One of the biggest fears faced by people who age is senility. Whether it’s Alzheimer’s or other memory robbing condition, it makes people dependent on others and robs them of their memories. You don’t have to accept it as a fate. There are ways to fight dementia and senility that help prevent or slow the progress of these types of diseases and create a better quality of life.
Losing weight is a start.
Maintaining a healthy weight through healthy eating is important. It helps prevent high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol that can impair cognitive thinking. Inflammation of the blood vessels is another cause of mental aging. It causes accumulation of fat and cholesterol in the arteries lowering the oxygen level to the brain. Curcumin, found in turmeric, helps prevent inflammation and protects the brain. It does more than that, it boosts memory and helps new brain cells to grow. Some believe it can clear the amyloid plaque that may be the cause of Alzheimer’s.
Working out does more than reduce depression in seniors.
A study in 2017 followed seniors, with one group walking briskly three times a day and the other continuing their normal life without change. It showed that those who walked not only lowered their blood pressure, they actually boosted their cognitive skills, too. Scientists found the e4 gene—APOE epsilon4—which was part of the genetic makeup of those at risk for Alzheimer’s. They conducted an 18-month study with four groups. Two groups had the gene and two didn’t. Of those without it, one group exercised and one didn’t. The same was true for the two groups with e4. At the end of the 18 months, only the group with the e4 gene that didn’t exercise had major atrophy in the area of the brain’s hippocampus, the first sign for the onset of Alzheimer’s.
Make sure you have all the nutrients your brain needs.
Your body needs not only nutrients, but a balance of them as well. To maintain a healthy brain, you need Omega-3 fatty acids and Omega-6. While you may be getting an adequate amount, you also may be blocking its action with too much omega-6 fatty acid. You need both, but the body doesn’t produce either, so you get them from what you eat. The ratio of Omega6 to Omega3 should be anywhere from 2:1 to 4:1 but in the American diet, it’s almost 25:1. Omega 6 is inflammatory and Omega3 is anti-inflammatory. The brain is 60 percent fat and of that, half of it is Omega-3. It’s a building block and has been shown to help prevent Alzheimer’s and other brain decline. An imbalance with too much Omega6 is linked to aggression and depression. Seed oils like sunflower, corn and soybean oil are high in Omega6. Coconut oil, butter, salmon or fatty fish and avocados are high in Omega3.
- Eat some eggs for a boost memory. It contains choline and other B vitamins that help with brain functioning. Tree nuts also help cognitive functioning and aid in preventing brain damage.
- Green tea has caffeine to boost concentration and L-theanine. L-theanine crosses the blood-brain barrier to help you stay alert, yet relaxed. The antioxidants and polyphenols in green tea boost memory.
- Lower your risk of dementia by 122% by getting adequate vitamin D. Exposure to the sun in a healthy manner can help, so can beef liver, egg yolks and legumes.
- You might not expect some things that cause seniors to display symptoms of dementia. Dehydration and bladder infections can create confusion. Chronic use of anticholinergic drugs for sleep and allergies, like Dramamine, Benadryl, Unison and Advil PM can lead to dementia.