GREENSBORO, N.C. — Research suggests that nearly 40 percent of people who get dementia can delay and lessen problems by taking a few preventative steps. But to protect your brain, the Alzheimer's Association says it starts with protecting the rest of your body.
"We want to think about adopting healthy lifestyle habits that are going to improve the health of our heart that are going to improve our blood. That is essentially how our brain gets its nutrients to function," said Dr. Courtney O'Donohue.
The Association says this breaks down to four areas of changes you can make. First moving: whether it's a morning walk around the block or hitting the gym - just get your body moving. Second, eating: try to eat foods that control your cholesterol and blood sugar. You want to make sure your heart is healthy so your brain can get all the blood and oxygen it needs. Third, playing: keep in contact with those friends. research shows social time can keep your brain active. Fourth, learning: challenge your brain to learn something new - like trying a new recipe or a new skill on the computer.
"It's never too early to adopt these habits," O'Donohue said. "But the earlier we can think about this and make the changes because when we think about Alzheimer's and dementia, that's happening in our brains years before we see those symptoms."
If you want to learn more details about protecting your brain, there Alzheimer's Association is offering a free webinar on June 1 from 10:30 to 11:45. You need to sign up for it online first here.
According to orgnaization here's what you'll learn:
"This program offers science-based recommendations about taking care of our brains and bodies. While there are currently no proven methods to prevent cognitive decline or dementia, research has shown that we can take action to reduce our risk of developing it and help maintain or potentially improve overall health.
This programs covers these aspects of healthy living:
Getting quality sleep
Being smoke-free
Taking care of your mental health
Getting moving Eating healthy
Challenging yourself
Staying connected
We’ll share stories and offer tips on how to make small changes in each of these areas to build healthier habits. Healthy Living for Your Brain and Body is designed for individuals of any age who are looking for information on ways to live well. "