Alzheimer’s disease is a cognitive problem that is encountered in seniors and it can affect their lives in a really unpleasant manner. The good news is that there are some scientifically proven ways to prevent this disease and as long as you develop good habits and you make an engagement to keep them in the long run, you will be able to prevent it.
We have made a list of the healthy habits that you can adopt in order to live a healthy life and decrease your chances of developing Alzheimer’s and dementia. These habits are also useful to make your life more pleasant and to have good overall health.
Contents
1Adopt a healthy diet
If you think of the brain as a normal organ, it is obvious that it needs nutrients to work at the highest levels possible. Now think about the fact that the brain is the most important organ in the body that tells all the other organs what to do. Therefore, you should feed it accordingly.
Omega-3 fatty acids are very healthy for the brain because nerve cell axons are surrounded by myelin, which is a fatty substance. Therefore, your brain uses fat to protect itself, but you should increase the number of healthy fats, not of the ones that can harm your health. Walnuts, salmon, and tuna are great choices.
Studies have shown that the Mediterranean diet is the most appropriate to prevent Alzheimer’s. This diet includes fish, whole grains, vegetables, and fruit.
Sugar consumption is known to produce inflammation in the brain which is caused by blood sugar variations, so it is best to avoid it. Sugar in the form of refined carbs like white flour and white rice has the same effect.
2Exercise
It is not a surprise that because of technology our generations are not engaging in physical activities as much as we should and our bodies are designed to move. Physical activity is very important and acts as a medicine for different types of neurotransmitter imbalances like depression and anxiety, but it is also very effective in preventing memory diseases.
Exercising is one of the most effective ways to prevent memory problems, reducing by half the chances of developing them. It is very effective in neural regeneration and in the preservation of old neural pathways, but also in slowing down cognitive degeneration in people who have already shown symptoms.
3Stimulate your mind
Neuroscientists believe that the more you stimulate your mind, the more you reduce your chances of getting Alzheimer’s disease. The ACTIVE study has concluded that the more you use your mind and memory the less likely it is for it to deteriorate.
There are many activities that you can engage in, like learning a new language, learning how to play an instrument, playing sudoku, or any other game that involves thinking and memory. By keeping your mind active you will be able to enjoy a healthy brain for a longer period of time.
Another great way to keep your brain healthy is to ditch your GPS device and try to make your way through the city by using your memory. This way your brain will engage in different actions that involve memory and space recognition, which is a great way to improve brain function.
Scientists have found out that neuroplasticity, which is the ability of the brain to create new neural pathways, can happen at any age, so even elderly people can improve brain function by engaging in this type of activity.
4Reduce your stress levels
We are not going to get into very scientific data, but it has been shown that stress is a key factor that can have a bad influence on the brain and it is known that it reduces parts of the brain that are involved in memory formation.
Therefore, it is essential that you manage your stress which will help you in the long run by reducing the chances of developing Alzheimer’s, but it will also benefit you in the short run because you will be happier and able to enjoy your life to the max. There are some ways that have been scientifically proven to reduce stress levels.
You can practice deep breathing, which will help you because you will calm your mind by focusing on your breath. Also, the oxygen intake will increase and your brain and body will be able to enjoy the regenerating effects of oxygen.
Another great way to reduce stress is to engage in relaxing activities like stargazing. By visiting Opticsandlab magazine you will be able to find a good telescope that will allow you to observe the universe. Birdwatching is also a great way to relax and you will be able to do that using a good pair of binoculars.
5Sleep like a baby
Studies have shown that during sleep a lot of toxins are flushed out of the brain. This is essential to keep your brain functioning at its optimum levels and by increasing your sleep quality you will be able to prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s. A healthy adult needs 7 to 8 hours of sleep per day and it is essential to try and keep this amount as much as you can.
Having a sleep schedule will help you do this. Try to fall asleep at the same hour every day and wake up around the same hour, even during the weekends. Also, a good practice to improve the quality of your sleep is to use your bedroom only for sleeping, as in this way, your brain will be programmed to fall asleep right away because it knows that you are in the sleep room.
