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Doing This One Thing Every Day Could Lower Your Risk of Dementia

Beth Ann Mayer – March 30, 2023

Plus, the habit that comes in second—according to a neuropsychologist.

More than six million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s Disease, the most common form of dementia, according to a 2023 Alzheimer’s Association report. The report also notes that Alzheimer’s starts about 20 years or more before a person develops memory loss or other hallmark symptoms of the devastating disease.

Damage to the brain cells causes dementia. Genetics can play a role, so it’s not possible to prevent it 100 percent. But research discussed at the 2019 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference indicated that lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.

“Research shows that keeping our mind sharp by continued learning and cognitive challenge can help our brains remain healthier as we age,” says Dr. Jessica Caldwell, Ph.D., the director of the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement Prevention Center at Cleveland Clinic.

It’s like lifting weights—you do it to keep your muscles strong.

“Although the process of keeping your mind sharp is different from keeping your muscles strong, the phrase ‘use it or lose it’ can be applied to the brain as well as the body,” Dr. Caldwell says. “The types of thinking-based activities involved in keeping your mind sharp—for example, attending classes, learning languages and debating topics—may also offer benefits for our mental health, as we feel a sense of accomplishment, and may offer opportunities to socialize, which is another way of reducing dementia risks.”

But you may be surprised by her top daily tip for reducing dementia risk.

Related: The Best Foods for Healthy Lungs—And the Ones You Should Avoid

What Is the No. 1 Tip for Keeping the Mind Sharp?

You may have heard that exercises like crossword puzzles, word searches or Sudoku can help keep the mind sharp. And while they certainly won’t hurt, the very best way to prevent cognitive decline is a different type of exercise: physical exercise.

“Some people are surprised to hear it, but we know that exercise has both immediate and long-term brain benefits, from increasing brain chemistry that supports the health of your brain cells to reducing factors such as chronic bodily inflammation, which can be harmful to the brain,” Dr. Caldwell says.

Physical activity also has some sneaky perks for cognition.

“Exercise also has benefits for the brain that are indirect—for example, improving mood and sleep, reducing stress, supporting heart health and increasing chances to socialize, all of which, in turn, reduces risks for poor memory with age,” Dr. Caldwell says.

Beyond prevention, a 2020 study conducted on mice indicated that exercise may even reverse age-related cognitive decline, but more research is needed on duration, frequency and exercise types to fully understand how this applies to humans. A review of previous research from the same year also suggested that physical activity could reduce cognitive decline and lower behavioral issues in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia. The authors suggested moderate-intensity (or greater) aerobic exercise would have the most significant effect on cognition.

Related: Significantly Reduce Heart Disease Risk in Under Five Minutes

How Can I Get More Exercise To Keep My Mind Sharp?

Though more research is needed on exercise and cognition, Dr. Caldwell says the American Heart Association’s guidelines provide a good baseline.

“The goal for exercise for brain health for life is at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise [per week], and for healthy adults, more is better,” Dr. Caldwell says.

If you aren’t currently exercising, talk to your doctor first. From there, Dr. Caldwell says you can increase your physical activity—and your chances of making it a habit—with two big tips.

“First, pair exercise with something you like or already do. Think stationary biking while watching a favorite program or walking while listening to a podcast episode,” Dr. Caldwell says. “Second, find a partner for accountability and motivation.”

Your accountability partner can motivate you from afar. “Even if you can’t find an in-person partner for runs or visits to the gym, checking in with a long-distance friend regularly about fitness goals can offer support and make it more likely that you will stick with your goals,” Dr. Caldwell says.

Related: The Worst Thing To Do For Sleep, According To Experts

What Are Other Ways To Reduce Cognitive Decline Risk?

Regular physical activity is important, but Dr. Caldwell says fighting cognitive decline requires a multi-prong approach.

She says it’s also important to prioritize getting seven to eight hours of continuous sleep. “Sleep is when we cement new memories into long-term storage, and also when our brains have a chance to clear debris, including the types of proteins that build up in Alzheimer’s disease,” Dr. Caldwell says.

Research published in 2021 underscores the importance of sleep for brain health. The study, which was conducted on 8,000 British people aged 50 and over, indicated that people in their 50s and 60s who got six hours of shuteye or less per night were 30 percent more likely to be diagnosed with dementia than their peers, who were getting a least seven hours of sleep nightly.

Alcohol intake is another lifestyle habit to evaluate. “Our bodies process alcohol differently as we age, and drinking more than seven drinks per week has been linked to risk for dementia,” Dr. Caldwell says.

