Reduce your risk of developing memory problems and dementia.
Although it is not possible to guarantee that we will not develop memory declines and dementia with the age, particularly Alzheimer's disease type, there are a number of changes that we can all make to our lifestyles that might help to prevent these problems. The good news is that these changes will also help to reduce the risk for developing several other health problems such as heart disease, strokes and cancer. Life style and smoking was once thought that it might actually help protect against dementia, but recent research has confirmed that harmful molecules in cigarette smoke, known as free radicals, alter the function of the blood vessels, and possibly brain cells, increasing the risk of chronic problems including memory loss and dementia. Changes mediated in part, because damage to the blood vessels can prevent the blood from circulating properly through the body and brain. The brain then receives less than the optimal amount of oxygen and nutrients leading to vascular dementia. Keeping fit helps our hearts to stay healthy and promotes good blood circulation preventing stroke and oxygen starvation to the brain. Studies have noticed the fact that staying active improves memory function and lower the risk of developing dementia. A high blood pressure is another important risk factor because increases the risk of having a stroke or a heart attack and both of these events increases significantly the risk of developing memory problems and dementia. Also be careful with the amount of salt you eat because it has a direct effect on the blood pressure. Controlling with your doctor the blood pressure levels it is always recommended. Keep your cholesterol level under control, because it can cause a direct damage to the cells in the arteries. Saturated fat from animal sources has been linked to increased levels of cholesterol in our blood. Instead substitute it for fat from vegetal sources, like olive oil, which is healthier and good for your heart and brain. Cutting down on fatty foods from animal sources reduces the cholesterol and may help to reduce the risk of developing dementia. High cholesterol affects the arteries decreasing the amount of blood that reaches the brain, or builds-up in our arteries and eventually blocks a vessel causing a stroke o heart attack. It has taken a long time, and hundreds of studies, to link nutrition with health. Today, we have diet(s), natural preparations and vitamin supplements, which properly combined produce major effects on controlling the cholesterol levels without causing side effects. Making the most of life, by keeping our brains and bodies active, are highly recommended because study after study shows that these habits are very powerful to lower our risk of developing memory losses and Alzheimer's disease. It has been found that the more intellectually stimulating activities we take part in, the lower our risk of developing dementia if our diet is well balanced. Reasoning and problem solving, such as crosswords, playing Scrabble, discussing issues, together with a good dose of exercise like walking, swimming, yoga, and dancing, enable our brains to stay in better condition. While drinking large amounts of alcohol has been shown to dramatically increase the risk of memory problems and dementia, small amounts of red wine seems to have the opposite effect. Our diet, however, is the key constituent of our good health and optimum brain performance. At least 5 portions of fruits and vegetables a day are recommended to provide us with those magic nutrients to low blood pressure, prevent heart disease, and allow our brain cells to work properly. Supplementing our diets with antioxidant vitamins C and E may boost mental ability and protect against vascular and some other forms of dementia, according to some studies. Eating oily fish at least once a week also contributes to low the risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, by more than a third. Fish contain certain oils and antioxidants that promote good heart health and can help with brain development and nerve regeneration. Today we have simple ways to achieve these recommendations by taking a complex W-3-6-9, in the case of oils, and vitamin complex to optimize our nutrition. Therefore, there are many simple lifestyle changes we can make to help to improve our brain performance and lower our chances of developing memory decline and dementia.
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