A recent study suggested that having a healthy heart lowers the risk of Dementia. Taking action to lower the risk of heart attacks also lowers the risk of developing Dementia. The study suggests that when it comes to achieving a “lifetime of robust brain health free of dementia, it is never too early or too late to strive for attainment of ideal cardiovascular health.
Although dementia is a major public health concern, its incidence rate has actually been declining in both the United States and other developed countries in recent decades.
Many factors have been cited as possible reasons for the decline, including better education, increased wealth and greater use of anti-inflammatory drugs. But also on that list is improved control of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (ones involving the heart and blood vessels).
“The recent decline in dementia incidence was preceded by a halving of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease incidence over the past 60 years,”
The seven evidence-based metrics are the following:
- not smoking
- having a body mass index (BMI) under 25
- getting regular exercise
- having blood pressure under 120/80 mm Hg
- keeping total cholesterol under 200 mg/dL
- keeping blood glucose (sugar) under 100 mg/dL
- eating fish twice a week and fruits and vegetables at least three times a day.
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