Healthy Living for your Brain and Body
Learning objectives
-identify how certain behaviors affect us
Brain
-control center of the body
Over 100 billion nerve cells create a branching network
Signals traveling through he brain form memories, thoughts, and feelings
Alzheimer’s disease destroys brain cells. No treatment to slow disease, no cure
1 in 3 seniors develop Alzheimer’s. Predicting in the future it will be 1 in 2.
Alzheimer’s vs dementia. Dementia is a decline of cognitive abilities. Over 77 types of dementia. Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia. Alzheimer’s causes plaques and tangles in the brain, that stops neurons from sending signals to other neurons. Memory, thinking, behavior, mobility, vision. Middle stage you may lose peripheral vision, become a fall risk. Late stage, a person forgets how to swallow. Brain begins to shrink as the disease progresses, causing it to deteriorate. People are then more susceptible to illnesses because the brain stops telling the body to fight things off.
The heart-brain connection
The heart and brain are interrelated. What you do to protect your heart can also help your brain continue to operate at its best
The brain needs blood to flow. The brain depends on oxygen and adequate blood flow to work well. It receives 20-25% of the blood from every heartbeat.
Is Alzheimer’s a normal part of aging? No
It is a progressive and fatal brain disease. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time. It is not a normal part of aging.
Sleep, stress, substance abuse, medications can affect memory
Memory will naturally diminish as you age
Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia.
Story of your health
-genes and family history
-environment
-lifestyle
Blood pressure, blood sugar, weight/bmi, cholesterol
Healthy brain comes from a healthy body. Active social life. Exercise. Reading.
What the science tells us
-many factors that increase the risk of heart disease and stroke may also increase the risk of cognitive decline and dementia
-hypertension
-diabetes
-midlife obesity
-good cholesterol is good for the heart, and whats good for the heart is good for the brain
Its never too early or too late to incorporate healthy habits.
-get quality sleep
-be smoke-free
-take care of your mental health
-get moving
-eat healthy
-challenge yourself
-stay connected
Get quality sleep. Sleep is essential for overall health and well-being.
Sleep impacts overall health
It affects our ability to maintain healthy blood pressure and blood sugar
Inadequate sleep can cause problems with memory and thinking
-what kind of environment helps me sleep?
-lights from clocks, noises, things to keep you up
-what changes might help me create a more peaceful sleep setting?
-how can I minimize disruptions?
-control the room temperature or the amount of light that you prefer
-turn off screens before bedtime to help wind down before sleep
-talk to your doctor if you are experiencing issues with sleep
Be smoke free
-smoking has a direct impact on the health of your brain
-studies have found that smoking increases the risk of cognitive decline and may increase the risk of dementia
-quitting smoking may reduce a person’s chance of developing cognitive decline back to that of a non-smoker
To quit
-find support through quitlines
-talk with your doctor or other health care professional
-look for smoking cessation programs or a program that works for you
Take care of your mental health
-its important to prioritize yourself. Make time for self-care
-pay attention to your stress level and any symptoms of anxiety, depression, or other concerns. These affect the health of your brain
-many healthy habits contribute to good mental health
-what are some things I enjoy doing
-how can I build breaks into my day
-how do I focus on self-care
-take a nap, go for a walk, dance, sing a song, bake a treat, read a book, watch a funny video
Get moving
-physical activity can improve brain health
-consistent cardiovascular activity will reduce risk of cognitive decline
-physical activity may directly benefit brain cells and reduce other risk factors
-for most people, any increase in movement can have an impact on overall health
-what activities do I want to try?
-how can I build more physical activity into my day?
-who can I ask to join me?
Tips for getting physically active
-find things that might already be a part of your day-walk around your neighborhood, take the stairs
-start small
-find something fun for you
Eat healthy
-eating an overall healthy diet may reduce your risk of developing altzheimers
What’s good for the heart is good for the brain
Nutritious food is fuel for the brain
Dash (diet approaches to stop hypertension), Mediterranean diet
-fruits and vegetables
-nuts, beans, whole grains
-lean meats, fish, and poultry
-healthier fats
-limited sugar and salt
-how can I cook differently to make healthier meals
-healthy foods I can swap in
-what foods am I willing to try
Coconut oil does not cure Alzheimer’s
Not enough research to connect aluminum to Alzheimer’s
-reduce butter
-reduce salt
-focus more on what you can add in instead of what you take away
-WHO concluded in 2019 that vitamins and supplements should not be recommended to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia
-beware of potential false claims
-focus on a balanced nutrition to promote a healthy brain and body
Challenging your brain may lower your risk of cognitive decline-true
Cognitive engagement means keeping our minds active and challenged. Learning new skills, working on changing
-keeping your mind active forms new connections among brain cells
-cognitive engagement encourages blood flow to the brain
-new hobbies, skills, activities, topics to learn
-take a college course, cooking technique, new language, build new furniture, chess
Stay connected-being socially active
May support brain health. Living longer with fewer disabilities. Those who feel well-connected tend to make healthier choices in other areas.
-volunteer for a cause that’s important to you, regular phone chats, different community events
24/7 helpline 800.272.3900
alz.org
communityresourcefinder.org
any treatments for alzheimers at all?
Alzheimers international conference
-two new drugs
Leqembi
Donanemab
Treatments to slow progression of cognitive decline
Increase in development risk is due to living longer, and our unhealthy lifestyles
Vascular diseases can increase dementia risk-bloodflow to the brain