Dementia is one age related health problem that affects a lot of people. A study that was conducted by Age UK showed that a person’s lifestyle can cause changes to about 76% of his or her brain and that people should start avoiding certain habits to keep dementia at bay. If you are wondering how to keep your brain functioning properly as you age, you should consider the following healthy tips starting today.
- Reach for the berries. When it comes to protecting your brain, it is always a good idea to eat berries every day. Berries are known to contain high amounts of anthocyanosides which can prevent memory impairment caused by free radicals as well as the presence of beta-amyloid plaques that appear in the brain. You can eat a cup of berries as snacks, make smoothies out of them, or add them to salads for that extra flavor.
- Keep exercising. Exercise is also an important step to follow when you want to keep dementia at bay. For one thing, exercisings gets your heart rate up which means that more blood is flowing through your body hence more oxygen is received by your organs. This means that all organs will be functioning properly which is exactly what you need to reduce damage to brain cells. Cardio, strength training, as well as resistance training are good options to stay fit and healthy both in mind and body.
- Folic acid supplements can help. Taking supplements that contain folate can help prevent dementia from happening. If you are not a fan of supplements, you should increase your intake of foods that has this mineral for better cognitive function. This is due to the fact that folate can help reduce homocysteine in the body which is linked to poor brain function.
- Reduce alcohol intake. For those who drink regularly, you need to lay off the booze or at least drink in moderation as too much alcohol intake can also increase your risk from dementia. Heavy drinkers experience a higher amount of brain tissue loss compared to those who are moderate drinkers particularly in the areas that handle memory as well as processing and interpreting visuals.
- Regulate your blood pressure. Another tip that can help you keep dementia at bay is to keep your blood pressure properly regulated. Hypertension is known to increase your chances of suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia. This is why it is important that you get regular checkups to determine if your blood pressure is normal or not. Making lifestyle changes as well as staying physically active will help keep your blood pressure levels normal too.
- Have more omega-3s. If you want to protect yourself against the onset of dementia, it is only right that you increase your intake of omega-3s. This essential fatty acid is linked to better heart health as well as protection against dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other cognitive problem.
These are just a few tips that you might want to follow if you want to prevent dementia from occuring. A healthy lifestyle can certainly help in your quest to keep your brain function working properly as you age.