We came across this great list by Deakin University researcher Helen Macpherson this week and thought we’d share:
- Stimulate your brain – having less than ten years of formal education can increase the chances of developing dementia, but you can still strengthen our brain at any age, through activities such as reading newspapers, playing card games, or learning a new language or skill.
- Be social – visiting or talking on the phone to family and friends and relatives has been shown to lower risk of dementia while loneliness may increase it.
- Manage your weight and heart health – high blood pressure and obesity have been linked to more than 12 per cent of dementia cases so reversing these conditions using medication, diet and exercise is vital.
- Get more exercise – most Aussies don’t meet the target of 150 minutes of physical activity per week, but it has been proven to protect against cognitive decline – by up to 38 per cent compared to people who were inactive in one study.
- Don’t smoke – if you needed another incentive to quit, dementia risk is higher in current smokers compared with past smokers and non-smokers.
- Get help for depression – depression can cause changes that may affect dementia risk. One study found that having depression before the age of 60 increases dementia risk, so it’s important to seeking treatment.
Of course there’s no guarantee that you will never develop dementia. But with up to 35 per cent of all dementia cases preventable, why not do something to reduce your risk?
