News flash: the biggest risk factor for getting dementia is old age.
And, let us not be the first to say this, you will get old. The alternative not living long enough to get old is much, much worse.
Starting in our late thirties, our brain starts to show higher levels of beta amyloid plaque, a protein that is linked to Alzheimers. The protein is in all of us but just as there are ways to prevent a build-up of plaque in our arteries, there are things we can do to to reduce the risk of dementia and delaying its onset.
Some of us might be lucky and be like Dal Richards. The Vancouver band leader conducted the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra at a 95th birthday party in his honor this past winter. He is a super senior, someone born with telomeres that prevent his DNA from fraying as quickly as it does in most people.
Or we might be at the other end of the spectrum and be part of this statistic: one in 11 people older than 65 or 500,000 Canadians are living with some sort of dementia.
Given the number of Baby Boomers who are in the midst of discovering that old age will happen to them too, brain health is a real concern.
When Justin Davis was granted his PhD in the neurophysiology of human movement from UBC, the scientific world was exploding with advances in our understanding of how the brain works. Instead of getting a research position, the Kitsilano resident found business partners who were also interested in brain fitness. Together they created Nognz Brain Fitness, a store in West Vancouver that offers fun and education tools to stimulate our brains.
We asked him to share some advice on what we can do to give our brain a fighting chance of being there for us for a long, long time.
Warning: this is advice youve often heard before (probably starting with your mothers cautionary tales about what happens if you dont eat your vegetables or stay out too late.) But in case youve forgotten
The brain, surprisingly, consumes 25 per cent of all your food intake, which is why its important to keep it well nourished. That means not only being mindful of the foods you eat (see the next point) but also giving it the nutrient it needs the most: oxygen-rich blood.
The most important thing you can do for your brain is deliver blood to it, says Dr. Davis, and you have to have a healthy heart and lungs to pump oxygen to the brain.
Hes not suggesting that everyone sign up for an exhaustive crossfit training session. Instead, regularly going for a brisk walk can do a lot to keep the blood flowing to the top of your head.
The brain is 60 per cent fat and it takes fat to love fat, especially Omega 3 fatty acids. Theyre the building blocks, he says. In Vancouver, its hardly a struggle to add more fish to your diet but there are other sources of Omega 3, such as chia seeds, walnuts and eggs.
The brain loves any type of green leafy vegetables or brightly coloured berries, rich sources of anti-oxidants. Why not a leafy green salad made with your own olive oil dressing, since raw (unheated) olive oil is very good for your brain?
Try to limit the amount of meat you eat since a lot of the metals in meats are known to help beta plaques form. In short, put a little Mediterranean diet into your life.
Ever felt that three oclock in the afternoon lag? Thats your calorie-consuming brain asking for a jolt of energy. Its better to eat five smaller meals a day than three large ones. Its really important you provide yourself with a stable source of energy.
A bad nights sleep is usually the end result of having stress in your life. It could be worries over your mortgage, or a divorce or death in the family. While a little bit of stress keeps our mind alert, chronic stress affects our hormones, which affects our sleep. The less sleep we have, the less able we are to cope with stress. It really is a downward spiral, Dr. Davis says.
Before you go to bed, try to calm your brain by doing meditation or your own type of prayer. Keep a journal or try yoga. Dont drink alcohol in the evening and try not to eat after six.
If you are socially isolated or lonely, you are at a much greater risk of developing dementia. Contact with others helps us in many ways, not least of which is were not always alone with our thoughts, especially negative ones. You can get trapped inside your head and that worry contributes to your cognitive decline.
This can be particularly true among men. One of the best groups Dr. Davis knows is Fit Fellas at the West Vancouver Seniors Activity Centre. They do it all exercise, talk, meet for coffee. Its an old-fashioned boys club.
Its not enough that you do a crossword puzzle a day. You need to teach your old brain new tricks. Take up Sudoko or learn a new language. You need to give your brain new ah-ha moments all the time so it remains active. Push your mental boundaries and invest in your brain bank.
Having a faith and belief system lets you let go of a lot of toxic worries, Dr. Davis says.
Of course, Dr. Davis also recommends dropping by Nognz Brain Fitness (1517 Bellevue in West Vancouver) to check out their collection of memory games, puzzles, games and software. Nognz.com
Nurse Next Door has partnered with Nognz to equip staff with a Brain Box, games and puzzles that stimulate memory, word skills, coordination, critical thinking and focus.
Meals on Wheels has been around for years volunteers deliver frozen meals to seniors in their homes. Now theres Market on Wheels, which brings fresh food to people who need it, especially seniors who dont have easy access to a grocery store. The non-profit Westside Mobile Food Market runs from July 18 to Sept. 30. KitsHouse.org
