Unfortunately, the short answer is no.
However, there are a few risk factors for dementia that can be managed through the adoption of healthy habits and lifestyle changes. For example, doing physical activities and eating nutritious foods are both good strategies to reduce the risk of dementia.
According to Your Brain Matters, Australia’s dementia risk reduction education program, these five simple steps are vital for keeping your brain healthy:
Look After Your Heart
There’s a connection between heart health and brain health. Studies suggest that the risk of developing dementia increases when a person has diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure. That’s why it’s extremely important to visit your doctor for routine checkups at least once a year.
Physical Activity
Physical activity is good for your overall health, so it’s not exactly a surprise that it also helps reduce the risk of developing dementia. According to Your Brain Matters, exercise can stimulate the growth of brain cells and prevent heart diseases. If you don’t do any kind of physical activity at all, it’s OK to start slow and choose a light intensity physical activity.
Stimulate Your Brain
The human brain is smart: It adapts to routine and gets better at doing recurring tasks that are part of our everyday lives. You can challenge your brain by trying new things, though. Learning a new language, playing chess, and reading books can boost your mental activity—which equals a reduced risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
Eat Healthy
It’s true that we are what we eat. The brain, as well as each and every organ of the body, needs nutrients to function properly. Do you have a healthy diet? While we understand that a lot of people find it hard to skip fast-food, sweet treats, and alcohol, there’s a high price to pay for these poor nutrition habits. Check out Your Brain Matter’s website for a few nutrition tips.
Enjoy Social Activity
Spending time with family and friends is not only fun but also good for your mental health. Social engagement helps keep your brain stimulated, which contributes to lower risks of developing dementia. At Dementia Caring, our caregivers strive to make our patients feel independent in their homes, so that they can spend more time with friends and loved ones and less time with household activities.
Do you want to know more about the services and the specialist therapies we offer at Dementia Caring? Contact us through our website or by calling us at 1300 792 691.