Before the brain decay we all fear, because against dementia there is no cure. The more important it is to keep the risk of disease is small. The combination of the seven protective factors can stop Alzheimer’s, slow down or delay.
Scientists are looking not only for a cure for dementia and Alzheimer’s. They also investigate to the factors, which can prevent the brain deterioration, or at least delay. In life style and diet, you will find such with these seven protective factors against dementia:
1. Married
British researchers have identified marriage as a protective force against dementia: people were her life-long Singles, were opposite Married a 42 percent higher risk of developing dementia. In the case of Widowed, this risk was still 20 percent higher.
The Team of Andrew Sommerlad from the University College London evaluated data from 15 studies with 812.000 study participants from Europe, North and South America, and Asia.
As an explanation for the high risk of developing Dementia living Alone, the researchers see their often unhealthy life style. Widowers and widows may have a long-term high stress levels due to the loss of the partner. Couples in a living community, on the other hand, is more often a regulated, stable everyday life. You eat healthier, smoke less, drink less and share common experiences. They also have more social contacts, which is an important factor in the prevention of dementia.
2. A foreign language to apply
Learn something New, is regarded as a helpful strategy against the brain removal. This can be archery, chess, square dance … or a foreign language. Who knows, besides his mother tongue, another language, this should apply as often as possible. Because it has been shown that active use of two languages delay the onset of Alzheimer’s, at least.
When people use the two languages, it takes an average of five years longer, until symptoms of dementia are felt. A study with 90 patients with Alzheimer’s disease at the University of Milan has found that out and also the statement included: bilingual have areas stronger links between different brain. This makes it easier for the brain to compensate for loss of neurons. The bilingual subjects fared compared to the monolingual participants in all cognitive Tests better.
3. Good and sufficient sleep
A sleep disorder, so in the long term, less than 6 hours of sleep or frequent Waking in the night, strain the brain and prevents the Regeneration. More still: In the case of a prolonged lack of sleep, the Beta-Amyloid levels increase in the brain fluid and the corresponding deposits considerably. Dementia is favored. This has been proven by scientists in the animal model.
A Dutch study with humans, confirmed these results: lack of sleep actually increases the concentration of the Alzheimer’s peptide Amyloid Beta 42 in the brain. Chronic lack of sleep leads directly to an increased risk of Dementia, suggest the study authors.
Sufficient and restful sleep promotes the removal of Beta-Amyloid and contributes to the prevention of dementia.
4. Read, write, and play
Anyone who reads books, counteracts the mental decline in old age better than if he consumed TV shows or movies. The crucial difference: one is an active employment of the brain, the other is purely passive.
Similar to stimulating for the grey cells, it is, write down thoughts – best to any other Person directed in the Form of letters. The calls for structured Thinking and to Formulate.
Scientifically, the dementia-prevention has been proven by games: At the Mayo clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, have more than practiced 2000 seniors four years in various leisure activities, accompanied and observed by a Team of researchers to Janina Krell-Roesch. It wanted to find out how strong is the influence of the various occupations on the spiritual development of seniors. The result: With society, the participants were able to reduce play risk for “mild cognitive disorder”, which is a precursor of dementia by 22 percent. Who played on the Computer, brought it even to 30 per cent less risk. Who worked as a craftsman, came to 28 percent less risk of dementia.
5. Sports
To stay in the old-age, physically active, not only for the muscle strength is important. Senior Fitness also changes the brain metabolism. The age, researchers and sports medicine of Frankfurt’s Goethe have found University.
60 participants between 65 and 85 years of age, trained for three months three times a week. They pedaled in each case, 30 minutes on the Bicycle Ergometer.
The physical activity improved Fitness and cardiac activity of the elderly. For the brain was especially important that the Training prevented the increase of the metabolic product of choline. An increase in the concentration of the substance leads to increased death of nerve cells and dementia.
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6. Drinking coffee
Over ten years ago an American study showed that older women who regularly drank coffee were no longer mentally fit than the control group without the caffeine. Coffee has since been regarded as a protective drink in front of dementia. In the coffee contained caffeine seems to increase the production of the enzyme NMNAT2, which preserves brain cells from Stress and Plaques to combat. Controversial, the appropriate amount is – it varies from one to five cups.
7. Eat fish
Since Omega-3 fatty acids the brain cells “feed”, you can reach with the consumption of fish, a certain protective function against dementia. Who doesn’t eat fish, faster.
To prevent with fish oil capsules or fish-dishes, Alzheimer’s disease, is still a naive desire. But: Older people take a lot of Omega-3 fatty acid DHA to build less Beta-Amyloid in the brain. Came to this realization, scientists from the University of Los Angeles in a small study with 61 participants who had a mild intellectual impairment. A high DHA-value with low Beta-Amyloid load in the brain in the context – and Vice versa.