How to prevent Alzheimer's: learn about the changes that can add years to quality of life

According to neurologist Conrado Estol, one third of patients with Alzheimer's disease have modifiable risk factors related to smoking, physical inactivity, obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure.

For this reason it is important to take preventive measures such as eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly to keep our body healthy.

Other ways to improve our quality of life 

In addition to self-care, there are other ways in which we can extend our life expectancy with optimal physical and cognitive capacity.

For example, it is recommended to get enough rest at night to allow the brain to recover properly; avoid excessive alcohol consumption; engage in mentally stimulating activities such as playing chess or learning a new language; and cultivate positive social relationships with family and friends.

 At a time of unprecedented inflection for human life expectancy, Dr. Estol stresses the importance of denaturalizing our habits to identify the actions we can modify to improve our health.

He invites the reader to ask themselves if they are doing enough for their health and to adopt lifestyle changes as a way to prolong their health.

These changes include getting adequate sleep, following a healthy and balanced diet at the ideal weight, exercising frequently, controlling stress, not smoking and drinking little or no alcohol, as well as having the correct levels of blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol.

In this way, significant advances can be achieved in human life expectancy with optimal physical and mental capacity that add quality to the years lived.

Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's is a chronic disease that affects people's ability to perform daily activities.

This is due to the progressive loss of several cognitive functions, such as memory, language, visuospatial orientation and executive function.

According to recent data, there are currently around 50 million people with this disease worldwide and it is estimated that this number will increase to 132 million by 2050.

Atherosclerosis - a condition characterized by the gradual hardening and narrowing of blood vessels - also contributes significantly to the development of Alzheimer's disease.

A study conducted among 200,000 older adults without cognitive problems showed that adopting a healthy lifestyle reduces the risk regardless of the genetic factor involved.

Therefore, maintaining healthy habits such as a balanced diet, regular exercise and control of alcohol consumption can help prevent or delay Alzheimer's-related symptoms.

Brain protective diet as MIND

The results of a recent study conducted by experts in the field have shown that, although genetics cannot be changed, leading a healthy lifestyle and adopting a brain-protective diet such as MIND (a combination of Mediterranean and DASH) decrease the risk of developing dementia or cognitive impairment in healthy, young people.

This diet highlights some specific foods such as vegetables, green leafy vegetables, nuts and blueberries, all of which have protective properties.

   In addition to the adequate consumption of nutritious food, other important factors for preventing this type of disease are a high level of education, intense social interactions throughout life, and diverse activities outside the professional sphere (music, board games or other hobbies).

This contributes to improve the so-called "cognitive reserve", which makes it possible to delay the onset of symptoms associated with dementia by several years.

On the other hand, practicing daily physical exercise for at least 30 minutes considerably reduces the risk of suffering cognitive alterations, as has been proven by university researchers who discovered that those people who walked more kilometers per week had greater brain volume.

Controlling risk factors at all stages of life

It is important to control risk factors at all stages of life.

This is especially true once mild cognitive impairment is diagnosed, as early diagnosis and control of these factors can significantly reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's dementia later in life.

Primary and primordial prevention offer the best opportunity to learn and adopt a healthy lifestyle. Moreover, according to scientific evidence, even those with a previous history or over 60 years of age can benefit by decreasing their likelihood of repeating vascular events or developing cognitive disorders if they control their risk factors.

Therefore, it is vital to maintain healthy habits throughout the life cycle to prevent future problems related to mental and physical health.