67 out of every 1,000 older Americans have been diagnosed with some form of Alzheimer’s. By 2050, more than 26 million people worldwide will be living with Alzheimer’s disease.  Will you be one of them?

What can you do now to slow the onset of Alzheimer’s or possibly to avoid its devastating  destruction of your brain?

Here are four tips experts believe can help you keep your brain healthy.

 1. Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and heart-healthy fats

People who do eat the "Mediterranean Diet" have a lower risk of Alzheimer’s, according to studies.

This diet also includes Omega-3s, the fats found in fish oils.  Researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, came to the conclusion the Omega-3 fatty acids may also  benefit those patients already in the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s. Also the Framington Heart Study found possible evidence that high levels of the "good" fish fat may help you actually avoid Alzheimer’s, although that is still a theory.

2. Exercise

Housework and yard work may have greater benefits than you think. 

Walking around the block could also help keep your brain  youthful. 

Researchers believe this is because even simple exercise can lower your chance of developing vascular dementia, which is the second most common form of dementia.  That  agrees with a Scottish study’s findings that the more physically active a senior is during his later years, the better his memory skills.  Some scientists go even farther stating they believe exercise can actually change the physical structure of the brain.

3. Get social

The American Medical Association’s Archives of General Psychiatry reports lonely people may have twice the risk of Alzheimer’s.

That’s possibly because social isolation, or a limited social life, may cause a person to lose social skills. Because the neural systems which control social behavior may not be exercised, the person’s brain may not be able to deal with such diseases as Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.

Getting involved with others also helps you stay connected emotionally which can save you from feelings of isolation and despair.

4. Keep your mind stimulated

People who read, do crossword puzzles, attend adult education classes, or are involved in other mentally stimulating activities seem to be delaying Alzheimer’s, according to more studies.

So is it really possible intellectual brain exercise can help your brain fight dementia?

Some scientists think so based on the brain’s cognitive reserve.  This is the brain’s ability to compensate for the loss of nerve cells often caused by Alzheimer’s.

Researchers do not know for sure, but suspect keeping your brain mentally sharp can help establish new brain cell connections. Some scientists state they believe mental exercise can even help you grow new brain cells.

More Alzheimer’s research needs to be done, but our knowledge about this terrible disease is increasing daily.  While we anticipate a cure, we can still keep ourselves healthy mentally, physically, and emotionally, which could possibly help us avoid Alzheimer’s altogether.

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