5 Things That Unexpectedly Lower Your Dementia Risk

If you find yourself on this blog, there's a high likelihood that your mom or dad suffers from a memory-related condition such as Alzheimer's. Dementia affects 7 million people in the United States - and a whopping 57 million worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

Your parent's diagnosis undoubtedly brought up a lot of emotions, including fear for yourself. You've probably asked yourself a hundred times, "Is dementia coming for me too?" No foolproof plan can stave off memory-related conditions, but you can take steps. You surely know the basics: staying active, eating a balanced diet, and staying on top of any health issues. Beyond the obvious, you can do a few surprising things to lower your risk. Read on to learn more.

Puzzle It Out

Did you ever get swept up in the Wordle craze? Puzzles like the New York Times' famous word-guessing game are believed to help fight against dementia. Specifically, "puzzles help delay the onset and worsening of the symptoms of dementia," according to Roxi Carare, a professor of clinical neuroanatomy at the University of Southampton.

In the simplest of terms, puzzles stimulate blood flow in your brain. This keeps it running smoothly and maintains all the necessary functions running up there. You don't have to go do today's Wordle if you're not a fan, though. Just about any puzzle will do the trick: crosswords, sudokus, even jigsaw puzzles.

Enjoy Your Daily Coffee

So many studies and articles end up demonizing coffee habits, but not this one. Harvard researchers studied the dietary records of 131,000 people over 37 years. They found participants who drank around two and a half cups of coffee a day had an 18% decreased risk of developing dementia. Those who drank the equivalent in daily cups of tea had the same results. Those drinking decaf coffee did not.

It's important to note that this was an observational study and cannot prove cause and effect. However, caffeine has been known to fight age-related inflammation. It's also been suggested coffee can protect against cellular damage. Either way, rest easy as you enjoy your daily cup (or cups!) of coffee.

Treat Hearing Loss

To some degree is hearing loss is to be expected. Treating it as early as possible should also be expected. It turns out there is a clear link between hearing loss and an increased risk of developing dementia. Certain studies attribute 8% of dementia cases to hearing loss. The risk of developing dementia increases with the degree of hearing loss; severe hearing loss is associated with five times the risk. Good news, though: treating hearing loss can help protect you from dementia.

What exactly does hearing have to do with dementia? It all comes down to the brain. Hearing loss can lead to the auditory cortex of the brain shrinking. The brain is just not the place you want shrinkage because it can ripple into the parts responsible for memory. Likewise, when your hearing goes, your brain has to strain constantly to create an accurate picture of your environment. The harder your auditory cortex is working, the less resources the rest of your brain has access to.

Just Dance

We all should be dancing to prevent dementia! In 2003, a study from the New England Journal of Medicine reported that regular dancing was associated with a 76% lower risk of dementia. With such a high percentage, dancing is by far the best protective behavior on this list.

Almost everything about dancing makes it such a great exercise for the brain. It involves memorizing steps, processing music, and coordinating movements. Learning new moves helps the brain develop a stronger and more adaptable network. Plus, dancing often has a social component, and active social lives lead to slower cognitive decline. Ballroom dance class, anyone?

Get a Shingles Vaccine

Recent studies have found that those who get vaccinated against shingles decrease their dementia risk by up to 33%. This protection applies specifically to the shingles vaccination. Others, like the annual flu shot, don't offer the same lowered risk. Truthfully, scientists aren't completely certain how the immunization protects the brain, but they have theories.

The main benefit of the shingles vaccine is, of course, not getting the outbreak. When the chickenpox virus reactivates as shingles, it causes a strong immune response. This response can cause a whole host of problems, including inflammation and blood vessel damage. Chronic inflammation and vascular problems are associated with dementia. Never getting shingles in the first place can be what lowers dementia risk, according to researchers.

Start Hormone Replacement Therapy Early

Admittedly, this precaution is only for women. Still, according to the Alzheimer's Association, women are the most at risk. Two-thirds of those affected with Alzheimer's are women. In fact, women in their 60s are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's as breast cancer.

In a study published in August of this year, researchers found that early HRT use lowered the risk of dementia later in life. Early hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, use, as defined by this study, is during the transition to menopause, known as perimenopause. Perimenopause usually begins between the ages of 46 and 55, but can be earlier or later. HRT isn't right for every woman, though, especially those with a history of hormone-sensitive cancers.

Conclusion

No one can ever reduce their dementia risk to zero, but it is nice to know we can take steps to improve our chances. Be sure to raise your concerns with your doctor and discuss the right choices for you.

If your mom or dad has recently been diagnosed with dementia, you should consider the benefits of aging in place. Give us a call at 240-744-0674 for a free consultation.