How to Reduce the Risk of Alzheimer's Disease
Exercise 3-5 times per week., Eat a brain-healthy diet., Visit your doctor yearly for cholesterol and blood pressure checks., Control your blood sugar., Reduce your risk for Cardiovascular Disease and Atherosclerosis., Stop smoking., Drink more tea.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Exercise 3-5 times per week.
Regular exercise improves blood flow to the brain and can keep thinking and memory skills intact.
Being active also helps to decrease cholesterol and blood pressure
- two health issues that increase your risk for Alzheimer's.
An ideal goal is to do a combination of cardiovascular exercise (i.e. getting sweaty and getting your heart rate up) and strength training to build muscle.Walking and swimming are great for those new to exercise.
Aim for 30 minutes of cardio five times per week.
This is the President’s Recommendation for physical fitness.
Swim, run, do an at-home exercise tape – whatever gets your blood pumping.For those less in shape, even 40 minutes of brisk walking three times per week can be of benefit.Talk to your healthcare provider about any medical conditions before starting a new exercise plan. -
Step 2: Eat a brain-healthy diet.
There is a diet that may be designed to promote a healthy brain: the MIND Diet.
The MIND Diet combines a Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet (for lowering cholesterol).
The ten best brain foods in the MIND Diet are green leafy vegetables, any other vegetables, nuts (walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts are the best choices),berries (especially blueberries), beans, whole grains, fish, poultry, olive oil, and red wine.This is a great diet for your body, too, since it can also help lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
The top five foods to avoid are:
Red meats, butter and margarine, cheese, pastries and sweets (sugar), and fried or fast food.Fish contains omega-3s, which are great for brain health.
Eating fish one or more times per week may reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s by up to 60%.Vegetarian options high in omega-3s are chia and flax seeds.Red grapes contain a compound, resveratrol, that may help protect the brain.
Limited consumption of red wine may be beneficial.
As with any alcohol, drink only in moderation (e.g. one glass daily maximum).
Red grape juice is a good alternative., Your goal Total Cholesterol should be under 200 mg/dL, and LDLs (or “bad” cholesterol) below 100 mg/dL.
However, there’s no “lower limit” to what your cholesterol should be – in other words, the lower the better.Indeed, studies have shown that levels of LDL, especially in middle life, impact the risk for Alzheimer Disease.
Since hypertension has been consistently associated with risk of dementia, the average ideal blood pressure is 120/80, though that varies somewhat with age and medical conditions.
Talk to your doctor about your ideal blood pressure, and strive for that goal.
Cut as much salt out of your diet as you can to help your blood pressure.
Snack on fresh fruits and vegetables instead of potato chips, and season your food with herbs and spices rather than table salt.Mg per deciliter means there’s a milligram of cholesterol in every liter of your blood. , People with type 2 Diabetes may be more at risk for Alzheimer’s, because when the body has a problem with insulin it can cause injury to the neurons in the brain.Keep your blood sugar within a healthy range to avoid negatively affecting your brain health.
Diet, exercise, oral medications, and insulin injections can help.
Speak to your doctor about your diabetes.
You should always attempt to control your blood sugar for health reasons.
They can tell you what your blood sugar goal should be for your age and other medical conditions.
Exercise and diet are extremely important for controlling blood sugar, so talk to your doctor about a good diet and exercise plan for you to follow. , These conditions can increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, so it is important to find ways to reduce your risk.Talk to your doctor about how you can reduce your risk for these conditions, and thereby reduce your risk for Alzheimer’s. , Smoking is probably the risk factor for Alzheimer’s that you have the most control over.
Smoking is linked to heightened odds of developing the disease, with smokers older than 65 having maybe up to 80% higher risk than non-smokers., There are numerous health benefits of drinking tea, especially green tea.
Green, white, and oolong tea may be especially helpful in lowering Alzheimer’s risk.
Coffee can also benefit your brain, although not as powerfully as tea.
Try to drink 2-3 cups of tea a day. -
Step 3: Visit your doctor yearly for cholesterol and blood pressure checks.
