Alzheimer’s Association: Five steps to better promote brain health

June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month

ROCKWALL, TX (June 2, 2022) During Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, the Alzheimer’s Association is encouraging all Americans to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors that can help reduce the risk of cognitive decline.

Age is the greatest risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, 1 in 3 seniors age 85 and older will have Alzheimer’s disease. While some brain changes are inevitable as we age, there is a growing body of research to suggest that adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors, including healthy eating, exercising regularly, not smoking and staying cognitively engaged may help us age healthier and help reduce the risk of cognitive decline.

“Understanding the role healthy behaviors may play in reducing cognitive decline is a robust area of research currently,” said Kathy Shockley, Director, Programs & Services.

“Researchers are working to determine what may be the optimal lifestyle ‘recipe’ to reduce cognitive decline, but there are steps we can take now to age well and help reduce the risk of
cognitive decline.”

This June (and beyond!), follow these five tips to promote better brain health and help reduce the risk of cognitive decline:

Exercise regularly — Regular cardiovascular exercise helps increase blood flow to the body
and brain, and there is strong evidence that regular physical activity is linked to better
memory and thinking.

Maintain a heart-healthy diet — Stick to a meal schedule full of fruits and vegetables to
ensure a well-balanced diet. Some evidence suggests a healthful diet is linked to cognitive
performance. The Mediterranean and DASH diets, which emphasize whole grains, green
leafy vegetables, fish and berries, are linked to better cognitive functioning, and help reduce
risk of heart disease as well.

Get proper sleep — Maintaining a regular, uninterrupted sleep pattern benefits physical and
psychological health, and helps clear waste from the brain. Adults should get at least seven
hours of sleep each night and try to keep a routine bedtime.

Stay socially and mentally active — Meaningful social engagement may support cognitive health, so stay connected with friends and family. Engage your mind by doing activities that stump you, like completing a jigsaw puzzle or playing strategy games. Or challenge yourself further by learning a new language or musical instrument.

Keep your heart healthy — Recent study shows strong evidence that a healthier heart is connected to a healthier brain. The study shows that aggressively treating high blood pressure in older adults can help reduce the development of mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

To learn more about ways to reduce your risk of cognitive decline by making lifestyle changes, click here.

Information provided by Meals on Wheels Senior Services of Rockwall County and North Central Texas Area Agency on Aging. The North Central Texas Area Agency on Aging serves adults age 60 and older and their family caregivers who live in Collin, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rockwall, Somervell, and Wise counties. Their mission is to create and maintain a coordinated network of health and social services for older adults and family caregivers. They provide services and resources that help older adults maximize their quality of life and live as independently as possible. By providing information, education, and direct services, they help individuals meet basic needs and make informed decisions. Contact one of their staff members, or call 800-272-3921.