Preventing vascular dementia
While it is not possible to prevent all cases of dementia, there are some measures that can help prevent vascular dementia, as well as cardiovascular diseases, such as strokes and heart attacks. As experts in treating dementia often say, ‘What is good for your heart is also good for your head.’
The best ways to prevent vascular dementia are:
- eat a healthy diet
- maintain a healthy weight
- get regular exercise
- drink alcohol in moderation
- don't smoke
- make sure your blood pressure is checked and controlled
- if you have diabetes, make sure you keep to the diet and take and medicines
Diet
To help prevent dementia, a low-fat and high-fibre diet is recommended. This includes plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables (five portions a day) and wholegrains.
Limit the amount of salt that you eat to no more than six grams a day. Too much salt will increase your blood pressure, which puts you at risk of vascular dementia. One teaspoonful of salt is about six grams.
Avoid eating foods that are high in saturated fat because this will increase your cholesterol level, which also puts you at risk of vascular dementia.
Foods high in saturated fat include:
- meat pies
- sausages and fatty cuts of meat
- butter
- ghee (clarified butter, often used in Indian cooking)
- lard
- cream
- hard cheese
- cakes and biscuits
- foods that contain coconut or palm oil
Eating some foods that are high in unsaturated fat can decrease your cholesterol level. Foods high in unsaturated fat include:
- oily fish
- avocados
- nuts and seeds
- sunflower, rapeseed and olive oils
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Weight
Being overweight can increase your blood pressure, which increases the risk of vascular dementia. This risk is higher if you are obese.
The most scientific way to measure your weight is to calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI). This is your weight in kilograms divided by your height in metres, squared. In the UK, people with a BMI of between 25 and 30 are overweight, and those with an index above 30 are obese. People with a BMI of 40 or more are morbidly obese.
The best way of tackling obesity is to reduce the amount of calories that you eat and take regular exercise. Your GP can give you further information and advice about how you can do this.
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Exercise
Regular exercise will make your heart and blood circulatory system more efficient. It will also lower your cholesterol level and keep your blood pressure at a healthy level, all of which will lower your risk of developing vascular dementia.
For most people, at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (i.e. cycling or fast walking) every week, is recommended.
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Alcohol
Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol will cause a rise in your blood pressure and raise the cholesterol level in your blood.
Sticking to the recommended limits for alcohol consumption is the best way to ensure that you reduce the risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and vascular dementia.
The recommended daily levels of alcohol consumption are three to four units of alcohol for men, and two to three units for women. A unit of alcohol is equal to about half a pint of normal strength lager, a small glass of wine or a pub measure (25ml) of spirits.
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Smoking
Smoking can cause your arteries to narrow, which can lead to a rise in your blood pressure. It is also a major risk factor for developing cardiovascular diseases, cancer and vascular dementia.
The NHS Smoking Helpline offers advice and encouragement to help you stop smoking. You can call on 0800 022 4332 or visit NHS Smokefree.
Your GP or pharmacist can also help and give you advice about giving up smoking.
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Preventing other types of dementia
There is some evidence that rates of dementia are lower in people who remain as mentally and physically active as possible throughout their lives, and have a wide range of different activities and hobbies.
Some activities that may reduce the risk of developing dementia include:
- reading
- writing for pleasure
- learning foreign languages
- playing musical instruments
- taking part in adult education courses
- playing tennis
- playing golf
- swimming
- group sports, such as bowling
- walking
There is no evidence that playing ‘brain training’ computer games reduces the risk of dementia.