-
Step 4: Control your blood sugar.
-
Step 5: Reduce your risk for Cardiovascular Disease and Atherosclerosis.
-
Step 6: Stop smoking.
-
Step 7: Drink more tea.
Detailed Guide
Regular exercise improves blood flow to the brain and can keep thinking and memory skills intact.
Being active also helps to decrease cholesterol and blood pressure
- two health issues that increase your risk for Alzheimer's.
An ideal goal is to do a combination of cardiovascular exercise (i.e. getting sweaty and getting your heart rate up) and strength training to build muscle.Walking and swimming are great for those new to exercise.
Aim for 30 minutes of cardio five times per week.
This is the President’s Recommendation for physical fitness.
Swim, run, do an at-home exercise tape – whatever gets your blood pumping.For those less in shape, even 40 minutes of brisk walking three times per week can be of benefit.Talk to your healthcare provider about any medical conditions before starting a new exercise plan.
There is a diet that may be designed to promote a healthy brain: the MIND Diet.
The MIND Diet combines a Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet (for lowering cholesterol).
The ten best brain foods in the MIND Diet are green leafy vegetables, any other vegetables, nuts (walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts are the best choices),berries (especially blueberries), beans, whole grains, fish, poultry, olive oil, and red wine.This is a great diet for your body, too, since it can also help lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
The top five foods to avoid are:
Red meats, butter and margarine, cheese, pastries and sweets (sugar), and fried or fast food.Fish contains omega-3s, which are great for brain health.
Eating fish one or more times per week may reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s by up to 60%.Vegetarian options high in omega-3s are chia and flax seeds.Red grapes contain a compound, resveratrol, that may help protect the brain.
Limited consumption of red wine may be beneficial.
As with any alcohol, drink only in moderation (e.g. one glass daily maximum).
Red grape juice is a good alternative., Your goal Total Cholesterol should be under 200 mg/dL, and LDLs (or “bad” cholesterol) below 100 mg/dL.
However, there’s no “lower limit” to what your cholesterol should be – in other words, the lower the better.Indeed, studies have shown that levels of LDL, especially in middle life, impact the risk for Alzheimer Disease.
Since hypertension has been consistently associated with risk of dementia, the average ideal blood pressure is 120/80, though that varies somewhat with age and medical conditions.
Talk to your doctor about your ideal blood pressure, and strive for that goal.
Cut as much salt out of your diet as you can to help your blood pressure.
Snack on fresh fruits and vegetables instead of potato chips, and season your food with herbs and spices rather than table salt.Mg per deciliter means there’s a milligram of cholesterol in every liter of your blood. , People with type 2 Diabetes may be more at risk for Alzheimer’s, because when the body has a problem with insulin it can cause injury to the neurons in the brain.Keep your blood sugar within a healthy range to avoid negatively affecting your brain health.
Diet, exercise, oral medications, and insulin injections can help.
Speak to your doctor about your diabetes.
You should always attempt to control your blood sugar for health reasons.
They can tell you what your blood sugar goal should be for your age and other medical conditions.
Exercise and diet are extremely important for controlling blood sugar, so talk to your doctor about a good diet and exercise plan for you to follow. , These conditions can increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, so it is important to find ways to reduce your risk.Talk to your doctor about how you can reduce your risk for these conditions, and thereby reduce your risk for Alzheimer’s. , Smoking is probably the risk factor for Alzheimer’s that you have the most control over.
Smoking is linked to heightened odds of developing the disease, with smokers older than 65 having maybe up to 80% higher risk than non-smokers., There are numerous health benefits of drinking tea, especially green tea.
Green, white, and oolong tea may be especially helpful in lowering Alzheimer’s risk.
Coffee can also benefit your brain, although not as powerfully as tea.
Try to drink 2-3 cups of tea a day.
About the Author
Marilyn Clark
Marilyn Clark is an experienced writer with over 8 years of expertise in non profit. Passionate about sharing practical knowledge, Marilyn creates easy-to-follow guides that help readers achieve their goals.
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