14 Ways To Limit Your Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease

Statistically speaking, every six seconds, someone in the world is told that they have Alzheimer’s disease — a brain condition that causes mental decline and erodes your ability to remember, think and learn.

Age, genetics and family history — risk factors we can’t change — are considered driving forces behind this form of dementia.

But that doesn’t make you powerless when it comes to limiting the possibility of cognitive decline. There are ways to help reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s. Let’s find out more from neuropsychologist Jessica Caldwell, PhD.

Can Alzheimer’s disease be prevented?

There is no 100% guaranteed way to prevent Alzheimer’s, given the many factors that can contribute to the onset of the disease. That being said, there is still reason for hope.

Research suggests that up to 45% of current Alzheimer’s cases may have been avoidable if more attention had been paid to minimizing risk factors. What you eat, how often you exercise and taking steps to address certain health issues can make a difference.

“If you want to reduce your risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, there are things you can do that are under your control,” shares Dr. Caldwell. “Decisions you make and actions you take can be very important for your brain health.”

How to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s

Each of the following actions can help improve your brain health and help lower your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

1. Exercise regularly

A healthy body supports a healthy mind, which makes exercise one of the top things you can do to help keep Alzheimer’s at bay.

“Studies show that regular activity, even walking, can be healthy for the brain when aging,” reports Dr. Caldwell. “Exercise directly increases the neural chemistry that supports brain health and the ability to grow and keep cells.”

2. Get an education

Research shows that “strengthening” your brain by learning early in life and graduating from high school and college may help hold off dementia and Alzheimer’s as you age.

The concept reflects the power of building a “cognitive reserve” that makes your brain more flexible and reliable over time.

“That means if you do ever have a process like dementia happen in your brain, you have more to draw from — and you should hopefully show symptoms later than someone without that kind of cognitive reserve,” says Dr. Caldwell.

3. Continue learning

Muscles need to be worked to stay strong. Your brain is no different.

Intellectual stimulation is a good way to keep your brain healthy as the years go by. Reading can help keep your mind sharp, for instance. Ditto for playing games, traveling, listening to podcasts and anything else that requires analytical thought.

“Try to be a lifelong learner,” encourages Dr. Caldwell. “The key is to keep challenging yourself.”

4. Stay social

Isolation can increase your risk of Alzheimer’s, emphasizes Dr. Caldwell. When you’re alone in your living room, after all, you’re not forced to think or react like when you’re chatting with a group of friends.

But consistently being in social situations can help keep your brain processors humming along. (And as we’ve already noted, an active mind is a healthy mind!)

As an added bonus, maintaining active friendships and social networks can also boost your mood, which can help limit the development of depression and stress — two other factors in Alzheimer’s.

5. Eat a healthy diet

The choices you make at the grocery store may play a role in your long-term brain function.

Building your daily meal menus around lean proteins, whole grains, fruits and vegetables can limit oxidative stress and inflammation in your brain that contribute to cognitive decline.

The Mediterranean diet is often recommended for brain health. Other eating plans viewed as being beneficial include the:

• DASH diet.
• MIND diet.

These eating plans may also help with other health issues that can affect Alzheimer’s risk.

6. Watch for vision loss

Sensory input keeps your brain active as it analyzes and assesses what’s happening all around you. What you see as you move through daily life helps you stay mentally sharp.

If you have vision problems, the flow of information gets disrupted. “Your brain becomes less active — and that can impact your brain health,” explains Dr. Caldwell.

Difficulty seeing can also become an obstacle for reading, participating in fitness activities or doing things with friends, which — as we’ve discussed ­— are all important for long-term cognitive function.

That’s why it’s important to get vision exams as you age. Regular comprehensive eye exams should begin at age 40 to watch for age-related vision loss and issues such as:

• Cataracts.
• Glaucoma.
• Macular degeneration.

7. Address hearing loss

Maintaining hearing as you age is important, too, as an inability to process auditory clues can decrease intellectual stimulation. That can lead to many of the same issues associated with vision loss.

Hearing loss that makes it difficult to follow or contribute to conversations can make someone feel alone even when they’re in a crowd.

“Folks withdraw from social situations and wind up getting isolated, putting themselves in a different type of risk factor when it comes to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease,” notes Dr. Caldwell.

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association recommends that adults get their hearing tested at least every decade through age 50 and at three-year intervals after hitting that milestone birthday.

8. Manage your ‘bad’ cholesterol

Nearly 400 miles of blood vessels run through your brain. As you might imagine, most of them are very small, which is why managing artery-clogging cholesterol is a key part of brain health.

High levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), often referred to as the “bad” cholesterol, can cause fatty deposits to build up within blood vessels. Studies show that elevated LDL levels can be a risk factor for Alzheimer’s, as well as other health conditions.

“These blood vessels in your brain can be impacted by cholesterol very quickly given how small they are,” Dr. Caldwell explains. “That’s why managing your cholesterol through diet, exercise or even medication can make a difference for brain health.”

9. Watch your blood pressure

High blood pressure (hypertension) can affect the blood flow needed for parts of your brain to function. (Consider that one of the many negatives of chronic high blood pressure, which also can lead to heart disease and other issues.)

Similar to cholesterol, modifying your diet and doing things to reduce your blood pressure can be helpful to guard against Alzheimer’s.

10. Manage diabetes

When you have diabetes, your body builds a resistance to insulin — a hormone that helps control blood sugar. Insulin resistance is tied closely to inflammation that can help create protein buildup in your brain that disrupts several of its functions.

Diabetes is also connected to previously mentioned risk factors such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure. So, keeping an eye on your condition, and doing what you can to manage it are important.

11. Protect your head

Head injuries (such as a concussion) at any age increase your risk for Alzheimer’s later in life. That’s why it’s important to always wear protective helmets or headgear during activities where there is a chance of hitting your head.

“It’s very important to protect your brain and reduce the chances of a head injury or concussion when you’re doing something where that possibility exists,” stresses Dr. Caldwell.

12. Don’t smoke

There are numerous health concerns connected to smoking — and Alzheimer’s is one of them.

People who smoke are 40% more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, research shows. That’s because smoking can alter blood vessels to restrict the delivery of oxygen and nutrients your brain needs to be its best.

The good news? If you stop smoking you can eventually erase any increased risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s from the habit.

13. Limit alcohol consumption

If you’ve ever downed a few beers, cocktails or glasses of wine during a night out, you know that alcohol can affect your brain pretty quickly in the short term.

But over the long term, alcohol can damage your brain when consumed in excess, says Dr. Caldwell. Basically, it’s a neurotoxin that can reduce your memory and thought-processing abilities.

Moderation is key if you choose to drink. Guidelines suggest limiting alcohol consumption to two drinks (or fewer) per day for males and one drink (or fewer) per day for females.

14. Use memory supports

Some memory decline is normal as you age. Dr. Caldwell advises accepting that reality and adjusting to it. That may mean making more use of memory support tools such as lists, reminders, notes and alarms.

Taking these steps may actually help your brain, too. “These types of things are a different way to improve your memory because you’re actively working on improving your ability to recall information,” she adds.

Final thoughts

If you’re worried about developing dementia or Alzheimer’s, know that there are steps you can take to protect yourself. Paying attention to each risk factor may play a role in helping limit cognitive decline.

“Even if there are some things we can’t control, there’s a lot we can do to reduce risk,” reinforces Dr. Caldwell. “Making changes can make a difference.”