This Disease Doesn’t Discriminate

Reducing your dementia risk is the new adulting

There are many terrors in modern life. From the deeply horrifying, like raging wildfires across the Western US, to the exasperating, like daily interaction with the unsubscribe button or the zombie-like persistence of Brazilian butt lifts as a realistic life choice.

If you are getting older, which includes 100% of people, you may worry about dementia. You are likely to know someone who has it.

I regret to inform that The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports 14% of Americans over 70 have some type of dementia (that’s one in seven). It is the most expensive American disease, both collectively and individually.

You can take concrete steps to reduce your chances of cognitive decline. Some of these measures are well-known, so the purpose of this article is to (1) review and (2) introduce lifestyles changes you probably don’t know about.

I know two people with dementia: the husband of Jackie, with whom I play basketball; and Patty, from church (I’m as socially connected as a rogue mountain lion because I moved to a new state right before pandemic lockdown). Jackie’s husband is in his late fifties.

If you want to lower your dementia risks, evaluate your lifestyle and take steps.

1. Keep your blood pressure low

The best way to lower bp is through diet, either Mediterranean-style or ketogenic. Both diet styles work for weight loss and lowering bp. Some people also require medications. High blood pressure is extremely common among Americans, and one of the cornerstones of metabolic disease.

If you think you are metabolically healthy, think again. A 2018 study from the University of North Carolina concluded 88% of Americans are metabolically unhealthy. A metabolically healthy person has stable blood sugar in the 70s or 80s, maintains a normal weight, has low blood pressure, and keeps cholesterol and triglyceride levels within normal range.

2. Go to sleep at 9 pm

Old people need less sleep, right? Not according to sleep expert Matthew Walker, author of the bestseller Why We Sleep. We tend to get less sleep as we age for a variety of reasons, but Walker contends less sleep is a result of aging and health problems. As we age, we become more sensitive to a bad meal, stress, alcohol, blue light and other circumstances that disrupt sleep. Sleep apnea and prostate problems are common ailments for the 50+ crowd.

What can you do? Go to bed early, as Nature intended, shortly after dark. My husband, who is 71, is usually under the covers by 9 pm, and wakes up around 5 am.

Sleep apps help track the quality and quantity of your sleep. My sleep app (Sleepwatch) informs me I doze better when I burn over 450 calories a day. I was surprised to learn a half-hour walk isn’t enough; an hour long game of pickup basketball does the trick.

3. Consider MCT oil

Research into dementia treatments demonstrates Alzheimer’s is primarily a metabolic disease, sometimes referred to as “Type 3 Diabetes.” Victims cannot utilize glucose as fuel for the body and brain. As a result, the brain becomes starved of energy.

On a keto diet, you burn fat instead of sugar. While this logic is a vast oversimplification, because I am not a biochemist and I assume you, dear reader, aren’t either — researchers consistently show the benefits of becoming a fat-burner for treating dementia. MCT (medium chain triglyceride) oil is a shortcut if you don’t want to go full keto.

In 2022, scientists published the results of a controlled, double-blind, randomized study showing that 80% of subjects with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease had stabilization or improvement in cognition. The longer they used the MCT oil, the better they did. The control group got olive oil for four out of 15 months, instead of MCT.

“Baseline MMSE [cognitive test scores] seemed to be the most important factor, suggesting the provision of alternative brain energy as ketones may be more beneficial earlier in the course of the disease. Other [researchers] have also suspected this.”

Prior research is consistent. Why don’t we hear more about MCT oil as an Alzheimer’s treatment? No one stands to make money from MCT oil, which is readily available without a prescription.

If the idea of chugging heavy cream and living on ribeye steak freaks you out, you can “bulletproof” your daily coffee, drinking coconut (MCT) oil for daily fuel.

4. Exercise

Dementia is worsened by poor blood flow. A sedentary lifestyle atrophies blood vessels, but building muscle (via weightlifting and aerobic activities) grows healthier and more blood vessels. Weightlifting will cause more blood vessels to grow, which is miraculous!

If weightlifting isn’t your cup of tea, take up a sport that gets you moving and on your feet most days. Pickleball is all the rage, and cycling is a terrific way to keep moving at a reasonable pace.

You don’t need a big budget or personal trainer. Check out one of the classics on this subject: Younger Next Year.

5. Stand up frequently

We sit for long periods all day because we can. Our ancestors needed to move around, but we have TV and couches and cars and laptops.

Set a timer for 20, 25, or 30 minutes. When the alarm goes off, stand up for a minute or two. You can simply roam around — anything to increase your interaction with gravity.

Do not overlook the importance of standing up! Sitting is the new smoking, according to numerous studies showing prolonged sitting is associated with earlier death from all causes. This topic has been researched in fascinating detail with bed rest exercises by NASA scientist Joan Vernikos, who first observed the interesting phenomenon of astronauts aging 10x faster in space.

6. Quit smoking and drinking alcohol

You are going to bed at 9, avoiding pancakes drenched in maple syrup, and now — no wine?

Smoking is terrible for you and lines the pockets of amoral lizard people. The CEOs of tobacco companies haven’t turned into saints just because they have crawled into the shadows. You can find a tobacco Quitline for free counseling. After you quit, be sure to help others give up the cancer sticks because research shows that leads to remaining tobacco-free longer.

Alcohol has been much overhyped as a health food. If you can tolerate it, go for a glass of wine now and then. I can’t handle the stuff, even in tiny amounts. Recent research shows there is no benefit to heart health from a daily glass of wine.

You will adjust to an early bedtime and more austere meal plan, because this new lifestyle will protect you from losing your marbles.

In short, you’ll up your risk for dementia if you:

— Don’t treat your high blood pressure

— Smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol

— Sit for hours at a time

— Stay up late and sleep less

— Avoid breaking a sweat

Final Words

I’ve watched people die from this disease, and you may have, too. Dementia is a grave financial, emotional and physical burden that can usually be prevented, or at least postponed. The public service announcement is now over, and you can return to your regular programming.

Since beginning her freelance writing journey in March 2019, Jean Campbell has learned oodles about health and humor — leading to over 7K Medium followers and hundreds of articles.

Her Substack newsletter focuses on getting her first book published. Her newsletter, Flying Monkey Mind, supplies free humor.

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