Unlocking the Secrets of a Sharper Mind

A combination of healthy lifestyle choices can slow down memory decline and reduce the risk of dementia.

• A decade-long study suggests that combining multiple healthy lifestyle choices such as:
  • Eating a healthy diet including consumption of at least seven out of 12 food groups: fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, dairy, salt, oil, eggs, cereals, legumes, nuts and tea.
  • Regular physical exercise for more than 150 minutes a week at moderate intensity or more than 75 at vigorous intensity.
  • Cognitive activity such as writing, reading, playing cards or other games at least twice a week.
  • Not smoking and not drinking alcohol.
  • Active social contact at least twice a week, including activities such as visiting family and friends, attending meetings or going to parties. may help slow the rate of memory decline and reduce the risk of dementia.
• The study analyzed 29,000 adults aged over 60 with normal cognitive function.
• People with four to six healthy behaviors or two to three were almost 90% and almost 30% respectively less likely to develop dementia or mild cognitive impairment relative to those who were the least healthy.
• A healthy diet had the strongest effect on slowing memory decline, followed by cognitive activity and then physical exercise.