HOW TO CUT YOUR RISK
According to Dr Macsweeney, around a third of Alzheimer’s risk factors are modifiable, such as weight, diet, exercise, sleep and keeping mentally active.
● As with many diseases, a healthy diet
and lifestyle can help prevent the onset of symptoms. Following a Mediterraneanstyle diet appears to be protective, as it provides plenty of fruit and vegetables (for vitamins, minerals and antioxidant polyphenols, which reduce inflammation), plus wholegrain cereals, beans, oily fish, dairy products and olive oil, but is low in red meat and sugar.
● Cardiovascular
exercise improves blood flow to the brain and research shows that being active (more than 150 minutes of exercise per week) in midlife is linked with better brain health as you age. ● Avoid smoking, keep alcohol intake within recommended limits and get sufficient sleep. Maintaining normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels (with medication if necessary) is also important.
● Stimulating your brain by learning new skills and doing puzzles may also help strengthen connections between brain cells so they are less likely to be pruned away. ● People who sauna bathed four to seven times a week were 66% less likely to develop dementia and
65% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s compared with those who did not, according to Finnmark Sauna. It’s unclear why, but it may relate to lower levels of inflammation and improved cardiovascular health.
● As I often swim in the sea, I was also captivated by research from Cambridge University that suggests a protective ‘cold-shock’ protein was found in the blood of people who regularly swim in winter. This protein seems to slow the onset of dementia and may even repair damaged neurons as part of a natural hibernation mechanism triggered by cold. While research is in its early stages, it makes my daily swim even more enjoyable!
DID YOU KNOW? Having an afternoon nap is linked with better memory in the over-60s.