It is inevitable that the body gets old as we get older, but everyone wants to avoid getting sick. Among them, the disease most feared by the elderly is ‘dementia’. It is a terrible situation for anyone to lose their memories as well as their loved ones.
Even in Japan, which has entered a super-aging society faster than Korea, dementia has long been a major fear. Reporter Seo Young-ah of the Dong-A Ilbo recently introduced ‘how to increase brain lifespan’ suggested by Dr. Hei Arai, an expert in geriatric psychiatry in Japan.
Dr. Arai emphasized the importance of managing the brain so that it does not age, saying that the brain ages faster than the body. Among the methods he suggested, the details introduced through the Dong-A Ilbo are as follows.
1. Recognize the small signs of brain aging.
Early detection of brain aging is important, so it must be very sensitive to small changes. Small changes, such as experiencing extreme emotional changes for no reason, difficulty sleeping, or increased forgetfulness, may be precursors of dementia.
Dementia develops in stages. If you are aware of it at an early stage and start appropriate treatment, you can prevent or delay the onset of dementia altogether.
2. Recognize that brain aging occurs in four stages.
Brain aging occurs in four stages: ▲ aging of the whole body, ▲ aging of blood vessels in the brain, ▲ aging of nerve cells in the brain, and ▲ mental aging. You can prevent these stages of aging by improving your lifestyle and increasing your enjoyment and motivation to live.
3. Prevent diabetes.
Diabetes can more than double the risk of dementia. This is because, as glucose metabolism deteriorates, brain neurons also have a problem in absorbing sugar.
In addition, high blood sugar can damage blood vessels and cause vascular dementia.
4. Maintain an appropriate weight.
Hyperlipidemia (dyslipidemia), which refers to a condition in which the lipid component in the blood increases, also damages blood vessels, making it easier to get dementia.
5. Keep your mouth clean.
A Japanese study found that gingivalis bacteria in the gums stimulate the production of amyloid beta substances in the brain. When amyloid beta builds up in the brain, it can cause Alzheimer’s. Therefore, keeping the oral cavity clean and preventing periodontal disease are closely related to the prevention of dementia. <계속>