As we age, so does our body and mind, and with many elderly people suffering from dementia, it is understandable for a person to be concerned about losing their mental faculties as they enter old age and retirement. Here are some tried and tested things that you can do to reduce the risk of dementia.
- Stay Active – A healthy body is a healthy mind, or so the saying goes, and we should all exercise daily, especially those over 40, as long periods of inactivity are not good for your health. The human body is designed to work, and if you have a short morning and evening stretch program and a short walk in the park, this would ensure that you are active. You could take up cycling, which is a good all-round workout for all the major muscle groups, plus it is refreshing to breathe fresh air, which helps to build a healthy appetite.
- A Balanced Diet – With organic veg box delivery in Melbourne, you can order organically grown fruit and vegetables and they will be delivered to your door, plus the produce keeps in the fridge, which means a weekly fruit and veg box will ensure you have the right vitamins, minerals and nutrients for a balanced diet. Avoid too much of anything, especially sugar and with regular check-ups, you can monitor your health, and there are free online resources to help you create a weekly diet plan.
- Mental Activity – Research shows that people who use their brain regularly, are less likely to suffer from dementia, so do crosswords, play chess, or play any game that requires you to think. Other activities include learning a new language, study a course that interests you, play board games and reading challenging books. If we use our mind for a specific thing on a daily basis, this create neuron pathways, and these connections are important and using your mind is known to reduce the risk of dementia. If is not a coincidence that active people handle ageing much better, and with regular mental activity that challenges the brain, you will maintain a sharp and active mind. Here are a few great activities to prevent dementia, which makes for an informative read.
- Quit Smoking – If you do smoke, this is something that can have serious impact on your health, especially your mind, and with nicotine gum or vaping, you can wean yourself off this highly addictive substance. Research tells us that smokers have a higher risk of suffering from dementia, which is more than enough of a reason to quit.
- Drink Alcohol in Moderation – While we should take everything in moderation, heavy drinking would greatly increase the chances of suffering with dementia and other mental issues. A glass of wine per day is said to be good for you, and the odd cold beer, but do keep an eye on the number of units you drink. If you are unsure how much alcohol you should drink, click here.
If you follow the above advice, you should be healthy and the chances of suffering from dementia will be greatly reduced.