What can we do to stave dementia off?
In recent months I have articles I have written extensively about Dementia and some of the underlying causes, results, and effects. It is hardly surprising that in a recent News Corp’s Health of the Nation survey of 3100 Australians ranked the condition ahead of cancer as something that scares them.
More than half of respondents to – listed it now as the second-leading cause of death after coronary heart disease.
More than 400,000 Australians live with dementia, and this number is expected to double by 2058.
But some simple food and exercise tweaks – such as adopting the Mediterranean diet and training daily with weights – can help stave off the condition.
A daily serving of kale or spinach and drinking tea have been found to halve the risk of dementia. Eating berries also helps.
Meeting up with friends and family as often as possible, being adventurous, and learning skills are other useful strategies for brain health.
COLD, HARD TRUTH
Australians are living longer than ever but those extra years are plagued by chronic illnesses such as arthritis, heart disease, cancer, and dementia.
“We have almost doubled our lifespan in the last 150 years,” University of Sydney longevity expert Professor Luigi Fontana said.
“Not only Australians, but in all developed countries, because of the major advancements in medical treatment and hospitals and public health. But the situation is terrible from a health point of view.”
Ninety-nine per cent of people over 65 have at least one chronic health condition, and 93.7 per cent have two or more.
Disturbingly, 81.4 per cent of men and 69.4 per cent of women aged 65-74 are above a healthy weight, increasing their risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, muscle wastage and brittle bones.
They are carrying the extra kilos because only one in three meet the guidelines of 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most – preferably all – days.
People 70 and over continue to be the most likely to drink alcohol daily (19 per cent).
“Australians will be devastated to know that one drink a week (not a day, a week) starts to shrink your brain,” said brain function expert Helena Popovic, who wrote the book Can Adventure Prevent Dementia.
IT’s NOT TOO LATE
The good news is by changing your lifestyle “at any age you can change the trajectory”, Prof Fontana said.
She said probably 95 per cent of chronic health conditions – including 40 per cent of cancers – were preventable with a healthy lifestyle.
PRESCRIPTION FOR A LONG LIFE
Beyond the Mediterranean diet of vegetables, whole grains, fish and nuts, people over 70 should eat fermented foods such as yoghurt, kefir (fermented milk), kimchi or kombucha daily.
This will control gut bacteria, which British professor Tim Spector says for Alzheimer’s patients is less diverse.
People who consumed more than half a tablespoon of olive oil a day had a 19 per cent lower risk of dying from any cause, a Harvard study showed.
And over 70s need to reduce sitting time by getting up and moving every hour.
“We do have treatments for dementia, but they don’t come in the form of pills, or radiation or surgery, and therefore the medical profession writes them off,” Dr Popovic said.
“Exercise is the No.1 thing to do to protect your brain. Just 4400 steps a day starts to provide benefits if you’re over the age of 65. Aim for a walking speed of 360m in under six minutes or 1km in 16 minutes.”
Every 5kg reduction in grip strength is associated with a drop in mental function. Use a handgrip trainer or stress ball to improve your strength.
Dr Popovic recommends balancing on one leg without holding on to anything as balance is controlled by an area of the brain that also regulates thoughts and emotions – and can improve your mental health.
Stay on top of your dental health, as the mouth bacteria gingivitis can travel to the brain and damage the hippocampus – one of the main learning and memory centres of the brain.
Quit soft drinks and sugary drinks to protect the brain.
“Every soft drink is a bullet to our brain,” Dr Popovic said.
Undertake daily mental challenges such as crosswords and Sudoku, but once you become accomplished, they no longer challenge your brain.
Learning a second language, musical instrument or to dance was better for brain health, Dr Popovic said. Otherwise try quilting, digital photography or join a choir.
OSTEOPOROSIS
Six in 10 of those aged over 50 have osteoporosis or osteopenia – thinning bones – placing them at risk of fractures. A quarter of those who sustain a hip fracture will die within 12 months.
Griffith University’s Belinda Beck has devised a revolutionary strength program that is having grandmas lift weights as heavy as 70kg and reducing their risk of fracture by up to 95 per cent.
That outcome is better than the leading bone restoring medications, which cut hip fractures by 40 per cent.
