“5 Habits to Prevent Dementia: Protect Your Heart and Brain Through Lifestyle Changes”

[Voice of Hope April 21, 2023](Editor: Guo Qiang) 40% of dementia can be prevented or delayed by changing living habits. According to the report of “The conversation”, the key risk factors of dementia are similar to cardiovascular diseases, including high blood sugar, high blood pressure, overweight, smoking, Therefore, if you can develop the following 5 living habits, you can not only protect your heart but also prevent dementia.

5 habits to prevent dementia

●Eat 2-3 servings of fatty fish per week

“Liberty Times” reported that salmon is rich in Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. In addition to anti-inflammation, it can also lower blood pressure, and Omega-3 is an “essential nutrient” for our brain to maintain function.

“Essential nutrients” refer to nutrients that the body needs, but cannot manufacture itself, and can only be obtained from the diet, and a reduction in Omega-3 intake is associated with the rate of cognitive decline.

●Every meal has “plant food”

“Plant foods” refer to foods composed of plants such as vegetables, vegetable oils, fruits, and nuts, which are rich in various minerals and vitamins. A diet rich in “plant foods,” such as the Mediterranean diet, has been shown to improve blood pressure, blood sugar, improve brain health, and reduce the risk of dementia.

● Eat less processed food

Processed foods are associated with diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure, and eating these processed foods also means that you will lose the benefits of other foods, such as fiber and vitamins that may be contained in other healthy foods, and refined grains such as white rice, white toast, Italian Noodles are highly processed, which means that the nutrients in these foods have been removed.

●Increase physical activity

Physical activity lowers blood pressure and improves blood vessel function, which helps the body send more oxygen to the brain, improving memory and other cognitive functions affected by dementia.

The key to developing long-term exercise is to choose sports that you enjoy and gradually increase the amount of activity. At the same time, any activity that raises your heart rate can be classified as physical activity, including walking or even doing housework.

●Quit smoking

Smokers are 60% more likely to suffer from dementia than non-smokers, because smoking can damage the structure and function of blood vessels, and don’t think it’s too late to quit smoking. Studies have shown that the risk of dementia among ex-smokers is related to Similar to non-smokers.

“The conversation” reminds that if you quit smoking, change your entire diet, and start an exercise program at one time, it will easily lead to failure. You can start with simple ones, for example, changing a processed food such as potato chips into a handful of nuts ; Or replace a piece of meat with Omega-3-rich fish every week; You can also start with walking for 5 minutes, and slowly increase every day.

Editor in charge: Li Zhi

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