Effective Ways To Ward Off Dementia

Over the years, I've found that many people who don't have experience with a loved one developing dementia are unaware that Alzheimer's and other types of dementia are typically indirect causes of death.

The example I often share is that someone with dementia may not be able to understand or convey to caretakers that they are having pain on urination - left untreated, a urinary tract infection can eventually lead to sepsis and death.

Perhaps the hardest part of developing dementia is the increasing awareness that you are gradually losing your memory and that there will be a day when you will not recognize your loved ones - the thought of having your loved ones visit or take care of you while you no longer remember who they are must be devastating.

A recently released Korean drama series on Netflix beautifully explores the many feelings that can surround a beloved family member struggling to find meaning in retirement and entering the early stages of living with Alzheimer's - for those who are interested, Navillera can be found here:

https://www.netflix.com/title/81403966 - beyond the themes of aging and a loved one developing dementia, this 12-part series offers something for everyone, depicting the everyday struggles and triumphs of people of all ages. I highly recommend giving it a chance.

Apart from genetic disposition and triggering environmental factors, the key concept to understand by those looking to prevent dementia is neuroplasticity, a term used to describe the brain's ability to form new neural connections as we go through different life experiences. It comes down to this: the more we encourage formation of new neural connections, the lower our risk of dementia.

Of all of the life experiences that affect neuroplasticity and our ability to ward off dementia, studies clearly indicate that no factor is more powerful than being socially active. Specifically, regularly putting ourselves in a variety of situations where we interact with new people and ideas appears to be the most effective way to support our brain health as we age.

Studies also show that people who regularly speak more than one language prevent onset of symptoms of dementia by an average of 4 years when compared to those who speak only one language, so actively learning and using a second language is also well worth pursuing to optimally support brain health.

It's also important to note that cognition and nervous system function are closely tied to vascular health, specifically, a buildup of homocysteine in the blood and accumulation of amyloid and neurofibrillary (tau) tangles. To learn more about homocysteine buildup and how it increases risk of neurodegenerative and cardiovascular disease, please feel free to review:

https://drbenkim.com/articles-homocysteine.html

The formulation at our catalogue that best combats buildup of homocysteine in the blood is the following organic whole food multi:

https://drbenkim.com/sunshop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=147
(Vegetable Capsules)

https://drbenkim.com/sunshop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=150
(Powder)

Ultimately, experiencing excellent brain health goes hand in hand with maintaining good overall health, and arguably the most important determinant of our health and longevity is the quality of our relationships. This doesn't mean that we can't experience conflict and even great strife at times in our closest relationships. Rather, if we have people in our lives who we know we can count on and vice versa through happy and difficult times alike, we significantly improve our chances of staying healthy over a long period of time.

With respect for all who have sacrificed to give their loved ones a chance to have a peaceful life,

Ben