DEMENTIA has been on the rise as people today have a longer lifespan.

While many things are predestined by our genes, there are still things we can do to protect our brain against dementia. Here we recommend some of the surprising habits that can reduce your risk of dementia and keep you cognitively fit well into your golden years.

1. Brush your teeth

Though brushing your teeth is important before you turn 40, it’s even more so as you reach middle age. Of course, this is a surefire way to prevent cavities and dreaded dentures — but beyond that, it can also reduce your dementia risk. That’s according to a 2019 study published in the journal Science Advances, which found that the bacteria that causes gingivitis can migrate from the mouth into the brain and wreak havoc on nerve cells, making you more susceptible to Alzheimer’s.

2. Lower your cholesterol

After your 40th birthday, it’s important to focus on lowering your cholesterol — not just for your heart health, but also for the sake of your memory. One 2011 study published in the journal Neurology analyzed brain specimens from autopsies and found that subjects who had higher cholesterol levels at death were also more likely to have neuritic plaques, a type of deposit in the brain that is used to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease in the deceased.

3. Drink more coffee or cocoa

Scientists encourage a cup of coffee in the morning to protect your memory. In one 2018 study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience, researchers concluded that cups of both caffeinated and decaffeinated dark roast contained phenylindanes, compounds that block the proteins beta-amyloid and tau from clumping together and triggering diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

If you are not a fan of coffee, just order a hot cup of cocoa instead. One 2014 study from Columbia University Medical Center found that the cocoa flavanols found in cocoa beans can improve the function of the dentate gyrus, the brain region associated with age-related memory loss.

4. Eat more mushrooms

The next time you whip up an egg scramble or side salad, be sure to throw some mushrooms in. One 2019 study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease collected data over the course of six years and concluded that older adults who ate more than two standard portions of mushrooms per week were 50 percent less likely to have mild cognitive impairment.

5. Lower your blood pressure

Work with your doctor to get your blood pressure under control before it becomes a problem for both your heart and your brain. According to analysis from Johns Hopkins Medicine, people who took blood pressure medication were half as likely to develop Alzheimer’s compared to those who weren’t on prescribed meds. That’s because having high blood pressure can impact the small blood vessels in the brain and in turn damage the regions responsible for thinking and memory.

6. Watch a funny movie

Throw on a comedy special or a Mel Brooks classic for your next movie night. One study presented at the Experimental Biology meeting in 2014 found that older individuals who watched a 20-minute funny video performed better on a memory test and had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol than those who didn’t laugh beforehand. The connection could exist because cortisol can damage neurons in the brain related to memory.

7. Take more walks

The more you walk, the less memory decline you’ll see. In 2011, researchers from the Department of Radiology at the University of Pittsburgh had individuals with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease walk five miles per week, and they found that this simple strategy was able to slow down the progression of both diseases over a 10-year period.

8. Snack on some chocolate

One of the easiest ways to reduce your Alzheimer’s risk is also the sweetest: Just add some high-quality dark chocolate to your diet. Chocolate is a good source of tryptophan, which can help keep you mentally sharp as you age. According to a 2000 study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, low tryptophan levels caused reduced cognitive capabilities among adults with Alzheimer’s, suggesting that eating more tryptophan-rich foods — like oats, dairy, chocolate, chickpeas, seeds, eggs and red meat — may be able to slow the disease’s progression.

9. Load up on red fruits

A little red fruit on your plate every day could mean many more cognitively fit years in your future. In 2017, researchers at Georgetown University’s Department of Neurology found that resveratrol, a phenol found in red fruits, peanuts and chocolate, can help maintain the integrity of a person’s blood-brain barrier, dysfunction of which is a potential precursor to the onset of Alzheimer’s.

10. Limit your alcohol intake

Heavy drinking is a serious problem — one that doesn’t just impact your liver, but also your mind. A 2018 study published in The Lancet Public Health journal found that of the 57,000 cases of early-onset dementia they studied, a staggering 57 percent were somehow related to chronic heavy drinking.

And when you do drink, enjoy a glass of red wine. Not only does research suggest that the resveratrol in red wine can benefit the blood-brain barrier, but in 2018, researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center found a link between drinking the occasional glass of wine and lower levels of Alzheimer’s-associated toxins in the brain.

11. Eat more salmon and tuna

These — along with other fatty fish, flax seeds, and nuts — contain high levels of monounsaturated fatty acids, which studies have found can ward off Alzheimer’s.

12. Get some natural sunlight

Though too much sunlight can increase your risk of skin cancer, controled exposure can reduce your dementia risk. In one 2014 study published in the journal Neurology, adults with low levels of vitamin D — a vitamin bioavailable via sun exposure — had more than double the risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s than their replete counterparts. Fortunately, just 15 minutes outside a day should be enough to sufficiently boost your vitamin D — and if not, supplements can always help.

13. Stop drinking soda

You might have been able to handle the waist-widening and mind-melting effects of soda in your 20s and 30s, but now that you’ve hit 40, it’s time to give all those sugary drinks up. One 2017 study from Boston University School of Medicine found that those who consumed sugary drinks like soda and juice often were more likely to have smaller hippocampal volumes, a region of the brain associated with memory.

14. Log at least seven hours of sleep at night

Getting sufficient rest can help you reduce your Alzheimer’s risk. According to researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in 2018, a lack of sleep increases the amount of beta-amyloid — a protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease — in the brain. In the study, just a single night of sleep deprivation shot beta-amyloid levels up a staggering 5 percent among study subjects. So, don’t be ashamed of that 9 p.m. bedtime — it’ll protect your mind in the long run.

15. Spend time with your friends

Hanging out with members of your inner circle could be the key to maintaining your cognitive fitness later in life. Research published in the January 2017 issue of Alzheimer’s & Dementia revealed a link between staying socially active and a lower risk of dementia. So go ahead and schedule a regular coffee date with your friends when your schedule permits.

16. Practice yoga

Yoga isn’t just the key to a more limber body. It’s also the first step toward a more limber mind. A study published in the April 2017 edition of International Psychogeriatrics found that subjects over 55 who practiced Kundalini yoga had improved memory, improved executive functioning, and diminished depressive symptoms after just 12 weeks.

(SD-Agencies)