The social construct of aging is evolving at a quick pace in the twenty-first century.
It is often noted that recently people have started to use their midlife crisis as a second chance to either become the best version of them or indulge in all the vices they were scared to try at a younger age.
Historically aging is a difficult subject for many individuals, especially when it comes to the concepts of retirement and senility. But today, people want to embrace the later decades in life, and they prepare for it in advance.
A common woe that a vast majority of individuals face today is the probability of developing dementia. It is a disease no one wishes to mess with, for it attacks precisely where it hurts!
What is dementia?
Essentially, dementia is an umbrella term used to define a group of conditions that originate from neurological degeneration and proceed to hack away at the patient’s memory, cognition, spatial awareness, and their sense of self. In a nutshell, once an individual has dementia, their personality withers away while their loved ones are restricted to remain silent spectators to their plight.
How to fight the early signs?
There are a few tell-all signs of the disease that can be used for an early diagnosis. Common symptoms of dementia include a heightened sense of confusion, short-term memory loss, reduction in the span of concentration, and significant behavioral changes.
In order to fight this disease in its early stages, one must be well-aware of how it spreads and affects the lives of those closest to a patient. I suggest the readers to review platforms like Dementia Talk for further details on the matter.
Today's focus is the precautionary measures one can place in their life to fight dementia at its earliest. I will share the insight about slowing the onslaught of dementia in the early stages that have been collected from various medical publications in recent years.
Without much ado, let's switch to warrior mode!
Pay attention to your emotions
Undiagnosed depression and deep-seated aggression are two of the most common causes of dementia in adults as young as forty! Untamed emotions tend to created chemical imbalances in the brain that produces plaque in the neurological pathways. This initiates the painstaking process of degeneration of the brain that can lead to dementia. This is why the holistic care regimen is now focused on emotional wellbeing as the first step to fight dementia. It's your emotions that matter most.
Stay hydrated to stay safe
All of us grew up reading ‘water is the essence of life.’ This is phrase comes to life when one studies the damage dehydration can cause to your brain. Chronic dehydration over a long period of time can affect not only your moods and behavior in the current time, but it can also worsen your condition if you have developed early symptoms of dementia.
Invest your time in physical exercise
Physical exercise helps you relieve stress and also develops new neurological pathways in the brain. Both of these steps are essential for slowing down dementia with minimal medicinal influence. Exercise will keep the individual happy and healthy for a longer period of time. From mattress gymnastics to any exercise that builds your stamina and keeps your heart rate high could work well here. I silently hope you appreciated the pun here!
Consume a balanced diet
The diet of a patient with dementia plays a critical role in its progression. Consuming a balanced diet enriched in vitamins A, B1, B3, B12, C, and D, along with minerals such as magnesium and zinc, is necessary to keep the brain healthy. The abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables that are green or red is highly appreciated by doctors because of the significant anti-oxidants. Good fats found in avocados, olive oil, and nuts are also good for developing a strong defense against the disease.
There is no harm in indulging in a few glasses of red wine or getting some dark chocolate every now and then. Both substances carry essential nutrients for the brain that help maintain synaptic energy at its finest and most reactive. Well, oh well, who wouldn’t appreciate that!
Learn something new every few years
Learning new things helps your brain stay engaged in the activity. When you continue to remain curious and push your dream of finding new things, you inherently slow down your brain's degeneration. Whether it is learning a new language at seventy, or learning to play the piano at sixty, or opening a tattoo parlor at fifty, each choice will help you stay happy and keep you away from the wicked claws of this dreadful disease!
Develop your safe space
It is evident that patients with dementia tend to hide in their shell. They lose sight of the immediate situation and divulge into the deepest whorls of their past. This is why we suggest all of our readers to start developing healthy habits and patterns today to avoid getting shackled by dementia. Whether it is smoking, drinking, or adding things to brownies that shouldn’t be in there, each of these habits will eventually make things worse if you develop dementia at an early age.
Relieve stress through meditation
Meditation is not suitable for just the gurus and yogis. It is a significant life skill that can someday save your life. Since the early symptoms of dementia revolve around loss of attention and more confusion, the habit of regular meditation will be a source of solace for the patient in the early stages of the condition.
You can join group meditation or take assistance from an individual counselor to develop this habit at your earliest convenience because it can help you fight heart disease, diabetes, and other adult diseases that are the norm of the day!
Spend time with your family and friends
Your best defense against dementia is your family and friends. Their attention and support will help you fight through this period without any problems. An individual who is suffering in the depths of this disease will require constant appreciation and encouragement. They will need someone to pull them out of the darkness and into the light.
While dementia may be an increasingly common cause of fatalities in the modern world, it is not easy to watch your own friend or family member suffer through something so drastic. If you have any old family members recently diagnosed with the disease, you must visit them at least once. You can offer your support to their immediate family because they too would need it!
Fall in love with yourself
The best way to fight the early symptoms of dementia is to fall in love with yourself while you still can. Appreciate yourself for all that you have gone through and the journey you have completed.
Look at your scars with admiration instead of apprehension. Be kind to yourself and let things go. When you start being in love with yourself, you will become mindful of everything. From your emotional health to your diet, everything will naturally come under consideration when you love yourself.
Final Thoughts - Be aware of dementia
In a nutshell, if you want to defeat dementia, you must be aware of it. The disease can affect anyone above the age of forty, and it has dire consequences on all parties involved. This is why we appreciate our readers to learn more about the common healthy habits that can help them maintain their distance from all age-related diseases.
Author Bio:
About Ashley Rosa: Ashley Rosa is a freelance writer and blogger. As writing is her passion that why she loves to write articles related to the latest trends in technology and sometimes on health-tech as well. She is crazy about chocolates. You can find her at twitter: @ashrosa2.
The content is intended to augment, not replace, information provided by your clinician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Reading this information does not create or replace a doctor-patient relationship or consultation. If required, please contact your doctor or other health care provider to assist you in interpreting any of this information, or in applying the information to your individual needs.