Surprisingly, Alzheimer’s can strike at any age, but most patients are 65 and older. Women comprise two-thirds of sufferers, clocking in at more than 3 million. Because of the aging United States population, the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is growing. In 10 years, the number is estimated to top 7 million people, an increase of 40 percent from today’s figures.
While there is promising research that hints at potential cures or alleviation on the horizon, there are no guarantees that anything will reach the segment of the population that needs it most in their lifetimes. Thus, it’s important to focus on the things that will preserve memory and sharpen reasoning as a way to stave off the effects of cognitive impairment.
Some suggestions are intuitive, such as eating right and getting more exercise. Others are less clear and may surprise those who think that there’s really nothing to be done other than trying to cope.
Stay Active
Of all the things that can be done, staying active both physically and socially ranks near the top of most lists. Aerobic and other physical activities have been linked to reduced risk of dementia in participants. People who average 30 minutes of aerobic exercise five times per week seem to improve the ability to reason. Even those who already have a bit of impairment show improvement once they get on a program. While walking and other activities are a step in the right direction, activities that truly work the body like sports activities are shown to have a greater benefit than mild exercise.