Does Dementia Run in your Family? Lower your risk TODAY!
I constantly talk about physical health. But what’s the number one factor for keeping your physical health vibrant and energetic? Your MIND!
You have to take care of your mind. Your heart is healthy if your brain is healthy.
Let me share this statistic with you: according to a 2017 study from UCLA, 47 million Americans have some evidence of preclinical Alzheimer’s disease.
What does this mean? It means that their brain shows signs of adverse changes, but symptoms have not yet developed.
The problem is that we do not know who those 47 million people are. We do know that by 2060, the number of Americans with Alzheimer’s, dementia, or cognitive impairment is expected to climb from 6 million to 15 million. One new case of dementia will be diagnosed every four seconds. Alzheimer’s disease will swell to 152 million by 2050 (that’s a 200% increase since 2018!)
When you read those stats, you might get scared. You might be thinking about your grandparents, your parents, your spouse, your brother or sister, maybe you’re even thinking about your grown children.
The good news is that we don’t need to accept these statistics and feel powerless…because there are things you can start doing today to help.
What will help is what we eat, how much we exercise, with whom we socialize, what challenges we face, how well we sleep, and what we do to reduce stress and learn.
All of the above things factor much more into our brain health and overall wellness than we can even imagine.
A new study in 2018, published in the journal Genetics, revealed that the person we marry factors greater into our longevity than our genetic inheritance does. And by a long shot! Why?
Because it turns out that our lifestyle habits weigh heavily into our decisions around marriage – much more so than most other decisions.
No matter what your DNA says, a good diet, regular exercise, not smoking or drinking alcohol, and some other Simple Healthy Living lifestyle decisions can change that destiny. And the same is true for dementia.
That is why I believe prevention and early intervention are the best ways to lower your risk for dementia. Prevention is better than the cure.
Now, I am not trying to pressure you into a better lifestyle with fear, because that doesn’t work well, and it doesn’t last long.
Instead, think about your goals and what you want to accomplish. imagine yourself running towards a goal. This is a positive force and will last longer, it will inspire you to take the right action.
I was reading the book by Sanjay Gupta, MD called Keep Sharp and I picked up some facts from reading it. For instance, the idea of “running toward” something is better Health Psychology than “running away” from something. (He also recommends a lot of the same things I do to prevent things like dementia. You can read more about those ways here).
That is why I know as a fact that 80% plus of sickness is psychosomatic: sickness from your mind, brain, and thinking.
So, let us focus on strengthening our minds and brains. When we strengthen our thinking, we are way ahead to enjoying a good quality of life, as you have great health!
Earlier this year, I wrote a blog on the four areas of your health: Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, and Spiritual. I asked you to identify what is working in those areas, and what isn’t. If you haven’t done that exercise yet, I suggest you do it! You might be surprised how many problems are coming from non-physical areas of your health.
I also wrote a companion blog helping you to identify strategies and ways to help in each of those areas.
I also wrote a blog on how to address stress, as well as developing an attitude of gratitude. You can use some of the psychology and apply it to your health and wellness.
Wishing all of you great health, awesome creativity, outstanding energy, and eternal happiness.