Dementia Costs Hit US$604 Billion

The worldwide costs of dementia will reach US$604 billion in 2010, more than one percent of global GDP output, and those costs will soar as the number of sufferers triples by 2050, according to the World Alzheimer’s Report 2010, from Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI)

The ADI says many governments are unprepared for the challenges of caring for a population with such large numbers of dementia patients, and urge governments to recognize dementia as a health priority and invest in prevention and planning for the care of patients.

The 13th Asia Pacific Regional Conference of Alzheimer's Disease International will be held in Kuala Lumpur, from Oct 22 to 24, 2010. Tell your doctor about this.

Act Now to Prevent and Delay Alzheimer's Disease

It is never too early or too late to protect yourself and your family against Alzheimer’s. Start a multi-step strategy now, and begin actively preventing or slowing this disease.

The race to cure Alzheimer’s is expected to continue for some time. Investing in your diet, exercise, mental stimulation, and rest will help you feel better now and keep your brain working stronger…longer.

Strategies to Prevent and Delay Alzheimer's Disease:

1. Get pleanty of exercise
2. Eat a brain-healthy diet
3. Keep your mind active
4. Sleep regularly and restfully
5. Learn to relax
6. Protect your brain

You can download the complete plan from HELPGUIDE.org but here's the third strategy. Remember :) , there will be three more strategies to follow.

Prevention and delay strategy #3: Build brain reserves

According to the 2008 Wall Street Journal review “Neurobics and Other Brain Boosters,” an active, stimulated brain reduces your odds of developing Alzheimer’s. Those who remain engaged in activities involving multiple tasks, requiring communication, interaction, and organization, who continue learning, and constantly challenge their brains earn the greatest protection.

Cross-training with these brainpower activities will keep your mind sharp:

• Set aside time each day to learn something new - read a good book, study a foreign language, play a musical instrument. The greater the novelty and challenge, the larger the deposit in your brain reserves.
• Practice memorization - start with something short and progress to the 50 U.S. capitals. Create rhymes and patterns to strengthen your memory connections.
• Solve riddles and work puzzles - brain teasers and strategy games provide great mental exercise and build your capacity to form and retain cognitive associations. Look for activities that use both sides of your brain…logic and language versus artistic and creative challenges.
• Practice the 5 W’s - observe and report like a crime detective. Keep a Who, What, Where, When, and Why list of your daily experiences. Capturing visual details keeps your neurons firing.
• Follow the road less traveled - take a new route, eat with your other hand, rearrange your computer desktop. Vary your habits regularly to create new brain pathways. Picture Credit