Here are the 9 steps for improving cognitive health and 4 tips for improving vascular health - If one was religious about following these mandates (and obtained all the possible help out their for their hearing loss - e.g. hearing aids) - wouldn't one have a chance at not getting or slowing down dementia?
9 Steps to Reversing Dementia
Start by looking hard for correctable causes of memory loss. They include:
Doctors who practice Functional Medicine and follow the principles I talk about in UltraWellness can help you find these problems.
Once you identify the underlying causes of the imbalance, here are a few things that can help your mind get a tune-up:
- Balance your blood sugar with a whole foods, low glycemic diet
- Exercise daily — even a 30-minute walk can help
- Deeply relax daily with yoga, meditation, biofeedback, or just deep breathing
- Take a multivitamin and mineral supplement
- Take an omega-3 fat supplement
- Take extra vitamin B6, B12, and folate
- Take vitamin D
- Treat thyroid or low sex hormones
- Get rid of mercury through a medical detoxification program
Four steps for vascular health
Because vascular diseases like AAA often have no symptoms, Dr. Todd recommends paying attention to your risk factors and taking some preventive measures. Men over 50, cigarette smokers, those with a family history of vascular disease and anyone managing high cholesterol or high blood pressure are at risk.
- Get a simple screening.
Two-thirds of patients with ruptured aortic aneurysms didn't know they had a problem until after the medical emergency, which is why preventive screenings are so important. A simple, 10-minute non-invasive ultrasound can determine the size and location of an aneurysm. "Aortic aneurysm is a preventable, identifiable disease that we can screen for on a regular basis," Dr. Todd says. "All it takes is a conversation with your doctor if you have risk factors."
If you're diagnosed, you can work with a vascular surgeon to monitor the aneurysm, or undergo a stent-graft repair or open aneurysm repair procedure.
- Kick the habit for good.
Smoking damages the lining of the arteries and blood vessels, thereby weakening the vascular system and potentially triggering AAA. It also increases blood pressure and the tendency for blood to clot. Within two years of quitting smoking, you can cut your vascular disease risk by as much as one third. Find support through a
Smoking Cessation Program at the Continuum Hospitals of New York.
- Dissect your dinner plate.
Foods high in excess cholesterol and saturated fat wreak havoc on your vascular system by clogging the arteries and restricting blood flow. Aim for blood pressure lower than 120/80 and cholesterol levels lower than 200 mg/dL. Limit red meat and high-fat dairy and loading half of your plate with fresh fruits and vegetables and the other half with whole grains and lean protein can help you get there.
- Pick up the pace.
For every pound of fat, your heart has to pump blood through an extra mile's worth of blood vessels. Along with diet, 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week can help you maintain a healthy weight. And remember, being active doesn't require long sessions at the gym. Clip on a pedometer to gauge your activity level or try a new at-home fitness trend, like the P90X fitness system.
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