{"id":10002,"date":"2024-01-31T19:20:33","date_gmt":"2024-01-31T12:20:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=10002"},"modified":"2024-01-31T19:20:33","modified_gmt":"2024-01-31T12:20:33","slug":"7-things-to-do-in-your-40s-to-lower-alzheimers-risk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=10002","title":{"rendered":"7 Things to Do in Your 40s to Lower Alzheimer&#8217;s Risk"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"drop-cap text-big text-gray\"> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">W<\/span>hile many people in their 40s are aware of Alzheimer&#8217;s disease, it probably doesn&#8217;t feel like an immediate threat. That makes sense, because most people with the condition don&#8217;t show symptoms until they&#8217;ve passed their 65th birthday, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nia.nih.gov\/health\/alzheimers-symptoms-and-diagnosis\/what-are-signs-alzheimers-disease\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.nia.nih.gov\/health\/alzheimers-symptoms-and-diagnosis\/what-are-signs-alzheimers-disease\">National Institute on Aging<\/a> (NIA).<\/div>\n<p>If Alzheimer&#8217;s runs in your family, though, your risk might be on your mind well before your sixth or seventh decade.<\/p>\n<p>There&#8217;s no proven way of absolutely preventing Alzheimer&#8217;s. But there are steps you can take\u2014especially when you&#8217;re younger\u2014to help <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/superager-brain-health-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/superager-brain-health-tips\/\">keep your brain sharp<\/a> for years to come.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Making healthy choices when you&#8217;re younger is like investing in a 401K,&#8221; says <a href=\"https:\/\/medli.nyu.edu\/faculty\/allison-b-reiss\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/medli.nyu.edu\/faculty\/allison-b-reiss\">Allison B. Reiss, MD<\/a>, an associate professor in the Departments of Medicine and Foundations of Medicine at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine and a member of the Alzheimer\u2019s Foundation of America Medical, Scientific &amp; Memory Screening Advisory Board. &#8220;The work you do now builds a reserve that will pay dividends later.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"\">\n<hr\/>\n<div class=\"experts-in-article noskim py-[24px] px-[40px]\">\n<p>Experts In This Article<\/p>\n<ul class=\"!ml-[18px]\">\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/medli.nyu.edu\/faculty\/allison-b-reiss\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/medli.nyu.edu\/faculty\/allison-b-reiss\">Allison B. Reiss, MD<\/a>, Associate professor in the Departments of Medicine and Foundations of Medicine at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine. <\/li>\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucihealth.org\/find-a-doctor\/k\/hayley-b-kristinsson\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.ucihealth.org\/find-a-doctor\/k\/hayley-b-kristinsson\">Hayley B. Kristinsson, PsyD<\/a>, Neuropsychologist with UCI Health who specializes in memory disorders, dementia, Alzheimer\u2019s disease, and neuropsychological testing. <\/li>\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adrc.wisc.edu\/nathaniel-chin-md\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.adrc.wisc.edu\/nathaniel-chin-md\">Nathaniel Chin, MD<\/a>, Medical director of Wisconsin Alzheimer\u2019s Disease Research Center and UW Health geriatrician. <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<hr\/><\/div>\n<p>The ideal time to start that work is in your 40s. That&#8217;s because the first protein of Alzheimer&#8217;s disease, called an amyloid, can begin to develop in the brain around this time, per the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK459119\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK459119\/\">National Library of Medicine<\/a>. While the presence of this protein doesn&#8217;t mean someone will definitely be diagnosed with Alzheimer&#8217;s, it does mean their risk is higher, says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adrc.wisc.edu\/nathaniel-chin-md\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.adrc.wisc.edu\/nathaniel-chin-md\">Nathaniel Chin, MD<\/a>, medical director of the Wisconsin Alzheimer\u2019s Disease Research Center and a UW Health geriatrician.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;This tells me, as a memory care geriatric physician and scientist in the field, that reducing risk for Alzheimer\u2019s disease\u2014and all thinking changes\u2014should start in someone&#8217;s 40s,&#8221; he says. &#8220;We have decades to reduce our risk, and it is never too late to start.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline text-h5 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-lower-alzheimers-risk-in-40s\/\" current-title=\"7 Things to Do in Your 40s if You\u2019re Worried About Your Alzheimer\u2019s Risk\" current-image=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/blackCat_418x278_true_70.webp\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-07-31\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-lower-alzheimers-risk-in-40s\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-lower-alzheimers-risk-in-40s\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-lower-alzheimers-risk-in-40s\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Below, learn seven healthy habits you can start in your 40s to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-keep-your-brain-healthy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-keep-your-brain-healthy\/\">support your brain health<\/a> now and in the years to come.