What can you do to reduce your dementia risk?

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Recently in the media there have been reports about reducing your risk of getting dementia. Did you know that one in three cases of dementia could be prevented if more people looked after their brain health throughout life, according to an international study in the Lancet? So what can you do to reduce your risks?

Reducing your dementia risk throughout your life

Did you know that people who complete secondary school are less likely to get dementia? Some experts are looking into the benefits of building a “cognitive reserve.” This means strengthening the brain’s networks so it can continue to function in later life despite damage. Some experts think that people who continue to learn new things throughout life are less likely to get dementia.

Reducing your risk of dementia in middle age

You can reduce your risks in middle age, that is between the ages of 40 and 65 years. In middle age being obese, having hearing loss and having high blood pressure all increase your risk of dementia. So you can reduce your risk by being a healthy weight and seeking medical advice if you experience hearing loss. Our pharmacists can help you by talking to you about medicines that you take for blood pressure.

The British Heart Foundation tell us that the following can help to control your blood pressure:

• Be physically active
• If you are overweight, try losing some weight
• Cut down on salt
• Eat more fruit and vegetables
• If you drink alcohol, limit the amount of alcohol you drink
• Stop smoking
• Reduce stress

Reducing your risk of dementia when you are over 65

Smoking, depression, being physically inactive, being socially isolated and having diabetes can increase your risk of dementia if you are over 65.

If you smoke, our staff can help you to choose nicotine replacement products and find a smoking cessation service near you. You can reduce your risk of depression by looking after your well-being. The New Economics Foundation has published five ways to well being these are:

• Connect to others
• Be active
• Take notice of the world around you
• Keep learning new things
• Give to others

Physical activity does not necessarily mean joining a gym –  walking, gardening and even housework all count. Many of our patients tell us that the key to being physically active is to find something that you enjoy doing.

Poorly controlled diabetes can increase your risk of dementia. Our pharmacists can help you to manage your diabetes medicines. If you have type 2 diabetes it is helpful to reduce the amount of sugar in your diet. Sometimes people get bored of eating the same foods. The diabetes UK recipe database has thousands of healthy recipes for the whole family, written with diabetes in mind.

If you would like more information on any of your medicines call into one of our pharmacies.