Dementia is a chronic disorder characterized by impaired reasoning, memory lapses, and personality changes. The condition may come as a result of brain injury or disease that severely affected parts of the brain. Families who have members with dementia often find it difficult to cope with their patients. Luckily, the risk of developing dementia can be minimized by switching to a healthier diet and making essential changes in lifestyle.

There are several types of dementia. In the case of vascular dementia, patients have problems concentrating and often experience slowness of thought. They also have difficulty with planning, trouble understanding instructions, and suffer mood or behavioral changes.

This type of dementia is commonly seen in patients who suffered from a stroke or chronic hypertension. In the United Kingdom, there are approximately 150,000 who suffer from vascular dementia.

Like most chronic ailments, there is no cure for this disease. Nevertheless, making some lifestyle changes can greatly reduce the risk of developing this condition. Medical experts at Mayo Clinic reveal that the health of a person’s heart is closely related to the state of the blood vessels in the brain.

5 ways that you can reduce the risk of developing dementia
5 ways that you can reduce the risk of developing dementia. Matthias Zomer - Pexels

​Ensuring that the heart stays healthy can diminish the risk of suffering from vascular dementia. Observing five healthy habits can help keep the heart fit and healthy. What are these?

Keep the blood pressure in the normal range. Doing so would reduce the risk of suffering from stroke and avoid the development of vascular dementia thereafter. Healthy blood pressure will also help you steer clear from Alzheimer’s disease.

Maintain a good and healthy diet coupled with regular exercise to prevent type 2 diabetes from developing. It can also help minimize the risk of suffering from dementia. For those who already suffer from diabetes, regulating glucose levels can help protect the brain vessels from sustaining damage.

Stop smoking. Blood vessels in various parts of the body are damaged by smoking tobacco. Quitting now could greatly lessen the risk of further damage to brain blood vessels.

Get involved in various physical activities. A sedentary lifestyle can cause a lot of health problems, particularly those that affect the heart. Regular exercise should always be present in an individual’s wellness program. Aside from keeping the heart healthy, it could also help steer clear from vascular dementia.

Avoid too much cholesterol intake. Consuming a healthy and low-fat diet can minimize the risk of suffering from strokes and heart attacks. At the same time, it will also lower the risk of suffering from vascular dementia.

Studies have shown that observing these five healthy habits lowered the risk of dementia compared to those who persisted in their unhealthy lifestyles. The results of the study also revealed that healthy habits play a big role in preserving the cognitive health of middle-aged persons and also prevent age-related dementia from developing.