<\/p>\n<h2>1. Eat more MINDfully<\/h2>\n<p>While food alone can&#8217;t prevent Alzheimer&#8217;s, there have been promising studies on both the Mediterranean and DASH diets, which many experts now recommend combining into one eating approach called the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/mind-diet-brain-health\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/mind-diet-brain-health\/\">MIND diet<\/a> (that stands for Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay, in case you were wondering).<\/p>\n<p>In a September 2015 study in <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25681666\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25681666\/\"><em>Alzheimer&#8217;s and Dementia<\/em><\/a>, researchers found Alzheimer&#8217;s rates were 53 percent lower among people who had the highest intake of foods on the MIND diet.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, this research-backed way of eating may help manage your risk of developing Alzheimer&#8217;s, says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucihealth.org\/find-a-doctor\/k\/hayley-b-kristinsson\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.ucihealth.org\/find-a-doctor\/k\/hayley-b-kristinsson\">Hayley B. Kristinsson, PsyD<\/a>, a UCI Health neuropsychologist who specializes in memory disorders, dementia, Alzheimer&#8217;s disease, and neuropsychological testing.<\/p>\n<p>In a nutshell, the diet encourages lots of fruits, veggies, whole grains, fish, and nuts while <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/eat-less-meat\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/eat-less-meat\/\">limiting red meat<\/a>, cheese, and other sources of saturated or trans fats.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s how to follow the MIND diet, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hsph.harvard.edu\/nutritionsource\/healthy-weight\/diet-reviews\/mind-diet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.hsph.harvard.edu\/nutritionsource\/healthy-weight\/diet-reviews\/mind-diet\/\">Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>At least 3 servings of whole grains a day (think: brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, whole-wheat products)<\/li>\n<li>At least 1 serving of vegetables a day (other than green leafy veggies)<\/li>\n<li>At least 6 servings of leafy green vegetables a week<\/li>\n<li>At least 5 servings of nuts a week<\/li>\n<li>At least 4 servings of beans a week<\/li>\n<li>At least 2 servings of berries a week<\/li>\n<li>At least 2 servings of poultry a week<\/li>\n<li>At least 1 serving of fish a week<\/li>\n<li>Mainly use olive oil instead of other fats<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In addition, avoid or limit the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Pastries and sweets<\/li>\n<li>Red meat<\/li>\n<li>Cheese and fried foods<\/li>\n<li>Butter\/margarine<\/li>\n<li>Ultra-processed foods<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Making healthy choices when you&#8217;re younger is like investing in a 401K. The work you do now builds a reserve that will pay dividends later.&#8221; \u2014Allison B. Reiss, MD, internal medicine physician<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2>2. Move your body a little more<\/h2>\n<p>It might seem like your brain and body exist on separate planes, but getting enough exercise promotes overall health for both.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;People who are physically active in their 40s have a lower risk of developing mild cognitive impairment,&#8221; says Dr. Kristinsson.<\/p>\n<p>Indeed, research has linked regular physical activity to a slew of brain-boosting benefits. For example, a landmark February 2011 study in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3041121\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3041121\/\"><em>PNAS<\/em><\/a> found that people who are more active have larger brain volumes in regions that are crucial for memory, such as the frontal lobes and hippocampus. (Alzheimer&#8217;s is associated with brain atrophy, or reduced brain volume.)<\/p>\n<p>Other studies have found that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/aerobic-exercise-memory\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/aerobic-exercise-memory\/\">exercise is beneficial for memory<\/a>, per the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nccdphp\/dnpao\/features\/physical-activity-brain-health\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nccdphp\/dnpao\/features\/physical-activity-brain-health\/index.html\">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a>, and that people who are more physically fit do better on tests that measure attention, memory, and processing speed. A December 2020 study in <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33035548\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33035548\/\"><em>Preventive Medicine<\/em><\/a> even found that adults who are inactive are almost twice as likely to experience cognitive decline.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Not only does exercise increase volume in some regions, it can also help your brain function better,&#8221; Dr. Kristinsson says.<\/p>\n<p>So, how much exercise should you aim for? The <a href=\"https:\/\/health.gov\/our-work\/nutrition-physical-activity\/physical-activity-guidelines\/current-guidelines\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/health.gov\/our-work\/nutrition-physical-activity\/physical-activity-guidelines\/current-guidelines\">Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans<\/a> recommend getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (think: brisk walking, biking) or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardio (think: running, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/hiit-training-workouts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/hiit-training-workouts\/\">HIIT<\/a>) each week, or a mix of both. Plus, everyone should do muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week.<\/p>\n<p>But even if you don&#8217;t hit those numbers exactly, the most important thing is: &#8220;Don&#8217;t be sedentary!