In this week’s blog freelance journalist Stacey Mensah discusses dementia. 

Welcome back, you lovely people! It’s the end of another week and I don’t know about you but I’m glad it’s here. I’ve also just realized that it’s the last weekend in January! How are we feeling about that? I don’t know whether to be excited by the fact that we’ll be saying bye-bye to January blues, or sad because we are another month closer to bikini season – or should I say overall season. Ha! Let’s leave the issue of bikini season to one side – for now – and let’s discuss dementia, and how regular exercise can reduce the odds of developing this disease.

Dementia 101

Dementia refers to a set of symptoms that include, but are not limited to, memory loss and deficiencies with thinking, problem-solving and language. Although these changes are incredibly minor to start off with, over time they do become severe enough to affect everyday life. Of course, the best thing to do would be to get a proper assessment of problems but the waiting times of the NHS stretching as far as two weeks it’s best to take preventative measures while you still can.

In a recent study, it was found that people who exercised regularly appeared to have lower odds of developing dementia than those that didn’t.  This study followed more than 1,500 adults, aged 65 and older. This isn’t to say that if you’re younger than 65 you can stop reading – carry on, you’ll be surprised.

The symptoms of dementia can be seen in those that are younger than 65. This is usually referred to as having young-onset dementia. The stressful events of life including weddings, job losses and divorce have also been linked to this development. Unfortunately, there is a wider range of diseases that trigger young-onset dementia. Most importantly, people with this type of dementia are far more likely to be diagnosed with a rarer form of the disease. In both cases getting a diagnosis would be the best thing too – regardless of how long you may have to wait, it is worth it!

Getting Real

Here at the Lake Foundation, we take health incredibly seriously. It’s not a fad, but we do struggle. We are simply normal peopleand at times we have questionable eating habits. And of course when I say we, I mean me. Eating healthily and exercising regularly as always been an obstacle for me. Actually, to call it an obstacle would be a major understatement, as obstacles are usually overcome within time. This obstacle has become that piece of furniture in the corner that you just can’t seem to throw away. When you wake up, it’s there. When you go to bed, ooooh wait…no, ​it’s still there. When my family and friends ask me about it, I rationalize its being; somehow relating it back to the core of my existence. I know, how dramatic, right?

I tell you this because we are all in this together. For the start of February, my plan is to change the rules that I live by. For a wise woman once said that some rules are nothing but old habits that people are afraid to change.

Have a great weekend!