Finally, don’t put your mental health on the back burner. “Depression is a risk factor for dementia, and those feelings of sadness and lack of interest that can come with depression can also make it difficult to engage in other brain-healthy behaviors,” Dr. Caldwell says.

Related: The Best Habit For Anxiety, According To Experts

What Are Signs of Cognitive Decline?

You can’t remember if you brushed your teeth today. Should you be concerned? Probably not.

“Anyone can make a memory mistake at any age—some forgetfulness is normal,” Dr. Caldwell says. “Signs of memory decline would include forgetting what happens frequently, such as needing several reminders throughout the day about a conversation you had that morning. Another sign would be forgetting essential information, such as forgetting the name of a loved one or an event you looked forward to.”

If you notice these signs, Dr. Caldwell suggests seeing a doctor. “A primary care doctor may give you or your loved one a short memory test—one that takes about five minutes,” Dr. Caldwell says.

From there, your doctor may suggest additional testing or appointments. Dr. Caldwell says this workup may include bloodwork, a brain scan, a referral to a neurologist who specializes in memory problems, or a referral to a neuropsychologist, like Dr. Caldwell.

“This is a specialist in memory and other thinking skills, who will administer several hours of paper or computer tests to better understand if you or your loved one are having a change in your thinking compared to others your age,” Dr. Caldwell explains.

No matter what type of appointments and tests you or your loved one get, the goal is to get to a diagnosis—whether that is normal memory, some mild changes called mild cognitive impairment, or more significant changes, called dementia.

“Memory changes can appear for many reasons, and your doctor will talk with you about possible reasons for your diagnosis, though figuring that all out may take time,” Dr. Caldwell says.

Next up: This Supplement Could Lower Dementia Risk By 40%

Sources

• Dr. Jessica Caldwell, Ph.D., director of the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement Prevention Center at Cleveland Clinic.

Fox News

Parkinson’s disease symptoms disappeared with exercise, man claims: ‘Use it or lose it’

Melissa Rudy – March 29, 2023

Parkinson’s disease has no cure, but multiple studies have shown that exercise can alleviate symptoms and slow progression.

A recent review published in Cochrane Library — led by Dr. Elke Kalbe, professor of medical psychology at the University of Cologne, Germany — analyzed data for nearly 8,000 people around the world with Parkinson’s.

Researchers found that those who participated in any type of physical activity showed “mild to large improvements” in motor skills and quality of life compared to those who didn’t exercise.

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For Scott Hanley, a 57-year-old native of Belfast, Ireland, the benefits have been life-changing. After two years of what he described as “stumbling in the dark with Parkinson’s,” he started a new workout routine. He credits it with completely stopping his symptoms.

When Hanley was first diagnosed, his Parkinson’s was still in the early stages — level 2, with level 5 being the most advanced. But over time, he started to notice more symptoms.

“I had something called dystonia, where multiple parts of my body would go rigid, leaving me incapacitated,” he said in an interview with Fox News Digital.

“I would be walking along, and suddenly my right foot would just lock out or stick to the ground and I would fall over.”

Hanley’s doctors put him on medication with plans to review his symptoms every six months.

“They said I could expect a progression of the disease and that there was precious little we could do about it,” he said. “And I found that hugely frustrating.”

After a couple of years of struggling with worsening symptoms, Hanley said his mindset shifted.

“My tolerance for putting up with Parkinson’s had run out,” he said. “I decided to try something else.”

At the time of his diagnosis, his physical health wasn’t the greatest, Hanley admits.

“I was overweight, I wasn’t active and my diet wasn’t good,” he said.

After reading a few success stories, he decided to try CrossFit classes, which incorporate strength and conditioning exercises at a high intensity.

The workouts focus on building cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy, according to the CrossFit website. Typical movements include burpees, deadlifts, rowing, squats, medicine ball throws, pull-ups and barbell presses.

For Hanley, the key was that the exercises all had a cognitive element. He had to really think about each movement.

“When we work different parts of the body, they get stronger. So I figured, why not try to make the brain stronger?” Hanley said. “I didn’t want to just go for a run or ride a bike — I wanted to challenge my brain pathways with physically intense exercise.”

PARKINSON’S DISEASE AFFLICTS THOUSANDS MORE AMERICANS THAN PREVIOUS ESTIMATES: NEW STUDY

Within six months, Hanley said his symptoms had disappeared — even without any medications.

During one period last year, Hanley injured his shoulder and couldn’t work out for four weeks. By the end of that month, he started getting tremors in his hand and his foot began to “stick” again while walking.

