do you know? Every three seconds, there is another person living with dementia in the world.
According to statistics, there are currently about 50 million dementia patients in the world. It is expected that the number will increase to 152 million by 2050, and there will be a new dementia patient every three seconds.
Speaking of dementia, everyone may think of Su Daqiang – Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, dementia includes many diseases, including vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, mixed dementia, etc.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common and most common form of dementia (hereinafter referred to as “dementia”).
Dementia is a very cruel disease, like an eraser, erasing our memories bit by bit, causing the sick person to not recognize their family members and find their way home. In the late stages of the disease, patients may be unable to take care of themselves and require 24-hour care from family members.
Are we really helpless in the face of Alzheimer’s disease?
of course not.
Although there is currently no way to reverse the process of dementia, we can prevent and intervene in advance to delay the onset of dementia. If dementia does not occur at the end of life, this is also a major progress in medicine.
Let’s take a look at some ways to prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
01
Managing these 12 risk factors can prevent at least 40% of dementia!
At present, scientists have identified 12 factors related to dementia. Managing these 12 factors can prevent at least 40% of dementia:
1) Education level
A high level of education at an early age and continued lifelong learning can significantly reduce the risk of dementia.
Learning can increase the cognitive reserve of the brain. High cognitive reserve has a low incidence of dementia even after experiencing multiple impairments later in life. Conversely, low cognitive reserve may lead to early onset of dementia.
2) Listening
Hearing loss increases the incidence of dementia, especially in people over 55, possibly because hearing loss reduces cognitive stimulation. If hearing aids are used to treat hearing impairment, the incidence of dementia can be reduced.
3) Exercise
Exercise can protect our cognitive function, which is related to the fact that physical exercise can improve balance function, reduce falls, improve mood, and reduce depression.
4) Diabetes
Diabetes is a well-established disease that increases the risk of dementia, and the longer you have diabetes and the more severe the condition, the greater the risk of dementia.
5) High blood pressure
Especially high blood pressure in middle age may reduce brain volume and white matter density, increasing the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease.
6) Obesity
Obesity (BMI ≥ 30) not only increases the risk of stroke, but also accelerates brain shrinkage and increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
7) Smoking
Smoking increases cardiovascular events and the smoke produced by smoking is neurotoxic. Smokers have a higher risk of developing dementia than non-smokers. Passive smoking also has risks.
8) Depression
Depression is related to the occurrence of dementia, and the mechanism may be multifactorial. For example, depression affects hormone levels, nerve growth factors, and hippocampal volume.
9) Social activities
Social activities can increase cognitive reserve and reduce the incidence of dementia. Less participation in social activities can lead to cognitive inactivity and increase the incidence of dementia.
10) Traumatic brain injury
Traumatic brain injury increases the risk of dementia. Severe brain trauma (skull fracture, intracranial hemorrhage, etc.) has a higher risk of dementia than mild brain trauma (concussion), and multiple brain trauma has a higher risk than a single brain trauma.
11) Drinking alcohol
For both men and women, excessive drinking can lead to brain damage, reduced memory and learning abilities, and early symptoms of dementia.
12) Air pollution
Exposure to PM2.5, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide all increase the risk of dementia. Animal tests show that particulate pollutants in the air accelerate brain aging.
02
To stay away from Alzheimer’s disease, do these 15 things from today!
Preventing dementia is not done in old age, but now. In order for us to have a vibrant brain, starting from today, do these 15 things:
1) Control blood sugar
Those with diabetes should control their blood sugar within the normal range; those with normal blood sugar are recommended to have regular checks, including fasting blood sugar, 2-hour postprandial blood sugar, or glycated hemoglobin.
2) Control blood pressure
For those who already have high blood pressure, the systolic blood pressure should be controlled below 130mmHg around the age of 40; the target blood pressure for those over 80 years old should be below 150/90mmHg. For those with normal blood pressure, it is recommended to measure blood pressure regularly.
3) If you are overweight (BMI>25), it is recommended to lose weight.
4) Protect your head to avoid head trauma.
5) Don’t smoke and avoid exposure to tobacco smoke in the environment.
6) Reduce travel in areas with severe air pollution.
7) Exercise regularly every week. It is recommended that the total exercise time per week is 150 minutes.
8) Maintain good mental health. For patients with depression, it is recommended to consult a doctor and receive active treatment.
9) Don’t drink alcohol. The total amount of alcohol consumed in a week should not exceed 1500ml of red wine or 400ml of white wine.
10) Protect your hearing. Avoid long-term exposure to noise and encourage the use of hearing aids if hearing loss occurs.
11) Receive as much education as possible during your teenage years and maintain the habit of lifelong learning.
12) Increase mental activities, such as reading, learning a second language, learning musical instruments, playing chess, traveling, etc.
13) Regularly participate in social activities, especially the elderly who live alone or are widowed, their families should encourage and support them to participate in social activities.
14) Maintain good sleep. If you have sleep problems, such as difficulty falling asleep, waking up early, and sleep apnea, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
15) The Mediterranean diet is recommended, which means reducing the intake of meat and milk and increasing the intake of vegetables, fruits, cereals, and fish.
For the elders in the family, letting them keep learning to prevent Alzheimer’s disease may not be suitable for everyone, but we can accompany them or participate in social activities together. Even if one day the memories of our elders are erased bit by bit, I hope we will still be around.
