2023-09-22 23:30:00
02:30 AM Saturday 23 September 2023
DPA-
Following a healthy lifestyle keeps your brain healthy and prevents Alzheimer’s, according to an expert from the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, affiliated with the Cleveland Clinic.
Dr. said: Jessica Caldwell, a neuropsychologist and trained neurologist, said that it is known that anyone over the age of 65 is at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, noting that the brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease begin to occur up to 20 years before symptoms appear.
Brain disorder
Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that gradually leads to a decline in individuals’ ability to think, learn, organize, carry out daily activities, and remember important details. According to the World Health Organization, Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia and may contribute to 60-70% of the approximately 55 million cases of dementia worldwide.
The World Health Organization reports that there are approximately 10 million new cases of dementia every year, and this number is expected to rise in parallel with the increasing proportion of the elderly population in most countries.
Multifactorial disease
Dr. added: Caldwell, who serves as director of the Center for Alzheimer’s Prevention for Women at the Cleveland Clinic, said that Alzheimer’s disease is a multifactorial disease, explaining that the likelihood of a person developing, for example, the most common form of the disease, i.e. late-onset Alzheimer’s, is due to a group of factors that include aging, heredity, and medical history. In family, public health, and lifestyle behaviors, in addition to environmental impacts such as air pollution.
Researchers have identified many modifiable risk factors associated with the disease, and many lifestyle habits that can enhance brain function, although they cannot conclusively determine all the causes of Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. recommended. Caldwell by following these three tips, specifically related to lifestyle:
1. Exercising regularly: Exercising has immediate and long-term benefits for the brain, starting from increasing brain chemistry, which supports the health of its cells, to reducing factors such as chronic physical inflammation, which may harm the brain, according to Dr. Caldwell, who explained that exercise brings indirect benefits to the brain, such as improving mood and sleep, reducing stress, supporting heart health, increasing opportunities for social communication, lowering blood pressure, and reducing the risks of cholesterol and diabetes, all of which are benefits that reduce the risks of memory decline as the body ages. the age.
Dr. added: Caldwell: “It is recommended to engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week for long-term brain health, such as brisk walking, and the higher this target is for healthy adults, the better for them, up to 300 minutes per week, and if one is under 60.” Overall, frequent, high-intensity exercise remains best for supporting healthy brain function.”
As for people who have not exercised before, Dr. recommends them. Caldwell recommends getting a doctor’s approval before engaging in any exercise program, and suggests they include a cheerleading partner in the program, or pair the exercise with something the person enjoys, such as riding a stationary bike while watching TV, or walking while listening to podcasts.
2. Get enough sleep: Dr. said. Caldwell said lack of sleep may have an immediate and cumulative negative impact on brain performance. Conversely, sound sleep improves mood, sharpens intelligence, and enhances the retention of new memories in the long term. She added: “Sleep also gives our brains the opportunity to remove deposits, such as beta-amyloid protein, which can aggregate to form deposits that lead to Alzheimer’s.” The neurologist recommends that adults sleep for seven or eight consecutive hours.
3. Follow a balanced diet: Research shows that following a diet similar to the Mediterranean diet, rich in fish, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, olives, and nuts, helps maintain brain health and may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, according to Dr. Caldwell, who advised reducing red meat, full-fat cheese, butter, fried foods and sweets, and limiting alcohol consumption.
Dr. described. Caldwell calls Alzheimer’s prevention an “emerging science,” noting that there is a need to conduct more research and involve more volunteers in studies, and concluded by saying: “What we have discovered so far, however, is invaluable, and will help individuals live better lives.” “They live their lives to the fullest in their 80s and beyond.”
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