&#8221; says Dr. Reiss. &#8220;Find activities you enjoy and try to do a mix of aerobic exercise, resistance training, and stretching, balance, and range-of-motion activities.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>That can include anything from dance to swimming to exercise classes to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/pilates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/pilates\/\">Pilates<\/a>, and experts stress that you&#8217;ll have the most success if you can find something you love doing.<\/p>\n<h2>3. Stop skimping on sleep<\/h2>\n<p>You&#8217;re probably tired of hearing this (pun intended), but you&#8217;ve gotta get more sleep.<\/p>\n<p>Not getting enough shut-eye or frequently having your sleep disrupted can weaken your immune system, and it&#8217;s not great for your brain health, either.<\/p>\n<p>Research has found that people who regularly struggle with sleep (trouble falling asleep, poor quality sleep, or short sleep, for example) have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4323377\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4323377\/\">increased risk of cognitive decline<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Sleep problems, especially in mid-life, can also up your risk for dementia, per an April 2021 study in <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33879784\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33879784\/\"><em>Nature Communications<\/em><\/a> that was partly supported by the NIA.<\/p>\n<p>To <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-sleep-better-at-night\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-sleep-better-at-night\/\">improve the overall quality of your sleep<\/a>, Dr. Kristinsson recommends clocking seven to eight hours of sleep a night and sticking to a regular sleep schedule as best you can (yes, even on the weekends).<\/p>\n<p>If you struggle with sleep, mindfulness and relaxation strategies such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/five-step-meditation-for-sleep\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/five-step-meditation-for-sleep\/\">meditation<\/a> or yoga might be able to help if you do them regularly. And cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI) can be be a good option to treat insomnia without medication, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/insomnia\/in-depth\/insomnia-treatment\/art-20046677\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/insomnia\/in-depth\/insomnia-treatment\/art-20046677\">Mayo Clinic<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Need more help? Reach out to a sleep specialist, Dr. Kristinsson says.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;We are innately social beings, and social neuroscience has shown us that social engagement can impact brain health.&#8221; \u2014Hayley B. Kristinsson, PsyD, neuropsychologist<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2>4. Nurture your relationships<\/h2>\n<p>Your friends really are good for your brain, experts say.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We are innately social beings, and social neuroscience has shown us that social engagement can impact brain health,&#8221; says Dr. Kristinsson.<\/p>\n<p>Not only does social engagement foster a sense of closeness and connectedness, she explains, but it may help prevent the type of cognitive decline that can happen when someone is more isolated: Loneliness is linked to higher rates of dementia as well as faster cognitive decline, per a 2022 paper in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC9910279\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC9910279\/\"><em>Journal of Psychiatry and Brain Science<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Social activity is also good for your mood,&#8221; says Dr. Kristinsson. Research shows a connection between depression and poorer brain functioning, she says, adding that she often sees patients who have both depression and memory complaints.<\/p>\n<p>In your 40s, you may well be juggling a demanding career with caring for kids and maybe your own parents, too. So it&#8217;s understandable if socializing falls a bit by the wayside. But consider this your sign to revive &#8220;girl&#8217;s night,&#8221; call the friend you&#8217;ve been meaning to catch up with, volunteer at your church or library, or rally your people for a book club or bowling league.<\/p>\n<h2>5. Exercise your brain, too<\/h2>\n<p>You&#8217;ve likely seen advertisements for workbooks, apps, and other products that claim to offer &#8220;brain training&#8221; exercises. While research is mixed on whether these so-called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/exercises-for-the-brain\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/exercises-for-the-brain\/\">brain games<\/a> are effective, Dr. Kristinsson notes that cognitive exercise is &#8220;definitely important&#8221; for good brain health throughout your life \u2014 and you don&#8217;t need to turn to expensive products to work these &#8220;muscles.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The key appears to be stimulating your brain to work in ways that it is not accustomed to, such as learning a new language or learning to play an instrument,&#8221; she says. &#8220;I often tell patients that the key is choosing an activity that you enjoy that is also mentally challenging, but not so challenging that it is discouraging.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>So, if you&#8217;ve always wanted to learn to play guitar, or you want to brush up on the Italian you learned in high school, now&#8217;s the perfect time.<\/p>\n<h2>6. Take good care of your heart<\/h2>\n<p>What&#8217;s good for your heart is good for your brain.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The brain and the heart work together,&#8221; says Dr. Reiss. &#8220;You rely on your heart and blood vessels to provide oxygen and nutrients to your brain.