Here is a video on Dementia Prevention:
Robina 7 Day Doctors and Acupuncture recommends this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXU8aVHF0gk
So what can we do to reduce our risk of dementia? What should we do more of, and is there anything we should really avoid?
What we’ve been doing for the last ten or twenty years is to work out what we can do when we’re in our fifties or our sixties that will just decrease that chance of us developing dementia later on.
Diabetes
There is a clear link between type 2 diabetes and dementia – in fact having untreated diabetes increases your risk of dementia 3-fold. If you already have diabetes, making sure it is carefully managed will lessen the likelihood of cognitive decline.
Exercise
The brain needs oxygen to function well, and so a good cardiovascular system is important. That means doing some aerobic exercise. In midlife especially, moderate exercise has been highlighted as having a potentially significant impact in reducing your risk. And smoking is therefore also a big risk factor for dementia – give it up to help save your brain!
Diet
There’s always a lot in the media about diet and dementia. In fact, the evidence is fairly limited, but a Mediterranean diet is likely to be the best for your brain – rich in fibre, fish (with their omega 3 oils) and possibly with the odd cup of coffee and glass of red wine.
Taking up a new hobby
People often think that doing puzzles or brain training is good – but the key is that whatever you do has to be new. So if you’ve always done crossword puzzles, then carrying on with them is not going to do you much good. What you need is to take up new, brain-stimulating hobbies as you get older. And if you can combine those with a social aspect, such as joining a club, then that’s even better (this is why hearing loss can be a risk factor for dementia – it can be socially isolating, so if you can, use a hearing aid!)
new hobby
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