How to Prevent Dementia
Dementia occurs when a person is unable to complete normal activities such as dressing and bathing. It also affects problem-solving skills, alters personalities and hinders a person's ability to control his emotions. Dementia makes it difficult for people to remember and to communicate. However, research has demonstrated that people may be able to slow or even arrest the onset of dementia.
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Things You'll Need
- Diet filled with folic acid
- Lots of exercise
- Challenging mental activities
- Drugs to treat hypertension (if needed)
Instructions
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Exercise regularly. In 2007, an online issue of "Neurology" reported on a study that revealed that people 65 and older who exercised for at least 15 minutes per day, were at a lower risk for getting dementia. Exercise did not have to be vigorous. Activities could include regular walking, climbing stairs, gardening, light carpentry, house and yard work. As little as 15 minutes per day proved to lower vascular dementia, the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer's.
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Think positive. The power of positive thinking plays in role in decreasing the chances of getting dementia. Depression can speed up the brain's aging process and has a negative impact on the brain. Positive thinking leads to positive emotions, which are healthy for the brain.
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Don't stress. If you have hypertension, talk to your doctor and make a plan to reduce it. Hypertension can increase the chances of dementia.
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Eat right. Folic acid is an important nutrient in preventing dementia. It can be found primarily in green vegetables and fruits. There are also dietary supplements. Folic acid decreases levels of homocysteine; this amino acid, at high levels, has been linked to Alzheimer's. Some studies have also been done on coffee and chocolate. There are plant compounds in coffee that contain antioxidants that protect the body from cell damage. Studies are still being conducted.
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Be mentally active. In 2003, a study in the "New England Journal of Medicine" reported that the more mentally stimulating activities people aged 75 and older took part in, the less their chances of getting dementia. This was for both men and women. Board games, crossword puzzles, reading and playing a musical instrument all ranked high. Activities such as writing and participating in group sessions were not as effective. Also, being active in one's youth (i.e., participating in lots of extracurricular activities) also contributed to a lesser chance of dementia. The greater the networks of interconnections from intelligence and the more extensive the activity, leads the brain to be able to be able to withstand a higher degree of brain damage before developing dementia. Hours of watching television led to an increase in dementia potential.
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