Avoiding the Specter of Dementia

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Health Viewpoints

Sometimes the body outlives the mind. Haunted by a world made unfamiliar, those with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia suffer a cruel fate—and the number of afflicted is rising. But maybe it doesn’t need to be rising quite so fast.

Part of the increase is simply the fact people live longer. But other factors come down to how we live our lives—as individuals and as a civilization.

The pandemic also had multiple effects on our minds. Both the COVID-19 virus and its vaccines have been linked to neurodegeneration. And the social isolation of the lockdowns accelerated cognitive decline, say researchers.

Drugs and Donuts

Cognitive decline is a side effect of many drugs, like sleeping pills and many others.

“Several drugs increase the risks of dementia, the most prominent being anticholinergic drugs, anti-epileptics, oncology drugs, and sedative-hypnotic drugs. These are all common prescriptions for older people,” reports Epoch Times health journalist Marina Zhang.

Sometimes these drugs are essential for a patient. Other times the condition they treat can be resolved with other means. Other major contributors to dementia are much easier to avoid, like drinking sugary beverages, which can increase dementia risk by up to 39 percent.

Sugary foods in general are linked to dementia risk. Sweets and refined carbohydrates contribute to obesity, which increases diabetes risk. Diabetes is so entwined with dementia that Alzheimer’s is sometimes called “Type 3 diabetes.”

Unexpected Causes

While smoking and drinking alcohol are expected contributors to Alzheimer’s, other factors are overlooked, such as gum disease. Some contributors are just downright weird.

For example, scientists found several patients likely contracted Alzheimer’s through a hormone extracted from cadaver brains that was used in now-discontinued treatment.

An ongoing and increasing risk comes from likely the most common substance in our modern lives—plastic.

“New research shows that nanoplastics—microscopic particles broken down from everyday plastic items—bind to proteins associated with Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia,” writes Epoch Times health reporter George Citroner. This is one reason to avoid plastic food containers and blankets and clothing made from synthetic materials.

Candida albicans, a common fungus, may also be a cause of dementia. Researchers have found this fungus is able to infect the brain. In 2023, researchers found our microbial makeup may be key in the disease when they gave young, healthy rats Alzheimer’s by transferring gut microbes of human Alzheimer’s patients into them.

Easy, Obvious Ways to Avoid Dementia

Fortunately, just as many things contribute to this disease, there are powerful ways to avoid it. And the most critical all come down to simple, obvious, elements of lifestyle.

For one, you need to be social. Loneliness and social isolation significantly increase dementia risk, so enjoying the company of others will reduce it.

Eating nutritious food likewise removes contributors to dementia and improves our microbiome while lowering dementia risk. The same goes for exercise. Getting a good night’s sleep and plenty of the sunshine vitamin are also key.

Alzheimer’s is a leading cause of death and one of the most unsettling ways a person can leave this world. And while there are many things that contribute to this and other forms of dementia—many of which are outside our control—the most critical factors affecting dementia risk are within the realm of our daily choices. Choose wellness.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Epoch Health welcomes professional discussion and friendly debate. To submit an opinion piece, please follow these guidelines and submit through our form here.