After he returned to the gym, the symptoms went away again.

“That’s what really validated the benefits for me,” Hanley said.

Blake Bookstaff, an entrepreneur in Knoxville, Tennessee, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s when he was just 47, he told Fox News Digital in an interview.

Some of his early symptoms included a change in gait, involuntary hand movements and “frozen shoulder,” which is when the tissues around the shoulder joint become inflamed and make it difficult to lift the arm.

Medications helped lessen the symptoms somewhat, but Bookstaff decided to try ramping up his exercise for greater benefits.

“I saw something on the news about Rock Steady Boxing, which is a franchise that offers workouts for people with Parkinson’s,” he said.

He contacted the owner and scheduled a personal training session — which he now does twice a week.

In the sessions, the trainer focuses on functional movements to help Bookstaff in regular day-to-day activities, such as standing up from a chair or getting in and out of a car.

“The compound exercises that combine multiple movements have been the most effective for me,” he said. “For example, when I’m boxing and I have to think about throwing different types of punches and hitting moving targets, I can actually feel my brain opening up, as if the cobwebs have been lifted.”

MICHAEL J. FOX SAYS HE DOESN’T FEEL SORRY FOR HIMSELF BECAUSE OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE: ‘NO REGRETS’

During weeks when he doesn’t work out, Bookstaff notices that his body becomes stiffer and harder to move.

Robert D’Egidio, a physical therapist at Atlantic Rehabilitation in Gillette, New Jersey, has seen firsthand how exercise can slow and modify symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

“It directly improves ease of movement for activities of daily living, reduces symptoms such as tremor and rigidity, and improves gait features for more normalized stepping and balance,” he told Fox News Digital.

Julie Pilitsis, M.D., a neurosurgeon at Marcus Neuroscience Institute in Boca Raton, Florida, agreed with that assessment.

“Exercise is the best thing that people with Parkinson’s can do to take care of themselves,” said Pilitsis, who specializes in functional neurosurgery and Parkinson’s disease, in an interview with Fox News Digital.

“It has some of the most dramatic effects on limiting disease progression. It helps with stiffness, mind-body connection and fitness, just to name a few.”

“A good mantra for all of us, but particularly for those with Parkinson’s, is ‘use it or lose it,’” she added.

The Cochrane review found that any type of physical activity — from strength training and endurance to swimming, dance and yoga — can help improve motor skills and quality of life for people with Parkinson’s.

“We observed clinically meaningful improvements in the severity of motor symptoms for most types of exercise,” said Dr. Moritz Ernst, first author of the review and a member of Cochrane Haematology, in a press release on the Cochrane website.

“These included dancing, training to improve gait, balance and movement, multi-exercise training and mind-body training.”

Physical therapist D’Egidio recommends doing any aerobic exercise with moderate intensity that will elevate the heart rate 20 to 30 beats above the resting rate for 30 to 40 minutes, three times per week.

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“We have observed consistently in our clinic that more intensified exercise has a direct impact on disease symptoms,” he said. “Exercises should include a variety of functional movements, multidirectional movements and some resistance [strength] training.”

For best results, he suggests mixing up the workouts throughout the year.

People with Parkinson’s, however, should pay close attention to any adverse effects and reduce intensity as needed, D’Egidio added.

“Exercise should be discontinued if disproportional pain results from an activity, such as sharp pain in the back, neck, knees and shoulders, or if the person has chest pain or breathing difficulties not consistent with the level of exertion being used,” he said.

Neurosurgeon Pilitsis noted that above all, good judgment should come into play. If there are balance issues, for example, high-impact activities may not make sense.

“Sometimes medications or difficulty swallowing can make the patient a bit dehydrated,” she said. “If you aren’t feeling well, are going through a period where you are recovering from illness or surgery, are dehydrated, or it is very hot outside, it is better to take it slow and adjust your routine.”

Experts agree that it’s always best to get a doctor’s clearance before starting any new exercise program.

While individual exercise may help keep symptoms at bay, having a comprehensive health care team is the optimal way to manage Parkinson’s disease over time, E’Egidio believes.

“This includes a movement disorder specialist, primary care provider, neurologist (to assist or support), physical therapist and/or occupational therapist with neurological background, speech therapist (as needed), support groups, community services directed at Parkinson’s disease and access to exercise facilities or equipment,” he said.

Nearly one million people in the U.S. are living with Parkinson’s disease, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation.

By 2030, it is expected to affect 1.2 million people. Parkinson’s is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease, after Alzheimer’s.