Because we live longer than the previous generations, it is more likely that people are deteriorating the brain.
A study Posted in January has shown that half a million people may receive a dementia diagnosis this year. By 2060, the number should reach 1 million cases per year.
The aging population can live with chronic lifestyle diseases such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, which also increase the risk of dementia of a person. “We believe that around 40% of dementia cases are avoidable by the lifestyle and other factors,” said Dr. Meredith Bock, neurologist and chief of Remo Health. Just because you wear a gene that expresses you a higher risk to develop the dementia you will do.
“There is certainly an advantage in lifestyle interventions, both to reduce the time of the appearance of dementia or potentially get it,” said Bock.
Some of these interventions, such as doing a lot of exercise or doing brain puzzles, are well known. Others, however, may not be. Below, neurologists share the behavior they do daily to maintain their low dementia risk, which may seem unusual for some:
They go to their colleague’s office instead of sending an email.
Instead of being stuck to a chair in front of a computer at work, Dr Gabriel Leger, A The neurologist at UC San Diego Health, is very intentional to get up and move to break the prolonged seated periods.
“If I am not with the patients, I am more likely to get up and cross the building to speak to someone instead of sending an email simply because it brings me out of the chair and makes me More active, “said Leger.
Our bodies were not designed to be motionless for prolonged periods, said Leger. A 2023 Study Of nearly 50,000 adults have revealed that 10 hours or more session per day are linked to an increase in the risk of dementia.
They interact with IRL people as often as possible.
Another reason for which LEGER will discuss a question with a colleague face to face instead of simply sending an email is that the interaction with other people helps preserve the brain function.
“The more social interaction you have, the more connections your brain,” said Leger. Socialization with others is a protective factor to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. He added that it is as much a stimulator of brain connections as education.
“When you have a typical conversation, there are many different cognitive areas on which you can draw, understand the language, speak, follow a story and many behavioral aspects, socio-emotional clues that you take and respond to” , explained Bock. “Social interactions are also very good for mood, which is also closely linked to cognition.”
Fj jimenez via getty images
If they have pets, they really commit to taking care of them.
LEGER has two dogs and two cats. With dogs in particular: “You interact with them socially, you are forced to take them out every day for a walk, and they force you to interact with other dog owners,” said Leger.
“You have a responsibility and maintain the feeling that” there is something I have to do. ” I need to feed my dog. I have to make sure they are good. It is a bit like parenting, where this sense of objective is preserved. »»
These can protect the cognitive function of a person, as they offer daily possibilities of mental stimulation, social interaction and exercise. If you have a pet, this is another great reason to engage in your care.
They avoid food with pesticides, preservatives or very processed.
“It’s not eccentric, but I try to stay away from highly processed foods and try to eat organic food as much as possible. It is not possible for everyone, but I believe that pesticides, herbicides and highly processed foods are associated with elements that can stress the brain, which can increase the risk of dementia, “said Leger.
A practical way to do so is to buy fresh products from the local farmer market or the community food garden. If it’s not every week, try to do it once a month. If this is not possible, get into the habit of thoroughly rinse your fruits and vegetables with water before consuming them, as Leger does.
They eat a lot of olive oil.
Dr Gustavo RomanA neurologist at the Houston Methodist Hospital takes a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil every morning with her breakfast.
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“There are more blood vessels in the brain than in any other organ,” he said. When these blood vessels are affected, this increases the risk of developing dementia.
The Mediterranean regime is linked to healthier blood vessels. While Roman has traveled scientific research, he saw that “there were data that the Mediterranean diet was a factor linked to the decrease in the frequency of dementia”. A key element of this diet consists in incorporating extra virgin olive oil at each meal.
He advises his patients to find a supermarket that allows them to test different olive oils to find the most pleasant. “When they buy olive oil,” he said, “he should be harvesting the current year, he should not have a very long shelf life, and his bottle must Be black, dark green or brown or metallic because the oil is very sensitive to light.
