Diabetes Type 2 and Dementia: Seven Practices Potentially Decreasing Risk for Sufferers
Lightening Up on Dementia
Got diabetes? Don't panic! Here's some good news: Some healthy lifestyle choices can help lower your risk of developing dementia. So, let's get cracking with these life hacks!
The Lowdown on Dementia
Dementia, a collective term for disorders affecting memory, thinking, and reasoning, can severely impact everyday life and independence. While some factors are beyond our control, like age or family history, others can be modified. For instance, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and obesity are dementia risk factors that we have some control over.
As for your sweet tooth—yes, diabetes is a risk factor for dementia too. But don't fret! Research is ongoing to understand how lifestyle choices can impact this risk.
Diabetes, Dementia, and Lifestyle Hacks
Researchers recently dug deep into the link between diabetes, healthy lifestyle choices, and dementia risk. They analyzed seven lifestyle habits, including:
- Quitting smoking
- Moderate alcohol consumption
- Regular physical activity
- A balanced diet
- Adequate sleep
- Less time spent being sedentary
- Frequent social interactions
To dodge dementia, they say, these healthy habits are your A-team!
This study, published in Neurology, primarily focused on participants from the U.K. Biobank, aged 60 or older and without dementia at study onset. They also excluded people with type 1 diabetes to closely examine type 2 diabetes's impact on dementia risk.
The researchers assigned participants a healthy lifestyle score based on their lifestyle choices. For example, someone was classified as being physically active if they did at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise a week.
To investigate the relationship between healthy lifestyle choices and dementia risk, the researchers tracked study participants for an average of 12 years. They found that people who followed a healthy lifestyle had a lower risk of developing dementia. And this risk reduction was even more significant for people with diabetes.
The Takeaway
So, there you have it! Embrace an active lifestyle, enjoy a balanced diet, prioritize sleep, and stay social! These lifestyle choices could do wonders for your health—and help keep dementia at bay.
But remember, theNeurology study had its limitations. Information on lifestyle behaviors was self-reported, potentially introducing errors. Additionally, while the researchers accounted for many factors, some unknown factors might have been overlooked.
Nevertheless, the study adds to the growing body of evidence supporting the significance of lifestyle choices on our health. So, make smart choices, take care of yourself, and keep dementia at arm's length!
- Interestingly, Alzheimer's, a type of dementia, can be partially mitigated with healthy lifestyle choices, providing relief for those with type-2 diabetes.
- Science is still exploring the exact relationship between diabetes, dementia, and lifestyle choices, but the findings are promising for those seeking to lower their risk.
- When it comes to reducing the risk of dementia, the contextual factors we can control, like smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise, diet, sleep, and social interaction, play a crucial role.
- Researchers found that incorporating personas, such as a smoker trying to quit or a person with diabetes seeking fitness and exercise, into retargeting strategies could help promote health and wellness therapies and treatments more effectively.
- Paxlovid, a medication used for treating COVID-19, could potentially have benefits in managing chronic diseases like diabetes and their associated risk factors, such as dementia.
- However, it's essential to approach health and wellness with a naive, open mind, understanding that more research is needed to fully understand the intricacies of how these factors impact each other.
- Mental health is an integral part of overall health, and maintaining good mental health can help manage conditions like diabetes and potentially reduce the risk of dementia.
- Balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and quality sleep are not just good for keeping dementia at bay, but they also contribute to overall fitness and exercise, promoting a healthier lifestyle for all aspects of mental and physical health.
