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Think About Your Future.
Maintain Your Brain Today. |
When people think about staying fit, they generally think from the neck down. But the health of your brain plays a critical role in almost everything you do: thinking, feeling, remembering, working, and playing – even sleeping.
The good news is that we now know there’s a lot you can do to help keep your brain healthier as you age. These steps might also reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia.
Simple lifestyle modifications also would have an enormous impact on our nation's public health and the cost of healthcare. If you make brain-healthy lifestyle changes and take action by getting involved, we could realize a future without Alzheimer's disease.
Make brain-healthy life choices
Like other parts of your body, your brain may lose some agility as you get older. It can deteriorate even more if you don’t take care of it. Science is unlocking many of the mysteries of the brain, but we don’t have all the answers yet. You can do everything “right” and still not prevent Alzheimer’s disease. What’s offered here is the best and most up-to-date information available so that you can make your own decisions about your health.
Remain socially active
Social activity not only makes physical and mental activity more enjoyable, it can reduce stress levels, which helps maintain healthy connections among brain cells
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Stay physically active
Physical exercise is essential for maintaining good blood flow to the brain as well as to encourage new brain cells. It also can significantly reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and diabetes, and thereby protect against those risk factors for Alzheimer's and other dementias.
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Adopt a brain-healthy diet
Research suggests that high cholesterol may contribute to stroke and brain cell damage. A low fat, low cholesterol diet is advisable. And there is growing evidence that a diet rich in dark vegetables and fruits, which contain antioxidants, may help protect brain cells.
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Disease and risk factors you can’t control
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia – brain disorders that affect your ability to function effectively in daily living. Well-established risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease are genetics and aging (10 percent of those over age 65 and 50 percent of those over 85 have Alzheimer’s). Unfortunately, aging and genetics are two risk factors you can’t control.
It’s not known what causes Alzheimer’s disease or what role genetics plays in most cases of Alzheimer’s, though having parents or siblings with the disease increases your risk. A small percentage of cases is known to be caused by inherited mutated genes. In other cases, variants of specific genes increase risk, but even people who inherit such variants from both parents still may not get the disease. These risk factors that you cannot change will set a starting point for you, but there is hope that adopting the Maintain Your Brain® life habits might delay or prevent the appearance of Alzheimer’s disease.
The science behind these recommendations
The Alzheimer's Association Maintain Your Brain® is based on the best available science about brain health. We have compiled a reference list including a representative sample of important studies in key areas.
The Alzheimer's Association Maintain Your Brain® consumer education campaign does not guarantee individual health outcomes.The Alzheimer's Association Maintain Your Brain® materials and sub-brand logo are protected by trademark and copyright. The Maintain Your Brain® information and graphics used on this web site are not available for reprinting or repurposing by any organization other then the Alzheimer's Association and its chapter offices.
