| Preventing or delaying dementia |
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10/02/2012 05:23 (104 Day 10:07 minutes ago) | |||||
 The FINANCIAL -- Anyone can come down with dementia, as the cases of more and more celebrities remind us. "In Germany alone, 1.3 million people currently suffer from the condition.The probability that any one of us could develop Alzheimer's or any other form of dementia by the time we're 90 is around one in three," explains Allianz expert Michaela Grimm.
Ever since Alois Alzheimer first described the disease named after him in 1906, there has been considerable progress in research into causes and effects. However it still has not been possible to find long-term relief from dementia, much less a cure.
Stay active. Passive lifestyles, i.e. lifestyles that do not involve much physical activity or exercise, favor the development of dementia. In fact, staying active for as long as possible helps to prevent a whole number of diseases. Scientists have proven that ample exercise in old age can reduce the risk of a decline in mental performance by around 50 percent.
Our brains need work. You are more likely to stay mentally active if you like to read, write, do crosswords, play a musical instrument or even if you like to talk a lot. The harder your brain has to work, the more active it stays in old age. Playing the piano, for example, works wonders for the memory because the fine motor skills you need to play improve the circulation to the brain at the same time. You can achieve the same effect by using two tennis balls that you move across your hands using your fingers. Scientific studies show that "brain work" reduces the risk of dementia.
Mental fitness. If you stop constantly challenging your brain, the network of connections between the brain cells starts to thin out. There are innumerable ways of actively training your brain. Why not try reading a few pages of your daily newspaper upside down. Or try to think of as many words as you can that contain "water" or "sun". You can also find plenty of books on training the brain in your local book store.
Eat right. A healthy diet, i.e. one that is rich in fruit and vegetables containing vitamins C and E, also lowers the risk of developing dementia. You should also make sure that fish is on your menu at least once a month. An excessively fatty, calorie-rich diet, on the other hand, can cause you to carry extra weight, disturbing the blood flow to the brain and, as a result, exposing you to a higher risk of dementia.
Bottoms up – a little less. Excessive alcohol consumption and smoking are "poison" to the human body. Both cause brain cells to die off, which may result in dementia.
A helthy heart. Cardiovascular conditions, such as high blood pressure, require systematic treatment. This can reduce any disruption to the blood flow in the brain and, as a result, the risk of dementia.
Diabetes and stress – a problem here as well. Diabetes mellitus and lipometabolic disorders, as well as extreme stress over prolonged periods, are risk factors for heart attacks and strokes. These are indirectly linked to a higher risk of dementia in old age.
Protect your ears. There is evidence suggesting that increasing loss of hearing can favor the development of dementia in older people. With this in mind, you should make sure that you protect your ears from unhealthy influences as well.
Happy thoughts. Depression is also one of the risk factors for dementia. Especially among younger people, depression can cause symptoms similar to those caused by dementia. Although a rare occurrence, people can be diagnosed with an early form of dementia from the age of only 30 if their depression is not treated. The effects of pollution. There is an increasing body of data to suggest that people who, for example, regularly come into contact with pesticides, poisonous heavy metals or dye solvents are at an increased risk of dementia. Try to protect yourself from harmful environmental influences as much as you can.
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