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Aging and genetics are the biggest risk factors for dementia, according to the U.K. nonprofitAlzheimer’s Society. Still, little lifestyle habits can make a big difference as well, a growing body of research suggests.
Admittedly, cognitive decline might seem like a far-off worry. But the habits you have today can definitely impact your risk level later on in life, studies prove. Everything fromnot smokingto eating fewer refined carbs and moredietary fibertosleeping seven to nine hoursand keeping yourbrain engagedcan reduce risk for cognitive decline that’s strong enough to impact daily living (aka dementia).
Currently, 1 in 9 American adults over age 65 have Alzheimer’s disease (one of the main causes of dementia). By 2050, when those who were born in 1985 will be 65, rates of Americans living with dementia are expected to more than double, theAlzheimer’s Associationpredicts.
Read on for more details about why walking might boost your brainpower, plus study up on a diet strategy that can help you feed your brain and decrease your risk for dementia even more.
Have a Family History of Dementia or Alzheimer’s? Here’s How to Protect Your Brain as You Age
What This Brain Health Study Found
To come to this conclusion, scientists from Australia and Denmark dove into data from theUK Biobank, a database of in-depth health information from about 500,000 U.K. residents. For this study, they selected 78,430 participants; 44.7% male and 55.3% female, with an average age of 61 at the beginning of the research. All were heart-disease- and dementia-free at the outset.
Doing This Healthy Habit Just 3 Times per Week Could Reduce Your Dementia Risk
This is one of manystudiesthat have found that staying in motion as you get older, even for a mere 10 minutes daily, can help your brain and body age at a slower pace. Regular exercise had a bigger impact on dementia risk than all of the following factors, according to anAlzheimer’s Society reviewof 11 studies:
More research is needed to explain exactly why movement is so important for your mind. That said, experts believe that it might be due to the way that exercise—includingwalking—can improve blood flow to the brain.
The Best Diet for Your Brain Can Also Halve Your Dementia Risk
That said, eating a healthy diet can most certainly affect cognition. After being counseled on and told to try theMIND dietfor 4½ years, those who stuck to the program most closely had 53% lower risk for Alzheimer’s disease compared to those who skewed the most away from the MIND diet, according to a September 2015 study in the Alzheimer’s Association journalAlzheimer’s & Dementia.
ICYMI, theMIND dietis an eating style that recommends consuming the following foods, according to theNational Institute on Aging:
Theworst foods for those following the MIND diet, or what to avoid: Red meat, added sugar, cheese, butter, margarine and fried foods.
The Bottom Line
Walking about 9,800 steps each day can slash dementia risk, this new brain-health study found—as can eating a brain-smart diet. So lace up those sneakers and stock up on these6 dietitian-approved foods you should be eating every day for better brain health; your mind and muscles will be better for it.
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