Nancy Here.
With all of the research out there about Alzheimer's Disease, people are eager to learn more about the onset of the disease and what they can do to help slow it down or protect against it.
My son's great grandmother is living with Alzheimer's. Her doctors firmly believe that had she not been active her whole life, that the effects of the disease would be much more prevalent and would limit her daily activity. She is an active senior and is thriving in an assisted living community where she still has latitude to socialize with friends and family and keep busy and healthy.
Researchers claim that there is growing evidence that lifestyle and environment play a big role in Alzheimer's prevention in some people. Here are some things researchers recommend to help prevent or slow down the onset :
Avoid jarring your brain - this is easy, wear a helmet when doing physical activity like bike riding, skate boarding, equestrian sports and skiing and when you're in a car, don't forget to buckle up!- Staying in touch with your friends and participating in social activities have numerous health benefits. Volunteer or join a club or civic group as another way to network socially. ( and help your community)
- Eat a healthy diet and get regular exercise.
- Exercise your mind to keep your brain active and sharp. You can learn a new language, play an instrument, start a hobby ( I've started crafting, it's not pretty. Hey, it's the process not the product, right?), read, do puzzles like crosswords or sudoku or play games.
Check out this site. On fitbrains.com you can subscribe for a small fee to enjoy all the features or play as a guest like I do. My favorite is "Welcome to the Busy Bistro". It's harder than it looks but it's a fun engaging way to keep your brain active.
My former office mate Kay's mom is a retired teacher. Her trademark saying to her students when they got a question right or connected with something was "Kiss your brain!" Indeed. Give your brain some love.
Stay tuned and stay curious,
-Nancy

1 comment:
Crossword everynight, baby!
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