Think ahead for your head.
11. Control your blood sugar
Diabetes can damage your blood vessels, according to the Mayo Clinic, increasing your risk for vascular dementia, triggered by reduced blood flow to the brain.
Researchers think there may be more to the connection between diabetes and dementia—the Lancet Commission report indicates that insulin resistance interferes with the brain’s ability to clear amyloid proteins, which clump together to form the plaques that can lead to dementia.
It’s important to keep eating healthy food and exercising to avoid getting diabetes in midlife.
If you’ve already been diagnosed with diabetes, work closely with your doctors to control your blood sugar and manage the disease.
12. Eat a Mediterranean-style diet
If the goal is to control your weight, blood pressure, and blood sugar and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease to protect your mind, then the Mediterranean diet is one of the best eating plans you can follow. It’s shown in studies to be one of the easiest healthy-eating diets for subjects to follow, according to the Mayo Clinic.
It includes lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, olive oil, fish, and even wine.
13. Wear a helmet
Here’s the good news: Your brain can recover from common types of trauma like a concussion, according to the Lancet Commission report.
However, repeated mild injuries (such as those experienced by some athletes and soldiers) can lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy—a degenerative brain disease.
The benefits of head protection are huge when you’re riding a motorcycle, biking, skateboarding, or skiing; the only downside is a flattened hairstyle.