Better safe than sorry; this phrase has special importance in the world of medicine. There are many diseases that can be prevented by a bit of extra care. What about dementia and memory loss? A little forgetfulness here and there is fine, but memory loss is no joke. My question is, is there a way to prevent this?
Memory loss is a self-explanatory phrase. Dementia on the other hand, not so much. It’s actually an umbrella term for several diseases and conditions characterized by a decline in memory, language problem-solving and other skills that are crucial for a person’s everyday functioning. Because of this, there are many different types of dementia, all with diverse causes. Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of cases of dementia. The second most common cause of dementia is vascular dementia, which occurs when microscopic bleeding and blood vessel blockage takes place in the brain.
The prevention of dementia depends on its cause. For example, leading a healthy lifestyle can reduce your risk of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and heart attacks, which are risk factors for vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
The human body is a very complex set of mechanisms that are deeply intertwined with each other. That’s why harm to one part can cause harm to others. So if risk factors can be controlled, then the chance of being a victim to the disease are greatly reduced. Dementia has many risk factors, but some of them are inevitable. For example, aging. Unless you find the fountain of youth, there’s no way you can prevent this from happening. As you grow older, your chances of developing dementia increase.
Another risk factor that cannot be controlled are your genes. The good thing is genetic factors need to be combined with environmental factors such as smoking, to actually be involved with dementia.
So can memory loss and dementia be prevented? There is no simple answer, but you should try to lead a healthy lifestyle as possible. There is credible evidence that regular physical exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding smoking and too much alcohol are all to linked a reduced risk of dementia,
consider watching this video to know about the different ways of keeping your brain healthy.
Keeping yourself socially and mentally active in the late stages of your life can have the same effect. The mind and body should be kept as active as possible. Being mentally active includes doing puzzles, reading, or learning a new skill. On the other hand, being socially active is just as important. Hanging out with your friends all day may just save you!
We already know dementia is caused by an alteration to the brain functioning. Unfortunately, this means it’s risk factors also include mental illnesses. This is where depression comes in. Dementia and depression have a very complex relationship. In fact, the presence of one disease can lead to the development of the other disease. Low mood, anxiety, and depression can all affect a person’s ability to be socially active and engage in mentally stimulating activities. Now you can see how poor mental health can lead to dementia.
After that being said, you probably understand the importance of regular checkups. It’s always better to catch something like this in the early stages so that coping and treating it becomes easier.
Until Next Time,
Team Doctor ASKY!