Sharp fight entia

. Or even better, keep a written diary. Another y found that writing a journal at any time of uts the odds of entia by 53 per cent.

k on the wild side

dy of more than 78,000 dults found that king up just 9,800 steps a halves the risk of dementia. But

’s a catch – for two-thirds of these you have to stride out briskly, not ly meander around the shops. rdic walking, which involves using to maximise upper body ement, is particularly beneficial. rial in patients with early eimer’s found that 40 minutes of ic walking with a 10-minute warm nd cool down, twice a week for eeks, led to significant ovements in their learning, recall, attention and processing speeds.

Researchers say the use of Nordic-walking poles is valuable as they provide stability that can promote physical activity, even among the elderly.

Tee time

Playing 18 holes of golf produces immediate improvements in attention and processing speeds in over-65s, cognition tests have shown.

A large Japanese study found regular golfers were 37 per cent less likely to develop dementia and a trial in 106 adults aged 65 and older found that golf training for just 90 to 120 minutes a week led to significant improvements in logical memory in just 24 weeks.

Here in the UK, the social enterprise Golf in Society provides tailored golfing sessions for people living with dementia and other health conditions.

It has also teamed up with researchers at Sheffield Hallam University to see how golf can improve the health and wellbeing of dementia patients.

Planting an idea

Some studies suggest vegetarians are at lower risk of dementia, but the jury is still out, with a recent review of the evidence concluding: “There is no direct evidence to support the benefits of a vegetarian diet in preventing cognitive decline”.

However, the Mediterranean and DASH eating patterns, which are high in fruit and vegetables, and low in red meat, saturated fats and refined carbohydrates, do protect against cognitive decline, with one study reporting a 33 per cent reduction in the risk of dementia.

And the MIND diet, which shares the same principles as those regimes, but focuses on specific brain-friendly foods such as green leafy vegetables, nuts, beans, wholegrains and berries, is even better. Studies show it can reduce the risk of dementia by as much as 53 per cent. Many experts put this down to plant-based diets having higher intakes of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory polyphenols. This also explains why drinking tea, which is rich in polyphenols, has been shown to reduce the risk of dementia by 21 per cent.

Tea and coffee also deliver a hit of caffeine, which provides short-term improvements in reaction times, memory and focus.

B12-ware

A number of studies have shown that shortfalls of vitamin B12 increase the risk of Alzheimer’s, and people who have been diagnosed with this form of dementia have lower than average levels of B12 in their blood.

This means that millions are putting themselves at risk, because data from the National Diet and Nutrition survey shows that one in 20 UK adults aged 19 to 64 fails to achieve the recommended intake of B12.

Also known as folate, B12 is found in fish, eat, poultry, eggs and dairy products, so vegans and vegetarians are at risk of deficiency.

The only non-animal sources of B12 are fortified foods such as some breakfast cereals.

Hear and now

Have a hearing check. Around two in five people over the age of 50 have some degree of hearing loss and studies show that mild impairment doubles the risk of developing dementia while severe hearing loss is associated with a five-fold increase.

It’s not clear why, but the good news is that studies also suggest that addressing hearing issues and using aids if needed will reduce the rate of cognitive decline.

Fat chance

Make sure oily fish is on the menu, or even better take an omega-3 supplement.

Analysis of 48 studies involving more than 103,000 people found that good dietary intakes of omega-3 reduce the risk of dementia or cognitive decline by around 20 per cent. But a daily supplement was shown to cut the odds by

63 per cent.

The NHS advises eating one 140g portion of oily fish a week, but the National Diet and Nutrition Survey shows that on average, working-age adults eat just 56g per week and over-65s consume 86g a week.

Ginkgo for it Studies have found no evidence that the herbal supplement ginkgo biloba will reduce the risk of getting dementia, but it does appear to improve the symptoms of people who are already showing signs of mild dementia.

A systematic review of the latest studies said doses of at least 200mg a day, for at least five months, were needed for any potential benefit.

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Playing 18 holes of golf produces an immediate improvement in attention

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Even mild hearing issues double the risk of developing dementia