New study by University of Michigan shows most people do not understand their risk of dementia, nor best ways to prevent it. Not understanding the risk, they may not make the best choices.
First reasonably assess your health. If you are in very good or excellent health, you have lowered your risk substantially. People in fair to poor mental health have the highest risk, however mental health by itself has low causality.
What can you do to lower your risk of dementia? Research has shown that regular exercise, a good diet, limiting alcohol and not smoking make dementia less likely. If you have chronic health problems like diabetes, take care of them. Surprising only ~5% of people ask their doctors during visits or physicals what to do to prevent dementia.
Vitamins and supplements have not been shown to help (I do take them). There are claims for mental exercises like puzzles. There is stronger evidence for playing chess, taking a class or reading about unfamiliar subjects.
Social activities and exercise like walking are valuable boosting attitude and health. See “Counting Little Wins” how to keep active and healthy mindsets.
Dementia is personal to me. There are no proven cures. My grandfather had Alzheimer’s ~6 years, my father had dementia symptoms 1.5 years after strokes, and my wife’s mother has dementia for the last 8 years. Seeing their struggles and downward trajectory are why sharing this information. Reasonable prevention will improve your and your family’s life.
Links to study and article below:
Perception of Dementia Risk and Preventive Actions Among US Adults Aged 50 to 64 Years
Americans don’t understand the dementia risk they face - MarketWatch
Counting Little Wins
No comments:
Post a Comment