Contrary to popular opinion, dementia isn’t a direct result of ageing. This means you can reduce your risk of the mind-robbing condition.
What’s more, an expert, who was actually able to reverse dementia in a clinical trial, recommended the “very best” exercise for keeping your brain sharp.
Dr Heather Sandison, specialist in neurocognitive medicine, was speaking to Robert Love, a neuroscientist who specialises in helping people prevent Alzheimer’s disease with science, on his TikTok channel.
The dementia expert shared that exercise is “crucially important” for reducing your risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
However, practising dual-task exercise could be especially helpful.
Essentially, you need to do multiple things at once that combine physical exercise and mental activity.
The expert said: “My favourite type of exercise is one you’ve probably never heard of.
“It’s called dual-task exercise or doing two things at once. You want to engage cognitively at the same time you engage physically.
“So the simplest example of this is walking and talking. Going for a walk with someone you love and having a conversation.”
Dr Sandison recommended asking your loved one with cognitive decline about birthdays or special events that really matter to them to jog their memory.As they get better, you might want to start asking them to identify birds or plants along your walk.
Another great example of dual-task exercise for people with “great cognition” is ballroom dancing.
While this type of exercise could be especially potent, the expert shared you want to adopt a “multi-faceted” approach.
She added: “It’s about exercise but it’s also about diet, sleep, stress management, making sure you’re spending time with other people, avoiding social isolation, avoiding cigarette smoke, treating depression.
“There’s lots of things you can do to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s. Don’t let anyone tell you that there’s nothing that can be done.”
