EASY Habit Stops Alzheimer’s

Let’s face it: No one wants to lose their mind. 

Not having control over your own body, forgetting the people you love most, and losing all sense of self is a scary prospect for anyone. 

Yet with a 22% increase in just the past three years, Alzheimer’s disease is increasing so quickly that it’s predicted to be a global epidemic by 2050.  

It’s a reality for too many people. But it doesn’t have to be. 

Studies have shown time and again that certain lifestyle habits play a role in whether or not you get dementia. 

And according to a recent study, there’s a key thing every senior should be doing to help make sure you never get Alzheimer’s. 

I’ll get right to it: The more social you are, the less likely you are to develop Alzheimer’s… especially if you’re already at risk for the disease.  

Researchers looked at men and women between the ages of 63-89 years old. None of them had Alzheimer’s, but some had high levels of beta–amyloid plaque (that harmful protein that builds up in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients) and some didn’t. 

Cognitive performance was assessed at the beginning and end of the study. And in between, the researchers used questionnaires to determine the levels of social activity, which included things like spending time with friends, going to church, or doing volunteer work. 

It turns out that the seniors who already had evidence of beta–amyloid plaque – and who were NOT socially active – had much greater cognitive decline than in those who engaged in regular social activity.  

Interestingly, there was no reduction in cognitive decline for the socially active seniors that did not have evidence of beta–amyloid plaque. 

Unless you get tested, most people have no idea if these silent, deadly plaques of protein are building up in their brains. And once you start noticing its impact on your cognition, you’re well on your way to Alzheimer’s. 

So what does all of this mean? My key takeaway from this is that everyone should make an effort to be more socially active. 

Besides potentially preventing cognitive decline, staying socially active has also been shown to improve your physical health, reduce loneliness, and even increase longevity.  

And while it’s helping you live longer, you’ll be happier, too… yet another benefit of spending time with friends.