1. Take Care of Your Heart
It controls your blood pressure. High blood pressure can damage your heart and brain blood vessels. Normal levels must be under 140-90. Taking care of your blood pressure in the ages of 40 or 50 is a very good way of preventing dementia when growing old.
High blood pressure is asymptomatic.
High blood pressure is asymptomatic.
2. Control Your Glucose
Too much sugar in your bloodstreams increases the risk of suffering from diabetes. Diabetes is a chronical disease that damages blood vessels and predisposes myocardial heart attack, brain strokes and even dementia. Non-diabetic glucose values must be between 70-100 mg/dL.
3. Quit Smoking
Smoking hardens your blood vessels and diminishes the amount of oxygen that nurtures your brain. 14% of dementia cases are attributed to cigarette smoking. No matter how many cigarettes you smoke, the smoke is harmful for everyone around the smoker.
4. Control Your Cholesterol
Excess cholesterol is deposited in the arteries and it obstructs them in a progressive form, diminishing the circulation of the blood to important organs, like the heart and brain. Individuals should have their cholesterol checked on a regular basis to prevent the increased risk of dementia.
5. Control Your Weight
Obesity increases the risk of diabetes, cerebral and heart disease. A suitable weight is the balance between what we intake through eating and what we expend through physical activity or exercise.
6. Keep Yourself Physically Active
Being physically active increases calcium in the bones, improves body weight control, improves balance, increases the energy level and physically increases the general sensation of well-being.
7. Maintain a Healthy Diet
Moderate the consumption of dairy and eggs, increase the amount of fruits, vegetables, and fish, reduce the consumption of salt, alcohol, sweetened drinks, and red meat.
8. Stimulate Your Brain
- Perform simple calculations.
- Read a short text and try to memorize it.
- Embrace change.
- Listen to music that you like and gives you pleasant memories.
- Look for unknown words in the dictionary and write them down.
- Write an inventory of your house, or images, and try to visualize them in your mind (without looking).
- Play what you like: Chinese Checkers, Chess, Dominoes, Form-words, etc.
- Keep doing your normal activities: painting, writing, drawing, gardening, etc.
- Engage in mental exercises like word-search puzzles, sudokus, crosswords, etc.
- Learn new things like playing musical instruments, studying another language, learn to use the computer, beginning courses about what you like, etc.
9. Enjoy Social Activities
Explore new spaces where you can join in. Participate in group activities with friends, in community centers, groups of voluntary services. Enjoy time with your family. Try new things that you like.
