3 Ways You Can Prevent Dementia

Dementia is common when someone gets older, and it is sad when it happens to a loved one in your family. If you are worried about getting dementia, there are three ways you can help prevent it.

Exercise

You have likely heard that exercise is not only good for your body, but it also good for your brain. This is because when you exercise your brain has to work harder, which strengthens the nerve cells.

The hippocampus is the area of your brain that is in charge of your memory and storing information. As you get older, the hippocampus shrinks, which leads to memory problems. Regular exercise can increase the size of the hippocampus. Moreover, regular exercise can also reverse the volume loss in the hippocampus with someone that is older.

Talk with your doctor before starting any exercise program. The program should include regular intermittent movement. Instead of sitting in your chair for hours at a time, get up and walk around for a few minutes and stretch. While watching television, get up and walk around your house for about 10 minutes approximately once an hour. High intensity interval exercise is also beneficial in improving your memory.

Eat Healthy

The foods you eat are not only important for your body, they are also important for your mind. Eat fresh vegetables and fruit every day. Eat healthy fats and avoid sugar and carbohydrates.

Foods like walnuts, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, etc., contain antioxidants, which can protect your brain's health. Some other foods you should eat on a regular basis include:

  • Blueberries
  • Wild salmon
  • Avocados
  • Whole grains
  • Dark chocolate

Talk with a dietitian or a nutritionist if you need help coming up with a good plan of incorporating these foods into your diet.

Learn a New Skill

Make your brain work harder and keep is strong by learning a new skill. For example, you could learn a new language, different crafts, how to quilt, and more. Tasks that are more difficult are better than learning something that is easy for you, as making it more challenging makes your brain work harder.

Playing games also keeps your brain active and strong. Play video games or find some computer games online that you enjoy doing. Ask a family member to play cards or a board game with you. Anything that keeps your brain thinking is beneficial.

Even though these things are not guaranteed to keep dementia away, they can help. Be sure to contact professionals, such as those from Grace Assisted Living, to further assistance.


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