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Take some time to think about what you will do to continue to maintain or improve your brain health.
Download and print a copy of the activity sheet My Personal Action Plan below. Reflect on and answer the statements in both columns. Then circle the number between 0 and 10 that represents your confidence level.
If you rate your confidence below a 7, you might want to look at the barriers and consider reworking your action plan so that it's something you are confident that you can accomplish.
Alzheimer’s disease develops when the risk factors for the disease combine and reach a level that overwhelms the brain’s ability to maintain and repair itself. So reducing as many of the risk factors as you can makes good sense.
Some risk factors you can’t control, such as your genetic makeup and growing older, but there is a lot you can do that may help reduce your risk of getting the disease.
Here are some practical actions you can take to improve your brain health:
By making healthy lifestyle choices, you may be able to reduce your risk and improve your brain’s ability to sustain long-term health.
Will healthy lifestyle choices prevent Alzheimer’s disease? There are no guarantees, but evidence suggests that healthy lifestyles help the brain maintain connections and even build new ones. That means that a healthy brain can withstand illness better. So take action today.
Two risk factors cannot be controlled:
The most important risk factor is aging. A minimum age needs to be reached for Alzheimer’s disease to develop. People do not get the disease in their teenage years or even in their 20s. It is well-established that aging can impair the body’s self-repair mechanisms. And of course, many of the risk factors increase as you age, such as blood pressure, stress, and obesity.
There is no doubt that genetics play a role in the Alzheimer’s disease. Yet, only a small percentage of cases are associated with the specific genes that cause the inherited form of the disease. Risk genes increase the likelihood of developing a disease, but do not guarantee it will happen.
Research Sheet: Alzheimer's Disease and Risk Factors
Research Sheet: Alzheimer's Disease and Genetics
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It’s never too soon, or too late to make the lifestyle changes necessary to help improve your brain health OR to make changes that may also help to reduce your risk for Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias.
And if you are living with dementia, taking care of your brain health may also improve your quality of life and even help slow the progression of the disease.
Host Liana Shannon speaks with Dr. Duncan Robertson about being brain healthy. Dr. Robertson is a senior medical director with Alberta Health Services specializing in seniors’ health.
In this video Dr. Robertson explains what the latest research tells us about the possibility of reducing our chances of getting Alzheimer’s disease and the variety of risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s disease. He also shares examples of how we can start working to keep our brains healthy.
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Heads Up for Healthier Living
Heads Up for Healthier Brains
Take the Your Amazing Brain quiz to check your knowledge about your brain and how it works. It’s a short quiz with ten questions – made available by the US Alzheimer's Association.
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The brain is one of your most vital organs, playing a role in every action and every thought. Just like the rest of your body it needs looking after. It’s never too soon, or too late to make changes that will maintain or improve your brain health, changes that may also help reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias.
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Visualization, or guided imagery, is a variation on traditional meditation that requires you to employ not only your visual sense, but also your sense of taste, touch, smell, and sound. When used as a relaxation technique, visualization involves imagining a scene in which you feel at peace, free to let go of all tension and anxiety.
Source: www.helpguide.org
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Sit back, relax and listen to this audio recording of a guided imagery.
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With its focus on full, cleansing breaths, deep breathing is a simple, yet powerful, relaxation technique. It’s easy to learn, can be practiced almost anywhere, and provides a quick way to get your stress levels in check. Deep breathing is the cornerstone of many other relaxation practices, too, and can be combined with other relaxing elements such as aromatherapy and music. All you really need is a few minutes and a place to stretch out.
Source: ASANT CAFE
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Watch this video and learn a deep breathing relaxation technique as occupational therapist, Gina Shimoda demonstrates how it is done. Follow along!
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Step 1: Pull up the video you want the transcript of on the YouTube app.
Step 2: Click on the arrow next to the description to bring up the video details.
Step 3: Scroll down and click 'Show Transcript.'
Download this resource from Canadian Mental Health Association to learn more about stress:
Experiencing some stress is part of everyday life, so how you manage it is important to your long-term health.
By reducing the harmful effects of stress on your body, you improve your brain health and you may reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
You can reduce the harmful effects of stress on your mind and body through meditation, deep breathing, massage or physical exercise. The key is to explore a variety of techniques and find those that work for you.
Here are strategies to try:
Source: Canadian Mental Health Association
Stress is your response to a stressor such as an environmental condition or a stimulus. It is your body's method of reacting to a challenge.
Stress, when it persists over time, causes vascular changes and chemical imbalances that are damaging to the brain and other cells in your body.
How are you sleeping at night? How are you managing your day-to-day stressors?
Source: ASANT CAFE
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Check out this video with occupational therapist, Gina Shimoda. Gina will help you understand stress, how it affects your body and identify some strategies for dealing with it.
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Step 1: Pull up the video you want the transcript of on the YouTube app.
Step 2: Click on the arrow next to the description to bring up the video details.
Step 3: Scroll down and click 'Show Transcript.'
There are 2 types of cholesterol - good and bad. It's so important to keep it at healthy levels because high blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. And we know “what’s good for your heart is good for your brain.”
The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada recommends that you ask your healthcare provider to check your cholesterol if:
Click here for more ideas about how you can manage your blood cholesterol.
Source: Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
Download this wallet card from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada to track your blood pressure measurements.
The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada recommends that you get your blood pressure checked at least once every year by a healthcare provider.
If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure (or other related conditions), your doctor may recommend that you get it checked more often. Be sure to ask your doctor how often you should have your blood pressure checked.
Measuring your blood pressure regularly, as instructed by your doctor, is an important part of controlling it.
