MENTAL HEALTH
Re:Cognise What You Can Do
Dr Emer MacSweeney, Medical Director and CEO of award-winning brain and mind clinic Re:Cognition Health, shares her tips on preventative measures against dementia.
Dementia is the leading cause of death in England and Wales and the only cause of death that is still on the rise. Whilst there is currently no cure for the disease, scientists and cognitive experts are cautiously optimistic that simple lifestyle tweaks, such as diet, exercise and sleep can help safeguard it against disease in later years. With age being the single biggest risk factor for developing dementia, it’s important to encourage patients or residents to adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle as early as possible.
DIET: Taking gastronomic inspiration from our Mediterranean friends is a great way to keep the brain and body healthy. The fresher your diet, the healthier you (and your brain) will be. When serving meals, ensure plates are packed full of antioxidant-rich fresh fruit and vegetables, pulses, grains, seeds and try to provide two meals containing oily fish, such as salmon or mackerel, each week. The amount of processed foods, sugar, preservatives and fats in a diet should also be kept to a minimum. It’s also important to limit the amount of saturated fats in the diet (hard cheese, ice cream, sausages, lard and burgers).
ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION: Studies have indicated that people who regularly drink heavily or binge drink are more likely to develop dementia
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than those who drink within the recommended guidelines. Alcohol damages the brain, causes brain shrinkage and interferes with the way the vitamin thiamine is absorbed into the body, which is essential for providing energy to the body (and the brain uses A LOT of energy). Excessive alcohol consumption can also lead to weight gain and keeping a healthy body weight will help to alleviate your risk of developing vascular dementia, as risk factors for this include being overweight.
SLEEP: Sleep helps our brains clear away toxins, plaques and proteins that build up throughout the day, helping to protect against diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Sleep also helps us to remember new things we have learnt, improves concentration, mood and metabolism, so it is vital we bank between six to eight hours of sleep each day.
To improve sleep for patients or residents, it is important that they are provided with a good mattress and pillow; the room is dark and quiet; and the temperature is slightly cool. Other considerations to promote good sleep include not eating too late, limiting alcohol consumption, and keeping technology out of the bedroom. Reading before bed can also help people to unwind.
EXERCISE THE MIND AND BODY: Being physically active can protect against many diseases, keeping the heart, muscles and bones in optimum health, and the brain is no exception. Exercising regularly is one of the best things you can do to help protect yourself against developing dementia. Exercising for 45 minutes, four times per week will improve your physical and mental wellbeing. Poor fitness levels can lead to an increased risk of the expression of genetic biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease. As well as the body, it’s important to keep the mind active too in order to maintain good cognitive function in later years. Sudoku, crosswords, puzzles, jigsaws and memory games are great exercises for the mind- after all, if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it!
STOP SMOKING: Smokers have a 45% higher risk of developing vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease compared to non-smokers. Smoking increases the risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke, which are all risk factors for vascular dementia. Smoking narrows the blood vessels leading to the heart and brain, which can deprive the brain of oxygen and the toxic chemicals within cigarettes increase the risk of stroke and cognitive impairment.
www.recognitionhealth.com www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
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