A healthy lifestyle may help prevent or postpone the development of Alzheimer's disease. Because Alzheimer's is most common in people over the age of 80, delaying the onset of the disease would increase the probability that people will die of other causes before Alzheimer's has a chance to develop.
Eat your veggies
Maintaining a healthy weight and eating a healthy diet appears to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Your doctor may suggest:
- Lots of fruits and vegetables
- Fish or poultry, instead of red meat
- Whole-grain breads and cereals
- Alternate sources of proteins, such as beans, nuts and seeds
- More olive oil and less saturated fat
Exercise your body
Higher levels of physical activity have been associated with a lower incidence of Alzheimer's disease.
Exercise your brain, too
Maintaining mental fitness may delay onset of dementia. Some researchers believe that lifelong mental exercise and learning may promote the growth of additional synapses, the connections between neurons, and delay the onset of dementia.
Carry a reminder calendar.
Record not just upcoming events, but things that happen and activities you need to complete on a daily basis. And check off those activities when done. If you can make this process a habit before your memory problems worsen, you'll be more likely to retain this skill as the disease progresses. If you can't remember if you took your pills or who called that morning, you can check your journal.
Currently, there's no cure for Alzheimer's disease. Doctors sometimes prescribe drugs to improve signs and symptoms that often accompany Alzheimer's, including sleeplessness, wandering, anxiety, agitation and depression.