom line: It’s never too late to begin exercising, and any exercise, from walking or running, to cycling, dancing, or swimming can be beneficial.
3. Maintain a healthy diet
Eating a healthy diet can boost overall brain health and may reduce dementia risk. Ultra-processed foods are often high in added sugar and fat which, when consumed frequently, can increase the risk of diabetes, obesity, and hypertension.
The MIND diet, which incorporates the Mediterranean diet, and includes whole grains, green leafy vegetables, nuts, beans, and berries, while limiting animal products and foods high in saturated fat, is cited by experts as a way to improve cognitive and heart health.
Participants in the study who followed the MIND diet were about seven and a half years younger in brain age compared to those who did not eat foods associated with the diet.
Researchers also found that people who scored in the top third for closely following the MIND diet had very little changes in their cognitive abilities over time. They also had a 53 percent reduction in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.