We talk a lot about how best to take care of your brain – but there’s another organ that’s important to look after in order to stave off dementia: your heart.
In an article published in The Conversation, Drs Alexandra Wade and Ashleigh Elizabeth Smith, and PhD candidate Maddison Mellow, from the University of South Australia say that dementia – which afflicts nearly half a million Australians, and could rise to 1.1 million by 2058 – shares key risk factors with cardiovascular disease, as an unhealthy heart and blood vessels starve the brain of vital oxygen.
“Without enough oxygen, brain cells can’t function effectively, and eventually die. Reduced blood flow also leaves the brain vulnerable to the plaques and tangles seen in forms of dementia,” they said.
The good news, the researchers say, is that up to 40 per cent of dementias can be prevented or delayed by adopting better health habits. These include:
- Eating two to three serves of oily fish per week – Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish like salmon, sardines and mackerel, have anti-inflammatory properties and can reduce blood pressure as well as supporting brain cell structure and function.
- Eating plant foods with every meal – this includes foods like leafy greens, extra virgin olive oil, and nuts. The Mediterranean diet, which includes a lot of plant foods, is well-known to lower blood pressure and keep the brain healthy.
- Cutting down on processed food – highly-processed foods like saturated fats and refined carbohydrates, as well as red and processed meats, can increase inflammation and heighten risk of illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and hypertension.
- Getting more exercise – physical activity can help deliver more oxygen to the brain, and forming habits is easier when you choose enjoyable activities and break up long inactive periods. Anything that raises the heart rate will do – even activities like gardening and household chores.
- Quitting smoking – smokers are 60 per cent more likely than non-smokers to develop dementia, but quitting dramatically lowers the risk, even to the same level as people who have never smoked before.
It’s never too early, or too late, to start making positive changes to your lifestyle, according to the researchers, with even small manageable changes – like eating oily fish instead of meat once a week, or using extra virgin olive oil instead of margarine or butter – bringing with them significant health benefits.
“Obesity and high blood pressure in midlife are key predictors of dementia risk, while diabetes, physical inactivity and smoking are stronger predictors later in life. Regular physical activity earlier in life can reduce blood pressure and decrease your risk of diabetes.
“Like giving up smoking, changes at any stage of life can reduce inflammation and change your dementia risk,” they said.
We’ll drink to that (in moderation, of course).
