Dementia is a condition affecting the brain and nerve cells that leads to declining cognitive functions or memory loss. Dementia most often occurs in older adults. Even so, there are some steps you can start early in your life to help reduce your risk as you age. Check out the tips below.

A Healthy Lifestyle to Prevent Dementia

Dementia refers to a group of symptoms that cause the patient to has a decline in cognitive functions. As we get older, blood flow to the brain can decrease due to narrowing blood vessels, which may trigger inflammation in brain tissue. Over time, these changes can contribute to cognitive decline.

Although there is no single method that can completely prevent or cure dementia, you can still take practical steps to lower your risks of having dementia in later life, namely:

1. Regular Exercise

Exercise offers benefits now and in the future. Because dementia is closely linked to heart and blood vessel health, people who rarely move their bodies face a higher risk.

To keep your health and weight in check, aim for at least 150 minutes of activity per week, or 30 minutes a day on five days. Mix in cardio, strength training, and balance work for a well-rounded routine.

2. Play Games to Boost Cognitive Functions

Make a little time in your schedule for simple, brain-challenging games. Besides helping you unwind, these activities can sharpen cognitive functions and lower dementia risk. Options include chess, jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, sudoku, or other games that feel engaging and mentally stimulating.

3. Adopt a Healthy Eating Pattern

One of the keys to staying healthy in older age is building good eating habits early. Focus on more complex carbohydrates, cut back on sugar, salty foods, and foods high in saturated fat, and increase sources of omega-3. Also avoid alcohol and smoking to protect your overall health.

4. Learn New Skills, Such as Languages or Music

Research suggests people who speak more than one language have a lower dementia risk than those who speak only one. When you learn something new, the brain creates additional synapses, or links between nerve cells. With practice, these connections become stronger, which supports memory, logic, and problem-solving skills.

5. Get Regular Health Checkups

Certain medical conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol, can raise dementia risk. Schedule routine checkups and take the medicines your doctor prescribes so these conditions remain well controlled.

Remember that dementia is not a single disease, but a set of symptoms related to reduced memory and thinking abilities that can disrupt daily life. By following the steps above, you encourage brain cells to form new connections, strengthen pathways that carry messages, and limit cell damage. In this way, you can help preserve your quality of life as you grow older.

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