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>As a result, there&#8217;s a lot of overlap between heart-healthy and brain-healthy recommendations. According to Dr. Chin and Dr. Reiss, you should aim to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Do your best to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-combat-stress-natures-way\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-combat-stress-natures-way\/\">reduce stress<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Make sure your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol are in healthy ranges<\/li>\n<li>Eat nutritious foods<\/li>\n<li>Have your medications reviewed on a regular basis with your doctor<\/li>\n<li>Avoid smoking<\/li>\n<li>Limit alcohol to one drink or less per day<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>7. Be wary of supplements<\/h2>\n<p>There are countless supplements on the market that claim to improve brain health and memory, or even lower your risk of developing Alzheimer&#8217;s. It can be tempting to buy into these claims, but know that at this time, there is no silver bullet medicine or magic pill for the disease, Dr. Chin says.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I would caution people [against] taking supplements or prescribed medications simply with the hope that they reduce Alzheimer&#8217;s risk,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n<p>Not only can supplements interfere with other medications you&#8217;re taking, but most have not been studied and have little if any research to support their claims. Plus, vitamins and supplements aren&#8217;t regulated by the Food &amp; Drug Administration (FDA) the same way the agency regulates drugs.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;A supplement may be called &#8216;natural&#8217; but can still have powerful substances that have not met FDA standards,&#8221; Dr. Kristinsson warns. &#8220;This can lead to adverse reactions when combined with prescription medications, so make sure to check with your doctor before starting anything new.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>At the moment, Dr. Chin adds, there are clinical trials looking at medications that remove the first protein of Alzheimer&#8217;s disease, but they&#8217;re still under study. And while some people have legitimate vitamin deficiencies that could contribute to memory symptoms\u2014such as B1, B6, B12, or D\u2014there&#8217;s no supplement currently known to reduce your risk of developing the disease.<\/p>\n<p>If you think you might have a vitamin deficiency, ask your doctor if they recommend a supplement or a multivitamin that contains minerals, &#8220;which may be helpful in older adults,&#8221; says Dr. Chin. But again, never take anything without your doctor&#8217;s recommendation.<\/p>\n<div class=\"block-thin post-citations mt-[40px] mb-[30px]\" data-module-init=\"main-2020\/post-citations\" data-module-immediate=\"true\">\n<hr class=\"!border-seafoam-dark mb-[24px]\"\/>\n<div class=\"post-citations-content flex flex-col gap-[24px]\">\n<p>Well+Good articles reference scientific, reliable, recent, robust studies to back up the information we share. You can trust us along your wellness journey.<\/p>\n<div>\n<ol class=\"!ml-[18px] !mt-0\">\n<li>\n              Morris, Martha Clare et al. \u201cMIND diet associated with reduced incidence of Alzheimer\u2019s disease.\u201d\u00a0<i>Alzheimer\u2019s &amp; dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer\u2019s Association<\/i>\u00a0vol. 11,9 (2015): 1007-14. doi:10.1016\/j.jalz.2014.11.009            <\/li>\n<li>\n              Erickson, Kirk I et al. \u201cExercise training increases size of hippocampus and improves memory.\u201d\u00a0<i>Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America<\/i>\u00a0vol. 108,7 (2011): 3017-22. doi:10.1073\/pnas.1015950108            <\/li>\n<li>\n              Omura, John D et al. \u201cCross-sectional association between physical activity level and subjective cognitive decline among US adults aged \u226545\u00a0years, 2015.\u201d\u00a0<i>Preventive medicine<\/i>\u00a0vol. 141 (2020): 106279. doi:10.1016\/j.ypmed.2020.106279            <\/li>\n<li>\n              Sabia, S\u00e9verine et al. \u201cAssociation of sleep duration in middle and old age with incidence of dementia.\u201d\u00a0<i>Nature communications<\/i>\u00a0vol. 12,1 2289. 20 Apr. 2021, doi:10.1038\/s41467-021-22354-2            <\/li>\n<li>\n              Finley, Anna J, and Stacey M Schaefer. \u201cAffective Neuroscience of Loneliness: Potential Mechanisms underlying the Association between Perceived Social Isolation, Health, and Well-Being.\u201d\u00a0<i>Journal of psychiatry and brain science<\/i>\u00a0vol. 7,6 (2022): e220011. doi:10.20900\/jpbs.20220011            <\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<hr class=\"!border-seafoam-dark mt-[24px]\"\/>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>While many people in their 40s are aware of Alzheimer&#8217;s disease, it probably doesn&#8217;t feel like an immediate threat. That makes sense, because most people with the condition don&#8217;t show symptoms until they&#8217;ve passed their 65th birthday, according to the National Institute on Aging (NIA). If Alzheimer&#8217;s runs in your family, though, your risk might &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":10003,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10002","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10002","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10002"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10002\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10003"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10002"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10002"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10002"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}