No one asks to get dementia.  And all of us hope to do what we can to prevent it.  But before I dive into how we as women can reduce our risk of developing dementia, I must first speak out that there is hope in dementia.  I’ve watched it.  I’ve lived it.  The truth that when we handle correctly the things that are changing within the mind and heart of someone with dementia, there can be good, and beauty, and richness.  So, yes, we want to do what we can to not develop dementia, but people like me are working hard to help more people learn how to get it right with dementia.  So maybe someday, dementia isn’t looked at with the sense of “life has just ended”, and instead we might take a deep breath of acceptance of the change that’s coming when dementia comes to be part of our experience, and be ok with what we believe can be an ok, maybe even beautiful time walking alongside our companion with dementia.

But alas, here’s some logical info about reducing risk of dementia:

A recent review of research cited by several notable groups shows that there is not a great deal of clarity about women and dementia.  While it’s been thought that women were being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at a higher rate than men, it’s now not clear that this is accurate.   Researchers are calling for a more broad, deeper look into the topic of women and dementia, in an effort to understand, and thus, reduce the incidence of dementia in women.

But what the researchers do consistently cite is that certain behaviors, habits, and attitudes can help us women (and men) reduce our risk of developing dementia, so I’d like to outline a few:

• Exercise.  It helps us manage our weight and our blood pressure, and helps our blood carry more oxygen to the brain.

• Manage our blood pressure.  Some studies link high blood pressure to higher risk of dementia.

• Check our hearing and wear our hearing aids.  Some research suggests that not being able to hear well may increase the risk of developing dementia.  Certainly, my observation from spending time with folks living with dementia is that not being able to hear well contributes to isolation, frustration, and a tendency to withdraw from social situations…none of which helps make dementia any easier or any better.  But back to dementia prevention:

• Stay socially active.  If you’re an introvert, this doesn’t mean you need to force yourself to be loving your time in the middle of big groups of people.  Just keep getting together with your favorite friend, keep having phone calls with your kids, keep going to the library.  If you are an extrovert, then say yes when you get invited to gatherings of friends or community events with lots of people.  And if transportation is a concern, ask for a ride from a friend.  They’ll most likely be happy to help, and you can buy lunch or pitch in with gas money.

• Get good sleep.  Our brains need that time of quiet and rest.  If you don’t sleep well, get help, and do things like a consistent bedtime routine, exercise, limit your caffeine, manage your stress, etc.

• Speaking of stress, do what you can to lower your stress, but, try not to stress about your stress.  There have been research studies done recently that show that when the brain is scanned when under stress, it shows the same type of response as when the person is experiencing beauty.  So maybe instead of the doom and gloom of stress, we can look at stress as an “activator”, a factor which helps us get moving on solutions, options, or other ideas to help us proceed through a challenging situation or season.  

• Smile more.  Even if you have to stand in front of a mirror and smile at yourself, there’s good evidence that smiling improves our mood.  So why not?!  My guess is that while smiling at ourselves in the mirror, we’ll start to laugh.  And we know how good laughter is for us.

• And about that laughter; well, read jokes if you need to.  Or go browse the funny greeting card section at the Hallmark store.  Who cares if the other people in the store look at you strange while you’re laughing at funny cards.  You’re doing your brain a favor!

 • Remember that our body is all one, but made up of a gazillion different components, so if one part is off kilter, the whole system is less able to work as well as it’s supposed to.  As it’s sung by the Delta Rhythm Boys https://youtu.be/mVoPG9HtYF8 and adapted by Hermann Munster of the Addams Family television show, https://dai.ly/xismtd, our selves are all connected.  So be in tune to your body and your mind and your soul.  And take care, as best you can, of the you that you have.  

That’s enough for now.  Stay tuned for more good advice on how we girls (and guys) can keep ourselves healthy and reduce our risk of dementia.  

Happy to help,

Jill

©Jill Couch, MS, OT/L