THE LOWDOWN

Simple steps to cut your Alzheimer’s risk

Eat less sugar:

Never add sugar to food or drinks. Include more beans, fish, chicken in meals, and less rice, pasta and potatoes. Choose eggs for breakfast, or yogurt, nuts, seeds and berries. Opt for oats instead of sugary cereals, and oatcakes instead of bread.

Have three servings of fish a week:

Oily fish such as mackerel, kippers (herring), salmon, trout, sardines, pilchards and anchovies are best, but all seafood, including prawns, crabs, scampi, lobsters, mussels and taramasalata (fish roe) have benefits.

Supplement with fish oils:

Choose omega-3 supplements with the highest DHA content, aiming for at least 500mg of DHA per day.

Take B vitamins:

This is especially important if you’re over 50. In trials, giving 500mcg of B12, at least 400mcg of folic acid, and 20mg of B6 works best, so look for supplements that provide these levels.

Bump up your veg and berry intake:

Green veg is high in the B vitamin folate, as are beans, seeds and peanuts. Berries are high in polyphenols. Aim for a handful of berries a day, blueberries being the best, and at least four servings of vegetables.

Sleep well:

Don’t burn the candle at both ends. Have a regular sleep pattern, going to bed earlier (ideally 10pm) and sleeping for seven hours.

Stop smoking – and drink red wine:

Cigarettes are a big risk factor for dementia, so if you are a smoker, try to stop. Those drinking a small glass of red wine a day – that’s 125ml – have less risk than abstainers or those who drink more.

Exercise your body AND your mind:

You need to do 30 minutes walking or 20 minutes of resistance exercise every day. Learn something new, do a Wordle, Sudoku or crossword, read a book, practise a musical instrument, join a book club, socialise – anything that gets you thinking.

Control stress:

Those with high stress levels have almost double the risk of dementia. Try practising mindfulness, yoga or getting out in nature to help lower yours.