Many thanks to our author, Holly Clark, the community manager for FirstCare.ie who provide a range of high quality care services. Holly is passionate about improving the quality of care that elderly people receive around the world. For more information please follow this link: https://www.firstcare.ie/
Better Heart Health May Mean Lower Dementia Risk In Older People
The number of older people being affected by dementia has been increasing steadily in the recent past. This is primarily attributed to lifestyle changes where people are doing things that put them at risk of being affected by this condition. Professionals in the medical field have in turn intensified research to come up with ways to reduce the risks of being affected by dementia. The studies being done have come up with various ways to reduce this risk. One of the ways that has been mentioned in many of these studies is having better heart health.
The main reason why better heart health may mean lower dementia risk in older people is that such people are able to be active. A person with good heart health will be able to lead an active life. Such a person will go to work and participate in other activities without worrying about the health of his or her heart. When a person in participating in different activities the brain is also engaged. This results to the brain being exercised consequently reducing dementia risk. A person who is able to participate in different activities also reduces chances of being affected by stress. This is because the mind of such person is preoccupied with the activities he or she is participating in. Because of this, such a person has lower chances of being affected by dementia.
The project coordinator at FirstCare, Jane Byrne, points out that there are many causes of dementia. The Most common is Alzheimer’s, though the symptoms of dementia can also be caused by a series of strokes, known as vascular dementia.
Another important reason why having better heart health may reduce chances of being affected by dementia among older people is that there is efficient blood flow. The heart is able to pump the blood into the different organs of the body including the brain. This is important because when the brain gets enough blood it becomes healthier. The blood pumped into the brain contains oxygen which is an important aspect of improving the health of the brain. Therefore, when the heart is healthier it pumps blood more efficiently which reduces dementia risks in older people.
A person with enhanced heart health is also able to have better general health. Such a person is able to eat and sleep properly which are important aspects of having improved health. When a person eats healthy foods and is able to sleep well the brain is usually relaxed. This enhances the health of the brain even when the particular person is older. Consequently, such a person will have lower risk of dementia in his or her older years.
With better heart health one is able to reduce chances of being affected by the conditions that are usually associated with poor heart health. Some of the conditions make the body weak and this can easily lead to dementia. But with good health of the heart a person is able to effectively avoid such conditions. Among the conditions that are associated with poor health of the heart include diabetes and some types of cancer among other. Without these conditions the person will remain happier and as a result stress free. Most of these conditions are not directly associated with dementia. But a person who is affected by them has a higher risk of also being affected by dementia. Therefore, it is evident that having better heart health can effectively reduce dementia risk in older people.