Wellness | 5 Ways to Prevent Alzheimer’s

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American neurosurgeon and CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta advises that in order to protect your brain you have to protect your body. He’s recommended five ways to start preventing Alzheimer’s now. As per the Alzheimer’s Association, “Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms eventually grow severe enough to interfere with daily tasks.” Signs of early-onset of Alzheimer’s begin between a person’s 30s and mid-60s though it is still unknown what triggers the disease. But factors such as: age, family history, Down’s syndrome, head injuries, and cardiovascular disease are known to increase the risk of developing the condition. It is important therefore to start doing all within one’s power to prevent being affected by the disease. Here’s Dr. Gupta’s verbatim advice:-

Get enough sleep (seven to nine hours)- During sleep, the brain heals and regenerates itself. The brain is a remarkably complicated organ. When you go to sleep at night, it’s taking the experiences you had throughout the day and consolidating them into memory. We’re learning that the brain is constantly going through this ‘rinse cycle’ at night. During that time, the brain clears away debris like plaques and toxins which can lead to dementia.
Move more- Movement is the most important thing you can do for the brain. When you move, it’s almost like you’re signaling to the body and to the brain, ‘I want to be here. I’m not ready to go. The brain specifically releases these things called neurotrophins. These good chemicals are sort of nourishing the brain.
Get regular exercise– To really benefit the brain, make movement a routine. Exercise, both aerobic and nonaerobic (strength training), is not only good for the body; it’s even better for the brain. The connection between physical fitness and brain fitness is clear, direct, and powerful. Mix up your routine: The brain likes doing and learning new things.
Eat better– What’s good for the heart is good for the brain. Clean living can slash your risk of developing a serious mind-destroying disorder, including Alzheimer’s disease, even if you carry genetic risk factors.” Clean living means clean eating, and that involves consuming less red meat and processed foods, more fruits and vegetables, and one brain food in particular: Berries, in terms of what they can do for the brain and some of these certain chemicals that they release, are probably going to be one of your best foods.
Socialise– We know that social interaction is so critically important. We are social creatures. We know that there are certain neurochemicals that are released when we actually can touch and look someone directly in the eye.” Social interaction is a major predictor of neurogenesis, or the creation of new brain cells, which staves off dementia.

Source- Eatthis.com