How to mind your brain health and reduce risk of dementia

Dementia cases are on the rise, and Leonie shares the signs, symptoms, and ways to reduce your risk of developing dementia.

Leonie explains: There are millions of families around the world battling dementia or supporting loved ones with dementia. “

What is dementia?

Dementia is an umbrella term that describes the signs and symptoms of declining brain health. Eventually, this begins to affect daily life and those who suffer from the disease need a lot of support.

Dementia is a slow, progressive deterioration of brain cells, slowly fading away from what they were used to doing.

While there is little cure for the dementia condition (some medications help with memory loss, they don’t cure the disease itself), there are steps you can take to reduce your risk. There are currently 50 million people worldwide suffering from dementia, and this number is expected to triple by 2050.

What are the signs and symptoms?

Symptoms depend on the specific type of dementia and how long the person is suffering. Some of the main symptoms are:

• loss of function (walking, speaking)
• amnesia
• confusion
• appetite
• personality change
• Hearing impairment

There are two main factors beyond our control. Age and genetic history. But there are many things you can do to improve your brain health and reduce your chances of developing dementia.

Here are 6 tips to improve your brain health.

1. Meals: An excellent “brain food”, dark blueberries, red cabbage, red grapes, tomatoes, and carrots – all contain anthocyanins – antioxidants that sweep away the bad guys that otherwise wreak havoc on brain health. To do.

2. Vitamin E: Nuts & Seeds – Take it naturally, not just in supplements. There are eight different types of vitamin E, so not all supplements contain all types.

3. Turmeric: great supplement.

4. Sleep: A good sleep routine is essential to rest and recharge your brain from a busy day.

5. Weight: Health level is important. Small things like a daily walk can get your blood flowing, boost your cognitive activity, and get fresh air into your lungs.

6. Vitamin D: Get it naturally from fatty fish, lots of sun, etc.

Risk factor:

There are several risk factors that increase the risk of dementia. Addressing them can greatly reduce this risk.

• Diabetes: If you have diabetes, it is important to make sure it is properly managed. Make sure you are seeing your doctor regularly.
• depression: If you suffer from depression, contact your pharmacist or GP who can start a plan to manage your mental health.
• alcohol: Excessive alcohol consumption affects your cardiovascular system (how blood is distributed throughout your body) – if you have high blood pressure or cholesterol, this should be minimized.
• smoking: We all know the risks of smoking. In dementia, blood flow in the body is restricted. For this reason, smokers are at increased risk of dementia.

Our brain is like a muscle: the more you train it, the stronger it gets. Puzzles, Sudoku, learning a new language and meeting new people are all great ways to exercise your brain.

lentils and taladal

A handy dahl for every home – saves your spare ingredients!

preparation time

 45 minutes

total time

 1 hour and 30 minutes

material

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

• 1 onion

• 2 cloves of crushed garlic

• 1/2 red chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped

• Peeled and grated thumb-sized ginger

• 1 teaspoon coriander

• ½ teaspoon dried cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder

• Puy (dark green) lentils 125g

• 1 tablespoon tomato puree

• 400ml water

• salt and pepper

• 2 x 180g cod fillets with skin and bones

• 2 tablespoons Greek or natural yogurt (for garnish)

• chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.

2. Heat coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and simmer until softened, about 10 minutes.

3. Add garlic, chili, ginger, and spices and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add lentils, tomato puree and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 35 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, season the cod fillets, wrap in foil, and arrange on a baking dish. Bake for about 25 minutes.

5. Once the daal is cooked, check the seasoning and place in a warmed serving bowl.