Healthy Habits to Help Prevent Alzheimer's Disease

June is Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month.

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive form of dementia that affects memory and cognition and can severly hinder your quality of life as you age.Scientists aren't sure of the cause of Alzheimer's disease, and there's no way to prevent the condition. Fortunately, research has identified certain things you can do to decrease your risk of developing this disease.

Here are some helpful tips to use so you can become more aware of the early signs of Alzheimer's and learn how to prevent Alzheimer's naturally.

Revamp Your Lifestyle and Embrace Healthy Living Habits

The way you live has a profound impact on the way you age. While Alzheimer's disease is not entirely avoidable, there are things you can do to stay mentally sharp and enjoy your golden years.

Committing to a healthy lifestyle is an essential part of Alzheimer's prevention. Research has found that a combination of lifestyle factors can substantially reduce the risk for Alzheimer's disease and dementia. These factors include exercise, changes in diet, and avoiding excessive alcohol use.

Here are some simple yet effective strategies to help you embrace a healthier lifestyle.

• Get moving - While regular exercise is vital to stay physically fit, aerobic exercise has been found to enhance cognitive function, improve memory, and safeguard against disease progression for those at risk of Alzheimer's disease. A jog around the block or thirty minutes on a stationary bike can be powerful, effective ways to boost your brain health.
• Check your blood pressure - Hypertension can cause significant damage to your vascular system, which increases your likelihood of developing Alzheimer's. One of the best ways to prevent Alzheimer's naturally is to keep your blood pressure in check. Reduce your salt intake and monitor your blood pressure daily if you are at risk of developing hypertension.
• Take brain health supplements - There are many vitamins and supplements which have shown promise in boosting cognitive health. These types of nootropics can help improve brain functioning and help increase levels of creativity and motivation. For example, Dihexa is a nootropic supplement that research has found can help reduce the amount of brain atrophy that occurs in Alzheimer's. A study conducted in 2017 showed that Dihexa can help boost memory and improve cognitive functioning in mice who experienced significant cognitive impairment.
• Stay socially active - Maintaining strong bonds with friends and family and enjoying an active social life are two powerful, natural ways to strengthen neural connections in the brain as you get older. Social isolation is connected with increased rates of dementia and depression, especially once you reach retirement age and become less engaged with your community. When you regularly attend social events such as outings and dinner parties, you are often engaged in lively conversation with those around you. While these may seem like trivial activities, such activities are an excellent way to improve mental sharpness and decrease your chances of Alzheimer's.
• Revamp your diet - What you eat impacts your overall physical health and cognitive wellbeing. Diets high in salty, fatty, processed foods are associated with increased chances of developing obesity and disease. Consider making healthier dietary choices by choosing a diet that can improve your overall health. The DASH diet and the Mediterranean diet may help lower your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. These options emphasize healthy grains, fatty fish, fruits, and vegetables while limiting red meat, salt, sugar, and highly processed foods.

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Know the Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease

Although finding out if you could be developing Alzheimer's early won't necessarily prevent the disease, it can help reduce the anxiety related to the symptoms and help you and your loved ones develop a plan to care for your health as the disease progresses.

Following are some of the earliest signs and symptoms you may notice if you or your loved one is at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease:

• Poor judgement calls
• Memory loss
• Asking the same questions over and over again
• Financial problems arising from an inability to pay bills or manage their budget
• Wandering away from home and having difficulty finding their way back home
• Leaving important items in random places around the house