You At Your Best

sPonsor content Washington Regional Memory Disorders Clinic The Washington Regional Memory Disorders Clinic offers a compassionate approach to the diagnosis and treatment of memory disorders. The clinic's interdisciplinary team includes board- certified Neurologist Alan Diamond, DO, Neuropsychologist Stephen Gemmell, PhD, Geriatrician Randy Shinn, MD, and Antoinette Hartman, APRN. The Washington Regional Memory Disorders Clinic provides evaluation, management and treatment of patients with memory difficulties, cognitive related problems, and memory disorders including Mild Cognitive Impairment, Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia with Lewy Bodies, Frontotemporal Dementia, and Vascular Dementia. Services include neuropsychological, neurological and psychosocial assessments as well as neuroimaging and laboratory services. Learn more about memory disorders and treatment options by calling the Washington Regional Memory Disorders Clinic at 479-463-4444, or visit wregional.com/memoryclinic. Research is increasingly supporting that keeping your heart healthy can help to preserve brain function. In fact, up to half of all cases of Alzheimer's and vascular dementia may be attributable to modifiable risk factors. One of those risk factors is hypertension, or high blood pressure, and high blood pressure during midlife can lead to small vessel disease, a leading cause of cognitive impairment. "We usually associate Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia and other causes of cognitive impairment with age, but research shows these are often midlife diseases with late-life consequences" says Dr. Stephen Gemmell of Washington Regional Memory Clinic. "Hypertension can lead to a cascade of events in the brain that can increase one's risk of declining memory and cognitive function due to mini strokes and brain atrophy." explains Gemmell. "Midlife appears to be the most critical window during which blood pressure control must begin to reduce the risk of mild cognitive impairment, vascular dementia, and Alzheimer's disease." Exercise plays a big role in managing risk. A 2017 edition of The Lancet reported that in 16 studies involving 164,000 participants without dementia, those with the highest level of physical activity had a 25% decreased risk of all causes of dementia and a 45% decreased risk of Alzheimer's disease. "Research indicates that some of the best types of exercise to lower blood pressure and promote brain health include multicomponent exercise programs such as yoga and Tai-Chi. High intensity interval training, or HIIT, is also beneficial," Gemmell says. HIIT exercise alternates periods of brief, high intensity aerobic exercise with periods of low intensity exercise or rest. This type of workout can lead to a post-exercise drop in blood pressure for up to 24 hours. Thirty to 60 minutes of exercise a day is recommended for blood pressure control and cognitive wellness. What we put into our bodies is also important. Many researchers point to the MIND diet to support cognitive wellness. "The MIND diet limits sweets, fried foods, fast food and cheeses and instead focuses on eating vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, poultry, fish and healthy fats, such as olive oil," says Gemmell. In a study that followed 923 people for more than four years, researchers found participants who followed the diet closely reduced their risk of Alzheimer's disease by as much as a 53%. Even people who only moderately followed the diet benefitted from a 35% reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Quality sleep is another key to managing risk. Multiple studies show insufficient sleep can increase your risk of developing high blood pressure. Researchers studied people between the ages of 32 and 59. Those who averaged five or fewer hours of sleep per night were at an increased risk for developing hypertension, and those who got less than seven hours of sleep each night had an increased risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia. "Practice good sleep hygiene by limiting screen time in the hours before bed, sticking to a sleep schedule and avoiding alcohol and caffeine before bed. If you're sleeping less than seven hours a night, or more than nine, you may need to talk to your health care provider," Gemmell adds. "Take action now to keep your brain healthy by managing risk factors such as high blood pressure and developing healthy eating, sleeping and exercise habits," he says. "Be ambitious about prevention, because prevention is always better than treatment." Heart health & the brain: Those with the highest level of physical activity had a 25% decreased risk of all causes of dementia and a 45% decreased risk of alzheimer's disease. Controlling modifiable risk factors sunDaY, MaY 31, 2020 | June - active MinDs nWaDG.coM/YouatYourBest | You at Your Best | 9

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