The risk of dementia increases as you get older. So much so that one-third of 85-year-old people have this risk in some way. Is it possible to reduce the development of dementia as we age? In fact, there is no complete cure or preventive treatment that truly reduces the risk of dementia. However, there are things that can be done to reduce the risk.
A risk factor is a condition that increases the chance of developing a disease. Some risk factors can be controlled while others are not. For example, the biggest risk for Alzheimer's disease is aging, and no matter what a person does, they cannot stop aging. Another risk factor that a person cannot prevent is their genes.
However, factors that reduce the risk of a disease, such as behavior and lifestyle, nutrition, and physical activity, can be controlled by the person. For example, high blood pressure is a risk factor for heart diseases, and if blood pressure is lowered with dietary and lifestyle changes that lower blood pressure, this risk can be managed.
Dementia increases as the elderly population increases. However, dementia is relatively decreasing in some elderly populations according to the education level and lifestyle of the population.
There are 3 remarkable cases in this context.
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Physical activity status
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Blood pressure control
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Cognitive vitality (reading, thinking, solving sudoku, sociality, hobby activities, etc.). )
Let's list what can be done in the context of this interest:
High blood pressure control: High blood pressure has harmful effects on the heart, blood vessels and brain, increasing the risk of cerebral hemorrhage and increasing the risk of vascular dementia. Approaches such as lifestyle changes such as exercise and quitting smoking, and the use of medication reduce this risk and indirectly protect against dementia.
Blood sugar management: High blood sugar, cerebral hemorrhage, heart disease, increases the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. A healthy diet, regular exercise, smoking cessation and regular blood sugar checks contribute to the management of these risks.
Eating a healthy diet: Cereals (wholegrain bread), proportionate mix of vegetables and fruits, lean meat and seafood, olives Maintaining the nutritional status with unsaturated fatty acids, low-fat products, and other products with a balanced fat and sugar ratio is considered a healthy diet.
Staying at an ideal weight: Obese and overweight Being active increases the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Being physically active and maintaining it: It is known that 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week is effective in controlling weight gain, heart disease, and regulating blood pressure.
Staying mentally active: Activities that keep a person mentally active include reading, playing chess, playing checkers, engaging in manual dexterity, learning new hobbies, participating in social activities. , learning new things, learning new sports, playing table tennis, solving sudoku, solving puzzles, filling etc. countable.
Maintaining connections with family and friends (staying social) Social isolation and loneliness in Alzheimer's are directly related to cognitive decline. For this, it is recommended to increase the connections between friends and family.
Solving hearing problems: Hard of hearing contributes to dementia by disrupting cognitive activities.
Regular sleeping: Regular sleep It is extremely important for mental and physical health. It is necessary to sleep 7-8 hours a day, and treatment should be taken for insomnia.
Preventing head trauma;
Reducing alcohol intake: Alcohol It causes both falling while intoxicated and mood disorders such as diabetes, blood pressure, cerebral hemorrhage, memory disorders. For this reason, it is recommended to reduce alcohol intake very much.
No smoking: Quitting smoking reduces the risk of vascular dementia by reducing the risk of heart health, lung health, and cerebral hemorrhage.
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