4 Lifestyle Changes That Can Help Delay Alzheimer's Disease
Posted on: 22 June 2015
Unfortunately, there isn't a cure for Alzheimer's disease at this moment in time. However, if this condition runs in your family and you're worried about developing it later in life, you may want to think about making some different lifestyle choices. There are certain changes in your life that you can make to help slow down or prevent cognitive decline.
1. Get Physically Active.
The best thing you can do for your brain and your overall health is to get active and stay active. Physical activity promotes the stimulation of your brain cells and the production of endorphins. Endorphins will help give you focus and mood a boost. According to the Alzheimer's Research & Prevention Foundation, regular physical exercise can cut your risk of Alzheimer's development by as much as 50 percent. You should engage in at least 150 minutes a week of cardio and strength training for optimal results.
2. Stimulate Your Brain.
The Alzheimer's Research & Prevention Foundation also says that mental stimulation can help improve your chances of avoiding Alzheimer's disease. In fact, with 20 minutes of mental stimulation a day, three times a week, you can reduce your risk of as much as 70 percent. Research suggests taking part in a brain training course that focuses on reasoning and speed may be able to help improve the sharpness of your brain for at least a decade and improve cognitive abilities. For brain stimulation exercises, think of crosswords, scrapbooking and painting.
3. Eat a Healthy, Nutritious Diet.
The food you put into your body has a direct impact on the health of your genes, which means that it you need to consume the right foods. According to the Alzheimer's Research & Prevention Foundation, you not only need to eat a diet that consists of 20 percent good fats, 40 percent lean proteins and 40 percent complex carbohydrates, but you need to eat some superfoods as well. You need to consume foods like blueberries, seaweed and spinach. Make sure to choose foods that are high in vitamins C and E to reduce free radical damage in the body and protect against memory loss.
4. Get More, Better Quality Sleep.
In order to function at full capacity, your brain needs to rest. Sleep deprivation will cause you to be tired and cranky, but it will also result in subpar problem solving, thinking abilities and more. According to research, the loss of quality sleep may result in brain damage due to the fact that brain neurons are lost. In addition, lack of adequate sleep has been linked to causing memory issues and may speed up the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Poor sleep is believed to actually be a trigger of the condition.
It is always easier to make choices that are good for your brain rather than trying to fix your affected brain after the damage has already occurred. If you've already started developing Alzheimer's, you may want to consider checking out an assisted living facility, like Grace Assisted Living. Assisted living facilities often have memory care programs that will help preserve your memory as long as possible.
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