Studies about what affects the risk of Alzheimer’s and other dementias are thick on the ground, and new ones pop up regularly. The things that turn up consistently for protecting your brain are:
- Regular physical exercise (moderate to strong)
- Staying mentally active (see articles below)
- Staying social (from outings with friends to volunteer activities)
- Good diet (tending towards the Mediterranean, Japanese, or Nordic diets)
- No smoking (quit if you haven’t already)
- Manage alcohol intake (from none to low)
- Weight control and heart health (keep weight moderate and lower high blood pressure)
Here are three articles about keeping your brain fit by keeping mentally active in everyday life, by a memory champion, by an MD who runs a university memory clinic, and by a brain researcher about brain fitness in everyday life:
Keeping your brain fit, by a USA Memory Champion
Mind games: a mental workout to help keep your brain sharp
A brain scientist who studies Alzheimer’s explains how she stays mentally fit
All links have been added to Mental Agility
