With medical advances and longer life spans, the number of people who have Alzheimer’s disease has increased dramatically. The cause of Alzheimer’s disease is unknown, and there is no cure for the condition. Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common forms of dementia, which refers to an abnormal degenerative brain disease in which an older adult suffers from a decline in cognitive ability, especially in memory and judgment.
As brain functions gradually deteriorate with age, patients will become increasingly forgetful and less intelligent. Their personalities will also change, such as being irrational and having a bad temperament.
The patient starts to forget small things and eventually forgets who they are. They lose their ability to recognize, think, and care for themselves. At the same time, they may become aggressive, cursing and hitting, which is very difficult for the patient and their family. Research has found that some supposed “good habits” may be the culprits of dementia.
3 ‘good habits’ that may be culprits of dementia
1. A low-fat diet
Many people take low-fat dieting to the extreme until it becomes an entirely vegetarian diet, where they don’t even dare to eat oil and salt. A long-term vegetarian diet can lead to weakness, pallor, fatigue, lack of concentration, memory loss, and other symptoms. A severe lack of nutrition may even lead to diseases such as senile dementia, stones, and osteoporosis.
Older adults, in particular, should pay special attention to nutrition. They should eat fish, poultry, eggs, lean meat, and other high-quality proteins and ensure the intake of vegetables and fruits. Sugar and salt intake should be controlled, but eating none is worse for the body.
2. Over-sanitization
Dr. Molly Fox of the University of Cambridge and her colleagues analyzed the data of 192 countries. The results found that countries with better sanitation, better cleaning supplies, and higher urbanization have higher rates of cognitive disorders. In particular, countries with better sanitation had a 33 percent higher prevalence of cognitive disorders.
Frequent disinfection, the frequent use of antibacterial drugs, and avoiding all contact with nature can be signs of an over-sanitized environment. When the living environment is too clean, it can cause damage to the ecological balance.
3. Sleeping too much can lead to Alzheimer’s disease
It’s not good to sleep too little, but it’s not good to oversleep.
The University of California, the San Diego School of Pharmacy, and the American Cancer Society studied 1 million people for six years. The results showed that adults who slept between 6.5 and 7.4 hours had the lowest mortality rate. Framingham Heart researchers found that older adults who slept more than nine hours a day had twice the average risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Changing your routine is unnecessary if you’ve always had to sleep more than 9 hours daily to feel rested. But suppose you’re sleeping in for too long or suddenly fall asleep for over 9 hours without cause. In that case, you need to overcome your laziness in the former case or go to the hospital for a check-up in the latter case, as lethargy is an early symptom of Alzheimer’s disease.
Stay away from five bad habits
- Smoking
- Drinking too much alcohol
- Lack of physical or intellectual pursuits
- Being overweight
- No social activities
If you want to avoid developing Alzheimer’s disease, you must learn how to prevent it. Regular intake of some foods can also help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Lisa, a former Alzheimer’s disease specialist, recommends five types of food that are good for the brain: fatty fish, berries, dark leafy greens, vegetable oils, and complex carbohydrates (such as beans).
Diet is not the only factor in the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. It should be combined with other factors such as rest and exercise habits. Studies have shown that finger exercises can improve blood circulation in the brain, slow down the aging of brain cells, and promote comprehension and memory.
Translated by Eva, edited by Yuqi Shi
