Since the early 1800s, when medical science first began to suspect that the human brain aged just like the rest of the body, doctors have been searching for ways to prevent, treat and possibly even cure dementia. Today, in a world where many of these cases turn out to be of the Alzheimer’s variety, it begs the question if people can make many behavioral changes that might delay or prevent altogether. While a cure, or even an effective treatment for the condition is still very far off, the good news is that there are some things we can all do right now to try and improve the outlook.
Stop Smoking and Cut Excessive Alcohol Consumption
Not only an expensive habit, but smoking cigarettes can drastically reduce life expectancy. Excessive alcohol consumption does more harm to the body than just waking up feeling rough after a night of heavy drinking. Getting tobacco out of your life and keeping any alcohol intake to a reasonable level might be able to reduce the change of getting or reducing the severity of it if you do come down with a form of the brain malady.
Keeping the Brain Healthy
While staying young is impossible, cognitive impairment may be common but can be avoidable with continues work and stimulation. Keeps the brain healthy and general bodily fitness works in its own way to help ward off one of human nature’s most pernicious ailments: dementia. According to this US home elevator site, you can keep the brain healthy by taking walks in nature, to swimming,
Avoid Accidents and Head Injuries
On the point of protecting your head, there can be a link between early and mid-life head injuries and later development of dementia. One of the most common ways people injure themselves at home is falling down a staircase. Things like elevators for the home, ramped walkways and lighted hallways help prevent falls in the home, especially for older people who already have mobility challenges. You need to be mindful of avoiding getting any kind of a head injury from a fall or by bumping into something you don’t see. A well-lighted home with an elevator is practically accident-proof.
Exercise Regularly and Eat Right
There’s plenty of evidence that demonstrates the value of moderate exercise and conscientious eating habits. Exercise like walking and yoga can help keep muscles toned and circulation at proper levels. Eating right is a key part of the equation too. Adequate protein intake and avoiding obesity are two things that might be able to lessen a person’s chances of having to deal with dementia in later life.
Monitor Your Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, and Weight
Three core components of healthy living are proper weight, good cholesterol levels, and average blood pressure. All three of these things are likely to have an effect on development, or avoidance, of dementia. Regular medical checkups are good but only do so much. In between visits, you can get a blood panel done to see if anything is out of kilter. Most clinics will do a complete blood panel (CBC) for a reasonable charge. Some insurance plans pay for one CBC per year. An in-home blood pressure monitor is another inexpensive way to track one of your key vital signs regularly.