1 week Ago By Anthony Orrico
While cognitive decline is something we'll all have to deal with as our mind ages, there are a number of things you can work into your daily routine every day that can help strengthen your brain and stave off conditions such as dementia as you enter your golden years. Many of the suggested exercises such as doing crossword puzzles or learning a new language can be time-consuming and require hours of your day you might not have while working a full-time job or raising a family. Luckily, there is a lot you can do in your daily life to control the rate and speed of cognitive and memory decline .
A study published in The Lancet medical journal in 2020 laid out several key, controllable risk factors that can help slow cognitive decline. The study found that things such as lack of exercise, smoking, and underlying conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes, could be the cause of up to 40% of dementia cases. How a dad made a friend dig his own grave and kill himself after raping daughter, 6 TSA reveals 11 new carry-on items you can take at any size - here's the full list “There’s a lot within your control that’s easy to do,” Gary Small, MD, chair of psychiatry at Hackensack University Medical Center told Oprah Daily.
Here are four healthy habits you can work into your daily routines that can help keep your mind sharp and stave off dementia. Exercise to prevent brain shrinkage “The number one thing you can do to delay the onset of dementia is to get enough physical exercise,” Small told the outlet. “It gets your heart to pump oxygen and nutrients to your brain cells and provides brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which acts like fertilizer to your brain neurons.
” He adds that this is especially important once you enter your 30s and 40s – when the part of your brain known as the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory retention — begins to shrink. DONT MISS: 100% fatal brain disease kills 2 in Oregon as another clings to life Cutting out one drink a day can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure Eat more mindfully A study published earlier in the journal Annals of Neurology found that a well-balanced and healthy diet can help slow the onset of dementia. This can also help slow your body's natural biological aging, according to the study.
This diet includes: · At least 2 daily servings of veggies, including one that’s leafy greens · 2 to 5 servings per week of berries · At least three daily servings of whole grains · At least five weekly servings of nuts and seeds · 3 to 4 servings per week of beans · At least one serving a week of fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, or sardines · At least two weekly servings of poultry · 2 tablespoons per day of extra-virgin olive oil Keep your vaccines up to date. This won't just stop you from getting sick, studies have shown vaccines can actually reduce your risk of developing dementia. Getting vaccinated against diseases like tetanus, diphtheria, shingles, and pneumococcus was found to be associated with a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a 2023 study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease .
Check your hearing—and your teeth. While your hearing and tooth health might not present themselves as being connected to your mental and brain health they very much are. Every minor hearing loss can contribute to cognitive decline.
According to a 2019 study published in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery . Additionally, bacteria responsible for gum disease have also been linked to dementia. Brushing and flossing every day can help keep not only your mouth healthy but your brain too.
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