dementia

Health Facts: Two Things to do Now to Help Prevent Dementia

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Here are two lesser-known but important health facts about preventing dementia:

  1. Oral Health and Dementia Risk: Poor oral health, particularly gum disease, has been linked to an increased risk of developing dementia. Inflammation caused by periodontal disease can potentially contribute to brain inflammation, which is a factor in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. Regular dental check-ups and maintaining good oral hygiene may reduce this risk.
  2. Hearing Loss and Cognitive Decline: Untreated hearing loss is associated with an increased risk of dementia. Studies suggest that hearing loss can lead to social isolation and cognitive load, which may accelerate brain atrophy and contribute to cognitive decline. Addressing hearing loss early with hearing aids or other interventions can help maintain cognitive health.

Are You At Risk for Dementia if You Sit Too Long?

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There’s a Link Between Sitting Too Long and an Increased Risk for Dementia

Don’t take this news sitting down: Even people who exercise regularly face higher risks of dementia if they sit for much of the day, a new study suggests.

The study, published online Sept. 12, 2023, by JAMA, analyzed data collected from nearly 50,000 older adults (average age 67, 55% women) who didn’t have a dementia diagnosis at the study’s start. For nearly three years, they wore wrist accelerometers that tracked when they were moving or sedentary during the day. Seven years later, researchers checked the participants’ medical records to determine which of the participants had been diagnosed with dementia.

People who sat for an average of at least 10 hours a day during the activity-tracking phase had an 8% higher risk of later developing dementia compared with those who had sat for fewer hours. And people who’d averaged at least 12 hours a day sitting were 63% likelier to develop dementia than those who’d spent less than 10 hours daily in a chair. Furthermore, exercise didn’t seem to change those odds, since among people who sat for 10 hours or more daily, those who worked out were as prone to dementia as those who exercised very little.

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DYK Smoking Causes Brain Cells to Shrink

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Smoking Not Only Causes Lung Cancer and Heart Problems. Smoking Damages Your Brain

  • Cigarette smoking causes brain shrinkage, and the more and longer a person smokes, the greater the damage is, according to a new study.
  • Loss in brain volume raises the risk of cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Smoking cessation can help stop brain shrinkage, but it cannot be reversed.
  • The study authors recommend that anyone at any age who smokes should prioritize quitting.

Cigarette smoking causes the brain to shrink, according to a new study from researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO (WashUMed).

Brain shrinkage is also associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

The study’s results show that quitting smoking at any time stopped further gray matter loss. However, the brain does not recover its original mass once shrinkage occurs.

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Health Tip of the Day ~ Is Dementia Linked to Alcohol Consumption?

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Yes, alcohol consumption has been linked to an increased risk of developing dementia

Chronic heavy drinking can cause long-term damage to the brain, leading to a range of cognitive impairments, including memory loss, confusion, and difficulty with decision-making.

Studies have shown that heavy alcohol consumption over a long period of time increases the risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and other forms of cognitive impairment. The risk is particularly high for individuals who have a history of alcohol abuse or dependence, as well as those who have a genetic predisposition to developing dementia.

It is important to note that moderate alcohol consumption has not been found to increase the risk of developing dementia. However, heavy drinking, especially over a prolonged period, can have serious consequences for brain health and cognitive function.

Source: ChaptCPT openAI

Today’s Health Tip ~ What to Maintain a Healthy Mind?

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If You Take Care of Your Heart, You’re Taking Care of Your Brain

You know how to take care of your heart: Eat a healthy diet, get plenty of exercise, don’t smoke, and don’t drink too much. These healthy habits are good for your brain, too. Researchers tracked 1,588 dementia-free older adults for 21 years. At the end of the study period, they tallied up each person’s risk factors for heart disease, such as smoking, drinking, obesity, cholesterol, and blood pressure. They also tested memory and thinking skills. Those who had greater risk for heart disease also had a faster decline in brain performance over the years.

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Today’s Health Tip ~ What Lifestyle Habits May Reduce the Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease?

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There’s strong evidence that healthy lifestyle habits — such as diet, exercise and not smoking — may play a role in reducing your risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. . . . In particular, the Mediterranean diet has been associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The Mediterranean diet is also linked to improved cognition in people who are at risk of heart and other vascular diseases. The Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and fish and uses olive oil as the primary cooking fat. This type of diet is also a heart-healthy diet that reduces the risk of conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. These conditions are also risk factors for dementia.

Here are some steps that promote good overall brain health:

    • Avoid smoking.
    • Control vascular risk factors, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
    • Eat a balanced diet — such as the Mediterranean diet — that’s rich in vegetables, fruits and lean protein, particularly protein sources containing omega-3 fatty acids.
    • Be physically and socially active, including engaging in aerobic exercise.
    • Maintain a healthy weight.
    • Take care of your mental health.
    • Use thinking (cognitive) skills, such as memory skills.
    • Avoid head injury.
    • Treat hearing loss.
    • Limit alcohol consumption.

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😎 Today’s Happy Brain ~ Choose the Right Eating Path for a Healthy Brain

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A Healthy Diet Builds Brainpower

Do your brain a favor and choose foods that are good for your heart and waistline. Being obese in middle age makes you twice as likely to have dementia later on. High cholesterol and high blood pressure raise your chances, too. Try these easy tips:

  • Bake or grill foods instead of frying.
  • Cook with “good” fats like oils from nuts, seeds, and olives instead of cream, butter, and fats from meat.
  • Eat colorful fruits and veggies.
  • Eat fish.

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😎 Today’s Happy Brain ~ It’s a No Brainer

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Meditation is Good for You and Your Brain

There are thousands of years of anecdotal evidence that meditation can help a person psychologically, and perhaps neurologically. The scientific evidence for meditation’s effects on the brain has exploded in the last five or 10 years. Meditation has been linked to increased brain volume in certain areas of the cerebral cortex, along with less volume in the brain’s amygdala, which controls fear and anxiety. It’s also been linked to reduced activity in the brain’s default mode network (DMN), which is active when our minds are wandering about from thought to thought, which are typically negative and distressing. Meditation also seems to lead to changes to the white matter tracks connecting different regions of the brain, and to improved attention and concentration.

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😎 Today’s Happy Brain ~ Let’s Get Moving

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Weave heart-pumping exercise into your daily routine.

“A surprising amount of evidence points to this as the No. 1 thing you can do to improve brain health,” Gordon says. In addition to lowering your risk of hypertension and diabetes, improving mood and sleep, and helping with weight control, aerobic exercise may activate certain beneficial genes in the brain. Benefits accrue no matter what age you start, he says.”

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I’m heading for the gym and the elliptical machine, good for my heart, good for my brain

😎 Today’s Happy Brain ~ Laugh it Up, Often!

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Laughter can trigger the brain’s emotional reward center, delivering a heaping dose of feel-good dopamine and mood-lifting serotonin. It can even increase the release of endorphins, the pain-relieving chemicals our brain releases in response to such things as exercise, food and sex.

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I think I’ll skip watching the thriller tonight and check out the comedy channel.

 

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