The New Year is a great time to resolve to make lifestyle changes that can reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This is especially important for us since African Americans are twice as likely as white Americans to develop late-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
Deciding to exercise regularly is one effective prevention strategy since the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation reports that it can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 50%. Regular exercise can also decrease further deterioration in those who have already begun to develop cognitive problems. This exercise can be as simple as walking around the block or up a flight of stairs for 30 minutes five times a week.
Regular exercise is particularly important for African Americans since we have a higher rate of diabetes and high blood pressure which are known risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s disease. Exercising regularly reduces a person’s chances of developing these conditions and by extension lowers their chances of developing Alzheimer’s.
Which brings me to a popular quote by Hippocrates…Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food. We have to be more careful about what we put in our mouth. We will deal with this more in depth in the near future.
Meanwhile, stop smoking is other thing we can do to prevent Alzheimer’s since a study showed that middle aged persons who smoke more than two packs of cigarettes a day double their risk of developing this disease. Not smoking also reduces the chances of developing conditions like heart disease and stroke which also lead to cognitive decline. Smokers who decide to quit can begin by gradually cutting down the number of cigarettes they smoke each day and calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW for more specialized help since tobacco companies are said to target African American communities with intensive merchandising.
Staying mentally active is another thing African American can do to keep Alzheimer’s at bay since cognitive activity has been shown to reduce the rate of cognitive decline. This is very important for us since African Americans are less likely to have a diagnosis of this condition and consequently less time for treatment and planning. Seniors from our community should therefore make it a point to challenge their brains every day by doing simple things like doing crossword puzzles, learning new languages, playing board games like Scrabble or number games like Sudoku.
Last, but not least, let’s not forget the importance of socializing. The human interaction is very stimulating. Some of the places could include: church, adult day care, family outings, and social clubs.
What do you do to keep your loved one’s brain active?
DECREASING ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE RISK FACTORS IN AFRICAN AMERICANS 0
by admin • Olivia's Prayer on January 8, 2015
The New Year is a great time to resolve to make lifestyle changes that can reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This is especially important for us since African Americans are twice as likely as white Americans to develop late-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
Deciding to exercise regularly is one effective prevention strategy since the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation reports that it can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 50%. Regular exercise can also decrease further deterioration in those who have already begun to develop cognitive problems. This exercise can be as simple as walking around the block or up a flight of stairs for 30 minutes five times a week.
Regular exercise is particularly important for African Americans since we have a higher rate of diabetes and high blood pressure which are known risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s disease. Exercising regularly reduces a person’s chances of developing these conditions and by extension lowers their chances of developing Alzheimer’s.
Which brings me to a popular quote by Hippocrates…Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food. We have to be more careful about what we put in our mouth. We will deal with this more in depth in the near future.
Meanwhile, stop smoking is other thing we can do to prevent Alzheimer’s since a study showed that middle aged persons who smoke more than two packs of cigarettes a day double their risk of developing this disease. Not smoking also reduces the chances of developing conditions like heart disease and stroke which also lead to cognitive decline. Smokers who decide to quit can begin by gradually cutting down the number of cigarettes they smoke each day and calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW for more specialized help since tobacco companies are said to target African American communities with intensive merchandising.
Staying mentally active is another thing African American can do to keep Alzheimer’s at bay since cognitive activity has been shown to reduce the rate of cognitive decline. This is very important for us since African Americans are less likely to have a diagnosis of this condition and consequently less time for treatment and planning. Seniors from our community should therefore make it a point to challenge their brains every day by doing simple things like doing crossword puzzles, learning new languages, playing board games like Scrabble or number games like Sudoku.
Last, but not least, let’s not forget the importance of socializing. The human interaction is very stimulating. Some of the places could include: church, adult day care, family outings, and social clubs.
What do you do to keep your loved one’s brain active?