Get brain healthy this summer in just four easy steps!

Are you ready for this? There’s good news and there’s bad news about reducing your risk for Alzheimer’s and dementia. I’m going to give you the bad news first, okay?

The bad news is that, as of 2016, there is no magic pill to stop Alzheimer’s disease or dementias.

The good news? We’re building a community of people like you who are dedicated to doing what you can to reduce your risk. It’s up to each one of us to do the small things that really matter.

We all know about keeping our bodies healthy, but now we know that keeping our brains healthy is just as important.

So if we’re going to end Alzheimer’s disease once and for all, brain health needs to be at the forefront. Brain health is closely tied to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Research shows that the main way to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease is to keep your brain healthy.

We understand: brain  health doesn’t sound immediate. It doesn’t sound like the kind of thing that could destroy your quality of life, strip your memories from you, and reduce you to a shell. It’s not a tragic accident, nor a devastating natural disaster.

But it can be just as deadly. And just as devastating to families and communities.

So here’s our plan: we’re going to stop Alzheimer’s disease in its tracks – eventually – with research. And in the meantime we’re asking you to be good to your brain, and join us in spreading this message to other people.

Being good to your brain only takes four easy steps:

1. Move! What’s good for the heart is good for the brain.
   ‣ People who exercise regularly are less likely to develop heart disease, stroke and diabetes, which can increase your risk of dementia. Physical activity pumps blood to the brain, which nourishes the cells with nutrients and oxygen, and may even encourage new cells. As well, regular exercise helps to reduce stress and improve your mood.

2. Challenge your brain
   ‣ Learn new skills, change your routine, experience new things, read a book.

3. Eat right. A healthy diet is so important.
   ‣ Nutritionists advise us to ‘eat the rainbow’ every day. Not sure what ‘eat the rainbow’ means? Here’s a link to an easy, one-page guide to eating healthy. Just try to remember to eat as many colourful fruits and veggies as possible and have that goal in mind when you’re planning meals and grocery shopping.

4. Stay social
   ‣ Visit an old friend, call someone, or go outside to a park or community centre. Less loneliness, less potential for depression, less cognitive decline.

Where to get started? Watch the brain health video. Then, help us get the word out. Please share this video as widely as you possibly can! Share the video to start empowering your network and community with the tools they need to be brain healthy.

There are moments that the battle seems unwinnable. Why? Because Alzheimer’s disease is a tricky enemy. It can live inside a person for years before any symptoms appear. It’s hard to isolate from other diseases. People can have good days as well as bad days.

But we are making progress. Even just a couple of years ago, we didn’t know that brain health played such an important role in preventing Alzheimer’s disease. We didn’t understand how everyday lifestyle choices are so critical to this fight.

Our strategy to win this battle has 3 parts. 1) We’re fighting with research and studies to better understand Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. 2) We’re fighting with education; teaching as many people as possible what Alzheimer’s is, how to look for symptoms, how to live with it, and how to access help and assistance.  3) We’re fighting with our risk reduction strategy.

Together, we can beat Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias – starting with one healthy choice at a time.