As someone grows older, there is an obvious physical wear down. A person who is 82 is not going to be able to move as well as someone who is 28. We all know this and expect our elderly relatives to suffer from physical ailments and limitations. What we sometimes do not expect is when an older relative suffers from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Many find it painful when a loved one’s mental state slowly begins to suffer an unfortunate decline, eventually requiring placement in a nursing home or needing some kind of assisted living.
Are there ways to prevent the onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease? No one can offer any guaranteed steps that can prevent someone who is predisposed to suffer from such conditions. However, there has been research conducted that reveals means capable of helping an elderly person reduce his or her risks of suffering from conditions that can affect a mental state.
Again, no one is going to offer any simplistic solutions. There are six ways that can be help to prevent the onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
1.) Engage in a Regular Exercise ProgramÂ
Another name for Alzheimer’s disease is vascular dementia. As one would correctly surmise, this is a condition rooted in the degeneration of the heart and the blood vessels. The connection between Alzheimer’s disease and cardiovascular disease is fairly pronounced. About 80% of those who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease also have some level of cardiovascular disease. Among the best ways to reduce problems with the heart is to invest a good amount of time early in life exercising. Even those who may be getting up in age can likely discover a feasible exercise program to take part in.
2.) Eating a Good DietÂ
This ties into the first point. Diet, along with exercise, has the ability to reduce heart disease immensely. A good diet comes with many across the board benefits. Health benefits can be significant and these benefits can include a reduction in the potential for the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
3.) Live a Less Stressful Life
Yes, this one might be a little easy said than done to be sure. Yet, there are those persons who place themselves in difficult situations where they are constantly exposed to situations that forever increase their stress levels. A little bit of stress may be tolerable. Constant and consistent exposure to stress can weigh quite a bit on the mind. Over time, the strain of the stress can wear the mind down and eventual create a slow passage to mental health ailments. Alzheimer’s disease and dementia can be two of the unfortunate results of a life prone to nothing but stress.
4.) Engage in Activities that Promote RelaxationÂ
There are quite a number of different activities once could employ to promote relaxation. All of these steps can be healthy ones. Alcohol can promote relaxation. So can anti-anxiety drugs. The short term benefits, however, only lead to very serious long term problems. Not to be overly simplistic, but everything from walking to painting can both be helpful activities capable of promoting relaxation. Really, any particular activity you find relaxing and enjoyable can help calm the mind which, in turn, allows the mind to become healthier.
5.) Take Time Out to Challenge the Mind
Challenging the mind makes it stronger. A strong mind might become a much sharper one and this can allow it to, hopefully, withstand a decline in mental state. Sharpening the mind can be achieved in quite a number of ways. Completing a crossword, taking part in logic based games, reading a complex book, or learning a higher level of mathematics can all contribute to making the mind stronger. A strong mind just might even lead to a strong body.
6.) Have Regular Check Ups with a Doctor
The best way to address any illness, mental or physical, is to get to the problem long in advance of it becoming very serious. Regular checkups might even help set a course to preventing a difficult condition from ever occurring in the first place.
Taking such steps to help yourself is advised. Trying to get a loved one to follow these sames steps might be a little bit more challenging. The effort to do so is worth it.
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