Hi, Fellow Community Members!
If you follow our blog, you may recall our blog post back in February of 2016 entitled “How Old Do You Want To Be?”
http://www.homehelpershomecare.com/bradenton/blog/2016/02/how-old-do-you-want-to-be
When we discussed the idea of subjective age in that blog post, we defined that as how you feel and how you define that feeling for yourself. In that blog, I said, “There is evidence that indicates that we can live longer and better lives if we make healthy choices. By doing so, you can lower your chance of having a chronic condition or disease and can improve your cognitive functioning. There is an article I read recently on healthaffairs.org that indicates only about 30 percent of aging is explained by genetics. The other 70 percent is due to lifestyle and environment. So what does this tell you? Your decisions play a very large role in how you age, more so than genetics.”
Think of Alzheimer’s similarly. While some of us may be genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s, it is largely a preventable disease. A life with a lot of stress, lack of exercise, and an unhealthy diet high in sugar and trans fat all contribute to Alzheimer’s. As a senior home care provider caring for many of our community members with Alzheimer's and Dementia, we feel it to be very important to promote ways to boost prevention. Listed below are just a few of the many ways to prevent Alzheimer’s naturally.
Preventing Alzheimer's Naturally
Manage your stress: Find ways to manage your stress levels such as meditation, yoga, exercise, socializing, etc. Stress erodes the mind and body. Stress produces a hormone called cortisol that actually kills brain cells. Read this article to learn more about the dangers of chronic stress: http://bebrainfit.com/effects-chronic-stress-brain/
Exercise: The CDC recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly. By doing so, you can improve your memory performance in just 12 weeks. According to studies, people who regularly exercise are one-fourth as likely to develop the disease. Here’s a short article about exercise and its benefits: http://www.mayoclinic.org/alzheimers-disease/expert-answers/faq-20057881
Maintain a healthy and nutritious diet:
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Green leafy vegetables such as spinach and broccoli as well as fruits such as pomegranates, wild blueberries, strawberries and apples have been scientifically proven to prevent Alzheimer’s. These fruit and vegetables are loaded with antioxidants that help fight free radical damage. Chocolate, vitamins C & E, and green tea also provide antioxidants. Here’s a small piece about the benefits of blueberries: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/03/160314084821.htm
- Omega 3 fatty acids such as those found in fish oils can help prevent Alzheimer’s. You can also find these in seeds, including hemp and flax.
Monitor your cholesterol, blood pressure, and weight. Studies have shown that those with high cholesterol, high blood pressure and that are obese are far more likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s than those who maintain a healthy body weight and healthy diet.
Exercise your mind on a daily basis. Challenge yourself! Research has shown that mental stimulation can help to prevent Alzheimer’s. Ideas: Learn another language, travel and experience something different, learn to play a musical instrument, do puzzles, etc. Keep that mind working and learn something new every day, even if it’s something as simple as adding a new word to your vocabulary.
- Jonathan Marsh, Home Helpers
Thanks for reading our blog. At Home Helpers, we look to not only make life easier but to also make a difference in our clients’ lives. It is truly an honor to have an opportunity to work with members of our community and we take the trust bestowed to us very seriously.
Contact Home Helpers of for your Alzheimer's and Dementia Care Needs
For information about how Home Helpers can serve you and your family, call (941) 499-5946, email JMarsh@HomeHelpersHomeCare.com or visit Alzheimer's and Dementia Care Bradenton FL - Home Helpers. Our senior home care services including homemaker care, companion care, personal care, Alzheimer's and dementia care, respite care, 24 hour care & live-in care, and monitoring and medical alert services.
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