In this section  Risk factors: Introduction  Diet and lifestyle  Social interaction  Stress and emotional wellness  Mental agility and capacity  Smoking, toxins, and alcohol consumption  Head Trauma  Print the Healthy Brain worksheet  Back to main Healthy Brain page

What you eat, and the amount of activity you engage in, can impact so many things, including:

• Weight
• Blood pressure
• The circulatory system, and
• The amount of glucose in the blood.

Your brain needs a healthy supply of oxygen and nutrients, and it needs sugars to be properly dealt with in the body. Imbalance in any of the above areas can impede a healthy circulatory system and metabolism, which in turn affects your brain.

Fact 1. Type 2 (adult onset) diabetes may increase the chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 2-3 times, and the chances appear to increase the longer diabetes is present. (Nurses Health Study - USA, 2004 and Rancho Bernardo Study 2004)

Fact 2. Blood circulation problems resulting from obesity, high blood pressure and a poor diet may cause small strokes. These small strokes increase the risk of dementia by 3-4 times - either vascular dementia, Alzheimer’s disease or both. (Rush Institute for Healthy Aging - Religious Orders Study 2004)

Fact 3. Exercise is shown to increase the flow of blood and oxygen to the organs of the body. The brain needs to be regularly supplied with both to maintain healthy functioning. Regular and varied are key words when it comes to exercise. (Dr. Constantine Lyketsos, Johns Hopkins University)

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