The brain doctor reveals secrets to protect from dementia

I am going to an additional mile.

I travel around the world to provide nervous care in places with limited resources. Along the way, I have learned many important lessons about protecting brain health and preventing brain diseases.

My point of view has been changed forever on one of my first trips to Uganda Nerve department At the University of New York Garrosman Medicine.

I met a 14 -year -old boy who is unable to move the left side of his body. Our medical team discovered that the teenager did not diagnose HIV and had not been discovered from birth.

I was surprised when I learned that HIV could be associated with it Stroke Because it is an advanced advantage of the virus rare in the United States now. This knowledge changed my perceptions and attitudes towards brain health.

Here are some wisdom from my visits to Uganda and Ghana, including two simple steps to stop and reverse brain damage.

For us in exchange for the world

The biggest difference in the challenges of brain health in the United States and places like Ghana is simply accessing care.

Most Americans can see their primary care doctor to examine risk factors that lead to brain diseases. Most Ghanaians do not have this level of access, so they live silently with many risk factors. This leads to the appearance of brain disease as a stroke or some of the preventive brain disorders.

A major risk factor under the radar

One risk factor for Difference This does not get a lot of attention is the loss of uncovered hearing.

Hearing Common with age. The problem is that good hearing is crucial to feeding language centers, mainly in the left hemisphere of the brain, with the appropriate information for language production.

If hearing loss is not detected in a timely manner, there may be an inappropriate transfer of information to this field, which increases the risk of memory loss and dementia.

Examine time tables

Patients should be examined for brain -related conditions such as cognitive decrease and the risk of stroke at least once a year.

Preventive primary care doctor will measure blood pressure, heart rate and cholesterol levels.

Vascular cardiovascular damage is difficult because there are not often immediate warning signs. High blood pressure Medicine is known as a “silent killer” because you do not feel it while you are wandering.

High blood pressure narrows the arteries and veins, which reduces nutrition and blood flow to the brain. This leads to changes that can be detected by modern MRI.

Fortunately, these changes are in silent areas of the brain, so you will not have a disability. However, over time, memory loss, dementia and other harmful brain diseases can develop.

High cholesterolIn addition to high blood pressure, it contributes to these same changes as it leads to a blockage in the important arteries that nourish your mind with blood.

Physical inactivity nourishes high blood pressure, high cholesterol in the blood and other cardiovascular risk factors.

Fortunately, the brain damage can be stopped by cardiovascular health and even its opposite.

Traditional risk factors for high cholesterol in the blood, high blood pressure, Diabetic Smoking is treated through two behaviors – diet and exercise.

Two ways to protect brain health

When I traveled to Uganda and Ghana, one of their aspects Alert This surprised me was their natural control.

A half -or -third of the size of the meal we expect in the United States.

American restaurants offer huge parts based on the idea that the largest is better, especially because it is more valuable for your money. But these larger meals are not intended for one person.

Many brain health is associated with the quality of your diet, including the amount you consume in one session.

Smaller parts and a lack of snacks between meals rooted in cultures in Uganda and Ghana.

Only by making more humble nutritional options at home, you can reduce the risk of brain disease.

The correct type of diet is not specific to one culture. Dietary methods to stop high blood pressure or Mediterranean diets are rich in fruits, whole grains with low salt and less saturated fat.

PracticingWhich can occur in various forms, are also necessary for brain health.

Regardless of the nervous disease you have heard, the rate and severity of this disease is reduced with exercise regularly.

Culture exercise – I saw it manifested in different ways as I traveled to the world and provided nervous care.

The other side of the culture in Uganda and Ghana, which really surprised me – in a good way – was not using alcohol and cigarettes.

Drink less alcohol and smoking less than established behaviors that improve brain health. The vast majority of both residents do not participate regularly in these activities.

Follow these recommendations to protect your mind with your age – and consult your doctor with any concerns.

Dr. Jayeb Bhatt He is a manager World Health Department to Nerve department At the University of New York Garrosman Medicine.