BRAIN HEALTH: HOW TO REDUCE YOUR RISK OF DEVELOPING DEMENTIA

One in every seven Americans older than 71 years of age has some form of dementia, most commonly Alzheimer’s disease.  Currently five million people in the U.S. currently suffer from Alzheimer’s and by 2050 the cases of Alzheimer's are projected to reach 16 million.   However, new research has proven that you can do some things to reduce your risk of developing dementia.

Nutrition Tips for Keeping Your Brain Healthy

In addition managing your weight, following a heart healthy antioxidant rich diet can help to reduce the risk of dementia.  Multiple studies have found that the 'MIND' diet, significantly reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.  Researchers developed the MIND diet by reviewing the body of evidence on how different dietary factors influence brain health. The MIND eating plan combines aspects of the heart healthy Mediterranean diet with certain features of the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, both of which emphasize taking in plenty of fruits and vegetables and regularly eating beans, nuts, and whole grains while limiting meat, sugar, dairy fat, and deep fried items. The MIND diet specifically calls to:

Eat More of these	Recommended Intake
Whole grains	3+ servings daily (serving = ½ cooked grains/1 slice of bread)
Nuts	Eat daily (serving = 1.5 oz or 1/3 cup)
Beans	4+ servings per week (serving = ½ cooked beans)
Fruits	Berries, especially blueberries and strawberries at least 3 times per week (serving = ½ cup)
Vegetables	Include dark leafy greens (e.g. kale, spinach, collard) plus at least one other vegetable serving each day. (serving = 1 cup leafy green or ½ cup for others)
Poultry	2+ times per week (serving = 3 oz. cooked/size of deck of cards)
Fish	2+ times per week, especially fatty fish (serving size = 3 oz. cooked/size of deck of cards)

Eat less of these	Recommended Limit
Cheese	1 serving per week or less (serving size = 1 oz. / size of 2 dice)
Butter & stick margarine	Less than 1 Tablespoon daily.  Use olive oil instead.
Sweets and sugary beverages	5 times or less per week   (serving size 100-200 calories)
Red meat	12 oz. or less per week.
Deep fried and fast food	Once per week or less

Additional Brain Healthy Lifestyle Factors

Besides eating a brain healthy diet, here are some additional tips to promote long term brain health:

Exercise, Exercise, Exercise:  Studies have shown that it does not matter what form of exercise you choose. Anything from water aerobics to hiking will work, but the frequency and intensity does matter. In fact, in one study of nearly 1500 people who were tested at midlife before displaying any symptoms of dementia and then tested again between 65-79 years of age, those who exercised at least two times each week during middle age had a significantly decreased risk of dementia development, even after all other variables were ruled out.

Doing challenging physical activity increases blood flow and oxygen to the brain, and helps to form new cells. In fact, physically active people actually have a larger hippocampus, the area of the brain that helps with learning and memory. Physical activity also produces endorphins and other “feel good” chemicals that lead to calming and improved focus. It appears that the more energy expended during physical activity, the greater the reduction of risk. Even after dementia has begun to develop, exercise can improve concentration and brain plasticity.  

Maintain a Healthy Weight:  Research indicates a strong relationship between maintaining a healthy weight and decreased risk of dementia.   Individuals who are obese, especially those with central obesity (weight in the abdominal area) appear to have higher risk for developing dementia. In one study of 6500 individuals within the Kaiser Permanente Northern California system, those with the largest abdominal measurement had three times the risk of developing dementia, compared to those with the smallest waist measurement.

Think Positively & Be Friendly: Depression is positively linked to a person’s chance of developing cardiovascular disease, which in turn is linked to development of vascular dementia.  Similarly, persons who maintain positive social relationships (spouses, family, friends, etc.) appear to have better brain health outcomes.

Control & Treat Chronic Diseases: Diabetes is linked to development of dementia. Control of preexisting diabetes and prevention of diabetes is critical to maintaining brain health.  Similarly, uncontrolled high blood pressure is also linked to the development of both Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.

Get Enough Sleep: Sleep deprivation temporarily decreases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which is crucial for storing information.  Many studies have also found a correlation between chronic sleep deprivation and increased rates of heart disease, which in turn puts one at risk for decreased brain health.

Quit Smoking, If You Smoke: Smoking increases your risk of developing cerebrovascular disease, a condition that causes your brain to not receive all of the blood necessary to operate properly.