It seems like almost every week, we’re learning more about how important our lifestyle habits are for potentially preventingdementia(defined as a decline in mental ability that impacts daily life). Recently, researchers have discovered thatwalking three times per week,eating a berry-boosted dietand scoring more than six hours of sleep per night can make a serious impact on your brain health throughout your lifespan.
And recently, we have a new clue about dementia prevention thanks to a study published in the journalScientific Reports. After analyzing data from more than 70,000 people between age 18 and 85 globally, scientists at the non-profitTranslational Genomics Research Institute (TGen)discovered that smoking and cardiovascular disease have a direct association with cognitive function.
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“These results suggest that smoking and cardiovascular disease impact verbal learning and memory throughout adulthood, starting as early as age 18,” saidMatt Huentelman, PhD, TGen Professor of Neurogenomics and the study’s senior author in apress release. “Smoking is associated with decreased learning and memory function in women, while cardiovascular disease is associated with decreased learning and memory function in men.”
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While the researchers are unsure why there is a gender difference, they plan to keep digging into this very important topic in hopes of saving lives and maintaining brain health. Vascular diseases are linked to elevated risk of Alzheimer’s disease, which is the nation’s sixth leading cause of death in America,reports the CDC.
For women who are already smoke-free, it’s still important to keep tabs on cardiovascular health. Nearly all of the13 things that could make you more likely to get Alzheimer’s disease(one form of dementia) align with heart-healthy habits. According to a recent study in the journalStroke, these include the American Heart Association’sLife’s Simple 8:
Rounding out the rest of the top 13 Alzheimer’s prevention strategies:
Focus on those 13 things and you’ll be well on your way to nurturing a healthy brain, heart and body.
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