Can Alzheimer’s be prevented?
Alzheimer’s is one of the biggest human concerns. Older people are more concerned about this issue, and this disease scares many people. Especially when we see the symptoms or, for example, the people we love get the disease. Of course, there is hope, and people can strengthen themselves and have a high motivation to continue living.
Research shows that people can reduce their risk of Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related illnesses by making lifestyle changes, so you need to learn to control risk factors and have a healthy lifestyle and abilities. Keep your mind up. Factors such as age and genetics are not controlled. However, there is still a healthy lifestyle option.
Experts believe that the risk of Alzheimer’s is not limited to the elderly. It can also occur before the onset of symptoms in young people.
So it is never too early to have a healthy lifestyle and prevent Alzheimer’s. The more you strengthen yourself, the healthier you are and the lower your risk of Alzheimer’s. The steps that we introduce to you in this section will help prevent this disease.
Useful and healthy ways to prevent Alzheimer’s:
Regular exercise
Research shows that regular exercise reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s by more than 50 percent and can also prevent other mental and physical problems.
Do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week.
Ideally, you should do aerobic and strength training together for beginners, such as swimming and walking.
Strengthen your muscles so that blood reaches the brain.
Doing endurance and strength training increases not only muscle mass but also promotes brain health.
Doing two to three strength-training sessions a week can halve the risk of Alzheimer’s in people over 65.
Use balance exercises.
Injuries from falls are more common with age. As a result, you are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s, so do exercises that help balance your body, such as yoga.
Social interaction
Many of us are isolated these days, and this age increases with age. It is never too late to meet new people and make new friends.
- Volunteer and join a community group.
- Get acquainted with different campaigns.
- Attend group classes such as clubs or universities.
- Get to know your neighbors.
- Go out with your friends every week and make an appointment.
- Go out and visit places like parks, museums, and public places.
Have a healthy diet
Researchers explain that metabolic disorders are linked to the body’s messaging systems and that you can regulate your eating habits, reduce inflammation, and protect your brain. Manage your weight because gaining weight is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. People who are overweight are twice as likely as others.
Weight loss will be followed by fatigue and constant tiredness.
Reduce sugar intake.
Foods containing sugar and processed carbohydrates such as white flour, white rice, and pasta increase blood sugar and stimulate the brain. There is a lot of sugar in the packaging of products that you should avoid consuming too much.
Use the Mediterranean diet.
The Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of mental health problems such as Alzheimer’s. The Mediterranean diet means consuming vegetables and beans, legumes, grains, fish, olive oil and reducing the consumption of processed foods.
Get enough omega-3 fats.
Omega-3 fats are healthy fats that prevent Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Food sources such as salmon, tuna, and other fish can be good supplements for fish oil.
Cook at home.
Cooking at home allows you to eat whole and fresh food and prevents sugar, salt, unhealthy fats, and preservatives.
Do not forget to eat fruits and vegetables.
The more you use them, the better. Use different fruits with different colors to increase their antioxidant and vitamin effects. For example, use raspberries with different colors and green leafy vegetables. Balance your fluid intake.
Stimulate the mind
Activities that require multiple functions and organized interaction and communication are useful for these people. So it would help if you took the time to stimulate your mind and do the following:
Learn new things.
Learning a foreign language, playing a musical instrument, or designing and learning to sew and dose are effective tasks, and you can also enroll in your favorite class and learn a new skill.
Eat with the opposite hand.
Try to change your habits so that your brain is challenged and active.
Upgrade your skills.
If you do not want to learn a new skill, you can challenge yourself with the same skills. For example, if you play the piano and do not want to learn a new musical instrument, you can learn a new piece of music and play it on the same piano.
Practice memory techniques.
For example, make a sentence in which the first letter reminds you of something you will remember.
Play games like puzzles or sudoku that challenge your mind. Cross paths and roads that you have been less involved in to challenge your mind.
Sleep quality
Nighttime sleep disorders affect your mood and make you more susceptible to Alzheimer’s disease. To improve sleep, you need to do the following:
- Have a regular schedule for yourself.
- To adjust your body’s circadian rhythm, go to bed at a set time and wake up.
- Your body clock responds to the order.
- Get all the technology out of your bedroom.
- Before going to bed, do something that relaxes you.
- Hot showers, stretching exercises, listening to soothing music, and turning off the lights are some of these activities, and you can make them a habit so that your mind responds better to them and you sleep better.
- Choose a quiet space
- When the stress of anxiety and worry keeps you awake, get out of bed and try to enter another room for 20 minutes and come back again.
Stress management
Chronic or persistent stress will disrupt your brain and destroy your memory power. It also affects nerve cells and increases the risk of Alzheimer’s. Stress management should be done exactly at any age and minimize its harmful effects.
Take a deep breath
Calm the stress response by breathing deeply into the abdomen.
Do relaxing activities
Control your stress, and techniques such as meditation, muscle relaxation, and yoga are very helpful.
Strengthen your inner peace
Worship and engage in religious activities such as meditation that will bring you peace.
Prioritize entertainment
Excessive work increases stress in mind. So spend time on activities that make you happy. For example, you may enjoy piano or cycling, so be sure to do so.
Maintain your sense of humor
The ability to laugh at yourself is the most important factor in preventing Alzheimer’s and depression and fighting stress.
Vascular health
Control your blood pressure because high blood pressure can increase your risk of Alzheimer’s and damage blood vessels in the part of the brain on which mental ability and memory depend. Blood pressure above 13 is considered blood pressure above 8.
Measure your cholesterol level
Studies show that there is a strong link between high cholesterol and the risk of Alzheimer’s. Especially people with high cholesterol in middle age.
Try to control yourself and not stress, which is good for both the brain and the heart.
Quit Smoking
Quitting smoking is one of the risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease. Studies show that smokers over the age of 65 are almost 80% more likely to develop Alzheimer’s. When you quit smoking, the brain will have many benefits, including improved blood flow.
Healthy foods for Alzheimer’s:
Green leafy vegetables
Vegetables positively affect brain health, so be sure to eat six servings of green leafy vegetables a week, such as spinach, lettuce, and other vegetables.
Whole grains
Eat three or more whole grains a day, such as whole-grain bread, to keep your brain young.
Nuts
To keep your brain healthy and control your appetite, eat at least a handful of nuts five times a week and eat nuts instead of sweets to have a healthier brain.
Fish
To prevent Alzheimer’s, eat fish such as salmon and salmon once a week, eat less red meat, and go for sausages and ready-to-eat meat products.
Chicken or turkey
Eat white meat like chicken and turkey twice a week instead of red because you like white meat to keep your brain healthy.
olive oil
One of the most popular fats that are best used for cooking and preparing salads is olive oil. To prevent Alzheimer’s, do not eat more than one teaspoon of saturated fats such as butter and margarine a day and avoid them.
yogurt
Probiotic products like yogurt are your brain friend. But researchers say they do not eat more than one serving of cheese a week because high cheese consumption can lead to Alzheimer’s.
Purple fruits
Use black plums, black grapes, blackberries, and purple water to help your memory and brain function twice a week.
Beans
To keep your brain active and aging, add beans to your diet at least three times a week and include legumes in your diet.