IN YOUR DAILY DOSE: today is research that 1 in 3 cases of dementia may be preventable

MAKING CHANGES: Making small changes to manage your lifestyle may reduce your potential risk for dementia

FACT OR FICTION: Did you know that 73.4% of the statistics you read online are not true? Is that true?

In The News

Research from the University of Southern California finds people who manage hearing loss, smoking, hypertension and depression have a lower risk of developing dementia.  In fact, these researchers estimate that if everyone managed these conditions it could prevent up to one third of all dementia cases.

The report published in the Lancet also stresses the need for social contact and exercise for people at risk for developing the condition.  Commission member and AAIC presenter Lon Schneider, MD, professor of psychiatry and the behavioral sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, commented on the study in Science Daily, saying:

"There's been a great deal of focus on developing medicines to prevent dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. But we can't lose sight of the real major advances we've already made in treating dementia, including preventive approaches."

SOURCE: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/07/170720094907.htm

Daily Health Tip

Taking care of small medical conditions may help offset even larger problems as you age.

Making Changes

Supporting your immune system may well help prevent you from developing colds, flu and other immune mediated diseases, such as lupus or neurodegenerative disease. You immune health begins in your gut and is affected by stress. Start with these strategies to protect your health:

1. Consider using a quality probiotic and prebiotic supplement - the first to add a diverse microbiome to your gut and the second to feed them.
2. Reduce or eliminate your sugar intake, smoking and alcohol consumption as each negatively affects your gut bacteria, your immune system and your heart health.
3. Increase the amount of non-carbohydrate fiber you eat daily as it feeds your good bacteria and found in vegetables.
4. Reduce the amount of carbohydrates you eat each day as these foods metabolize into sugar in your body.
5. Get 8 hours of sleep a night. When exhausted, your brain does not function as well. You will have more problems with focus and with the ability to think through problems. In fact, when tired, your brain functions as if you have been drinking alcohol with reduced reaction time and processing speed.
6. Get 20 to 30 minutes of sunshine each day. Sun is a great way for your body to manufacture vitamin D, but it also affects your brain and your mood. If you can’t get outside, use a light bulb in the house designed for people with seasonal affective disorder. All of us benefit by being in the sun!
7. Exercise every day. Whether you are walking after lunch and dinner or working out for an hour at the gym, get some exercise. Your digestive system works better, your arteries will be healthier and your mood better too.
8. Drink enough water to stay hydrated. Your urine should be light straw color. If it’s darker then you aren’t drinking enough and if it’s lighter you are drinking too much.
9. Find what works best for your stress reduction. Some people practice yoga, others just exercise and others find that prayer helps to relieve their stress of everyday living. However you choose to manage stress, it’s important that YOU manage stress and not that the stress in your life manages you.

Daily Affirmation

I evaluate my relationships. I spend time with family and friends who give me encouragement and support. I network with colleagues who share my vision and complement my strengths. I limit interactions that tend to drain me.
I disconnect. I turn off my phone and computer. I observe my thoughts and cherish the silence that surrounds me.

Fact or Fiction?

Not everything you read on the Internet is truth. In fact, one insurance company did a parody of that statistics to drive a point home in their advertisement. Mark Twain said, there are “lies, damn lies and statistics”   There is a deceiving but powerful influence in quoting numbers and statistics. 73.4% of the statistics you read online are not true. Although it’s a number pulled out of a hat, that last sentence has a ring of truth because it includes a specific number. Don’t get fooled by random facts and statistics.

Have a wonderful day!

Your Healthy Life America Team