The aging process is a great unknown for many of us. It’s a subject no one is keen to talk about, despite the fact that it happens to more or less all of us eventually. The truth is that there’s plenty of things you can do to prepare for the process, and tons of information you can find to guide you. It is human nature to fear change, and to delay confronting it on its own terms. For many, one of the most terrifying prospects of getting older is the possibility of losing our cognitive skills and suffering from diminished thinking and memory, most often caused by contracting Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia.
The good news is that as we age, it’s relatively simple to maintain a strong mind and a strong body. There are ways you can keep up, and even improve upon, your mental and physical well being. As you age, there will almost always be something you can do within your control to be fully active and engaged.
Many people are under the impression that dementia is a natural, inevitable part of aging, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. There are many things you can do to reduce your risk of developing it, or slow the advancement of symptoms from the early stages if diagnosed with it. Regular exercise keeps blood flowing through the body, which mitigates cognitive decline. Mental engagement, whether reading, learning new things, playing games, or any number of mental skills will also ward off dementia.