Is It Possible To Prevent Dementias?

We speak of dementias in general terms at the moment in which some deterioration in the mental capacity of the person appears, when it is already difficult to lead an autonomous life. Loss of memory, orientation and reasoning may occur.

Surely you can already guess that the most common type of dementia is undoubtedly Alzheimer’s disease, which is a neurodegenerative disease that manifests itself as cognitive impairment and behavioral disorders.

However, strokes such as a stroke can also lead to the development of dementias.

Although it is clear that it is never within our possibilities to be able to avoid this type of disease 100%, it is worth knowing what we can do on a day-to-day basis to combat the appearance of these problems that, sometimes, do not depend only on our own age, or having or not having a family history.

Sometimes a thyroid problem with a lack of vitamins can cause us to have memory loss or mental deterioration that, therefore, has nothing to do with “senile dementia” that we almost always associate with this issue.

We invite you to learn more.

Is it possible to prevent dementias?

Neurologists tell us that there is no way to prevent us from suffering some kind of dementia tomorrow. However, in the event that, for example, we suffer a stroke, having a good cognitive reserve or being in good health will make the damage much less in the long term.

We can never forget that our brain has great plasticity, which is like a muscle that must be exercised to make it more skillful, with more neuronal connections and more tissues that will make it more resistant to any degenerative problem that we may suffer in the future.

If we avoid the consumption of drugs or other types of psychotropic substances that can cause cognitive deterioration, we may be more protected from dementias.

However, there are no specific factors that help reduce the risk of dementia incidence. Either way, it is always recommended to carry out a balanced diet and exercise regularly to keep us in good health.

We explain it to you below:

1. A proper diet

Think for a moment what your diet has been throughout the week. Do you usually eat a lot of sweets? Pre-prepared food? Do you add salt to your meals? Do you usually consume a lot of refined white flour? How many pieces of fruit do you eat a day?

Maybe we should make a few small changes. In order to prevent dementias and take care of brain health, we should follow these tips:

• Foods rich in antioxidants: Necessary to   protect neurons from chemicals such as free radicals, thus preventing their oxidation. So do not hesitate to include the following foods in your diet:
  • Oranges
  • Lemons
  • Grapefruits (grapefruit)
  • White tea
  • Green Tea
  • Strawberries
  • Blueberries
  • Ginger
  • Apples
  • Red grapes

• Foods with Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, such as those present in fish such as salmon, walnuts and avocado.

• Green vegetables like spinach and cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower …

2. Moderate exercise

Capitalize this fact: walking is associated with the preservation of cognitive health. So … why not start today?

We do not need to get tired nor do we need to reach the maximum of our efforts. Thus, it is enough to be constant and dedicate every day between half an hour and an hour to be active, to move, to start our heart and raise our pulsations.

When you come home and take a good shower, the feeling of well-being will be priceless. And your brain health will thank you!

3. Keep your heart healthy

What do we mean by “keeping our hearts healthy”? To several and important aspects that you must take into account:

• First, keep your cholesterol level regulated.
• Take care not to suffer from hypertension.
• Avoid smoking.
• Avoid food high in fat that favors the appearance of arteriosclerosis.
• Manage your stress and anxiety situations appropriately.
• Avoid being overweight.

4. Yes to take care of our social relationships

Do not stay at home, say no to hours and hours of television and encourage yourself to go out with your friends, with your relatives. Also enjoy laughter, jokes, new experiences no matter how old you are.

Dare to undertake that journey, to get out of the routine and sign up for all the courses you want. All of these are wonderful stimuli that will expand your cognitive reserve and that will allow you to enjoy a healthier and happier brain.

5. Yes to learning something new every day

A brain that falls into daily monotony is a brain that “rusts”, thus losing its agility day by day and beginning to have memory problems.

If we offer him daily stimuli, we offer him “other types of nutrients” with which to create new neural anchors, new connections that support learning and knowledge.

So, do not put walls to your curiosity: read, search, learn, look at things from a critical point of view and look for new truths, new incentives that will make your brain happy and that will allow you to avoid possible dementias.