Learn to Reduce Your Risk of Dementia

Staying Active

• Physical activity has been proven to improve brain health and function
• Activity doesn't need to be formal or use fancy equipment. Walk, play pickleball, use the stairs instead of elevator. Get up and move two minutes out of every hour or a minimum of 150 minutes per week
• Cognitive decline (precursor to dementia) is twice as common in those who are not active
• Even performing chores like cleaning, cooking and yardwork can reduce dementia by 21%

 Staying Connected

• Call a friend of family member, talk about what is on your mind.
• Go to resturants and sporting events, play bingo, volunteer or provide community service
• Participate in a religious or community group.
• Go exploring with friends or family
• Meeting up with friends and family can reduce dementia risk by 15-70%

Eating Healthy

• Reduce your intake of sugar and salt.
• Hydrate with health fluids like water or sugar free juices.
• Eat more omega-3 fatty acids like fish, veggies and nuts.
• Studies suggest the Mediteranean and DASH diets wrok best, you can combine them (MIND diet).
• Healthy eating can help manage or lower the risk of other diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. It can also reduce your risk of cognitive decline or dementia. Some studies suggest a healthy diet can reduce dementia risk by up to 53%

An Active Brain

• Learn something new everyday.
• Choose different routines or differnet routes to familiar places.
• Use your non-dominate hand when doing a task (ex: left hand if you're a righty).
• Learn a new hobby
• Teach someone to play your favorite game and learn theirs
• Learn a new language
• An active, challenged brain can reduce your dementia risk by 29% according to the ACTIVE Study.