캐시닥0713
치매 무섭지요 건강을 위한 활동은 뭐든 똑같네요 잘 먹기 잘 자기
Reporter Choi Ji-woo's story
Dementia is a fear-inducing disease due to the lack of a definitive cure, but being aware of early warning signs allows you to recognize the risks in advance, manage them, and slow down their progression. Let's explore some unexpected warning signs that indicate the risk of dementia.
◇ When injuries from falls occur frequently
Injuries sustained after a fall can be an early warning sign of dementia. A research team at Brigham and Women's Hospital in the United States analyzed data from 2 million elderly people aged 66 and older who visited the hospital due to traumatic injuries between 2014 and 2015. The results showed that 10.6% of patients injured by falls were diagnosed with dementia within one year. This figure is 20% higher than that of patients with other types of injuries.
Michael Okun, director of the Neurological Disorders Research Institute at the University of Florida, said, “People at high risk for mild cognitive impairment or other dementia are more likely to experience falls due to changes in gait and balance,” adding that “frequent falls and resulting injuries can be potential warning signs of dementia.”
◇ Excessive drowsiness during the day
If you experience excessive daytime sleepiness that makes it difficult to perform normal activities, you should suspect pre-dementia syndrome.
A research team at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the United States analyzed 445 elderly individuals with an average age of 76 who did not have dementia. The team conducted a survey on the participants' sleep patterns and tests to evaluate their memory. As a result, 35.5% of those who experienced difficulties with driving, eating, and social activities due to daytime drowsiness developed motor cognitive risk syndrome.
This figure is more than three times higher than that of the control group. Motor cognitive risk syndrome is a syndrome that appears before the onset of dementia, referring to a state in which walking speed slows, memory declines, and the enthusiasm to handle tasks decreases.
◇ How to prevent dementia When it comes to dementia, practicing preventive efforts is just as important as recognizing warning signs. To prevent dementia, it is recommended to exercise regularly at least three times a week. Exercise improves blood flow to the brain and stimulates brain cell activity. You should get 7 to 9 hours of sufficient sleep every day and strive to improve the quality of your sleep. If sleep disorders persist, brain size decreases and beta-amyloid, a protein associated with dementia, accumulates in the brain. Eating a healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, reduces the risk of developing dementia.
The Mediterranean diet refers to a diet rich in whole grains, vegetables and fruits, nuts and seeds, and olive oil. According to research from Ben-Gurion University in Israel, the Mediterranean diet is effective in preventing brain aging by reducing neurodegeneration.
=========
The Mediterranean diet is just a healthy diet.
It seems like there isn't a place that doesn't apply.
I get sleepy after lunch,
Excessive drowsiness? I should keep that in mind.