Five Ways to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease is a degeneration of mental activity which becomes more common as you get older, with the result being severe dementia and an inability to do everyday tasks. At the final stages of the disease sufferers will fall in and out of consciousness and fail to recognise those they once loved. It is indeed a distressing condition and unfortunately one there is no cure for.

As with all diseases the best cure is prevention and most evidence suggests that living a healthy lifestyle will reduce your risk of Alzheimer's disease, despite the strong genetic link. So how can we lead this so called healthy lifestyle to prevent Alzheimer's disease?

1) Avoid high impact sports

Frequent knocks to the head are thought to damage your brain and increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. If you like sports such as rugby, American football, skiing and boxing, make sure and wear protective head gear to limit any possible skull damage.

2) Socialise with others

By spending time with friends and family you are stimulating your brain and keeping it active through conversation and fun activities. Socialising also reduces the risk of depression. Depression has been linked to a greater risk of memory loss and dementia.

3) Eat a healthy diet

A healthy diet is essential for a healthy mind and healthy body. Stick to low amounts of saturated fat, sugar and salt. Increase your consumption of fruit, vegetables, fibre and foods containing omega 3 fatty acids and Vitamin E which is thought to have a protective role against developing Alzheimer's disease. It is also important to limit alcohol consumption as alcohol kills your brain cells. Additionally one may fall and damage their skull if they have too much alcohol on board.

4) Take regular exercise

Exercise has been shown to be beneficial for many health factors such as blood pressure, weight control and making you feel good, so it comes as no surprise that it is linked to reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease. It is thought to stimulate the development of new brain cells via increased blood flow to the brain, which will help increase your memory processes and keep Alzheimer's disease away.

5) Keep your brain active

Keeping your brain active by learning new things can initiate the development of new brain cells and strengthen the connection between existing cells improving your ability to recall information. There are many ways to increase your brain activity such as doing crosswords and mathematical puzzles such as Sudoku and jigsaws. Writing is another way to keep your brain fresh and full of new ideas. The more you train your brain to learn new things the easier it is to learn and recall information.

If you have a family history of Alzheimer's disease this does not confirm you to the same fate. By taking appropriate measures such as keeping your brain active and employing a healthy lifestyle you can be free of this debilitating illness.