Because we are living longer than previous generations did, there is a higher likelihood that people will experience brain deterioration.
A study published last January showed that an estimated half a million people may be diagnosed with dementia this year. By 2060, the number is predicted to reach 1 million cases annually.
The aging population may be living with lifestyle chronic diseases like high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, which also raise a person’s dementia risk. “We estimate that about 40% of cases of dementia are preventable through lifestyle and other factors,” said Dr. Meredith Bock, neurologist and chief medical officer at Remo Health. Just because you carry a gene that puts you at a higher risk for developing dementia doesn’t mean that you will.
“There’s certainly a benefit to lifestyle interventions, both at reducing the time of onset of dementia or potentially getting it at all,” Bock said.
Some of these interventions, like getting plenty of exercise or doing brain puzzles, are well known. Others, however, may not be. Below, neurologists share the behaviors they do daily to keep their risk of dementia low, which may seem unusual to some:
They walk to their colleague’s office instead of sending an email.
Instead of being glued to a chair in front of a computer at work, Dr. Gabriel Leger, a neurologist at UC San Diego Health, is very intentional about getting up and moving to break up prolonged sitting periods.
“If I’m not with patients, I’m more likely to stand up and go across the building to speak to somebody instead of sending an email just because it gets me off the chair and makes me more active,” Leger said.
Our bodies weren’t designed to be still for prolonged periods, explained Leger. A 2023 study of nearly 50,000 adults revealed that 10 hours or more of sitting per day is linked to increased dementia risk.
They interact with people IRL as often as possible.
Another reason Leger will discuss a matter with a colleague face-to-face instead of simply sending an email is that interacting with other people helps preserve brain function.
“The more social interaction you have, the more connections your brain is making,” Leger said. Socializing with others is a protective factor to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. He added that it is as much a stimulator of brain connections as education.
“When you have a typical conversation, there are a lot of different cognitive domains you may be drawing on, comprehending language, speaking, following a story, and a lot of behavioral aspects, socio-emotional cues that you’re picking up on and responding to,” Bock explained. “Social interactions are also just really good for mood, which is also closely related to cognition.”
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If they have pets, they really commit to caring for them.
Leger owns two dogs and two cats. With dogs in particular, “you interact with them socially, you are obligated to take them out every day for a walk, and they force you to interact with other dog owners,” Leger said.
“You have a responsibility and are maintaining the sense that ‘There’s something that I need to do. I need to feed my dog. I need to make sure that they’re well.’ It’s a bit like parenting, where that sense of purpose is kept.”
These may protect a person’s cognitive function, as they provide daily opportunities for mental stimulation, social interaction and exercise. If you have a pet, this is another great reason to commit to its care.
They steer clear of foods with pesticides, preservatives or that are highly processed.
“It’s not quirky, but I try to stay away from highly processed foods, and try to eat organic food as much as possible. That’s not possible for everybody, but I do believe that pesticides, herbicides and highly processed foods are associated with elements that can stress the brain, that can increase the risk of dementia,” Leger said.
A practical way to do this is to buy fresh produce from the local farmer’s market or community food garden. If not weekly, try to do it once a month. If this isn’t possible, make it a habit to rinse your fruit and vegetables thoroughly with water before consuming them, as Leger does.
They eat lots of olive oil.
Dr. Gustavo Roman, a neurologist at Houston Methodist Hospital, takes a tablespoon’s worth of extra virgin olive oil every morning with his breakfast.
“There are more blood vessels in the brain than in any other organ,” he said. When these blood vessels are affected, this raises the risk of developing dementia.
The Mediterranean diet is linked to healthier blood vessels. As Roman scoured the scientific research, he saw that “there was data that the Mediterranean diet was a factor linked to the decrease in frequency of dementia.” A key component of this diet is incorporating extra virgin olive oil at every meal.
He advises his patients to find a supermarket that allows them to taste test different olive oils to find the one that is most palatable to them. “When they purchase the olive oil,” he said, “it should be from the current year’s harvest, it shouldn’t have a very long shelf life, and its bottle should be black, dark green or brown or metallic because the oil is very sensitive to light.”