Follow five golden rules to prevent dementia, says study By Rosa Silverman

Lifestyle is responsible for more than three quarters of changes in the brain, research suggests. Following four out of five golden rules for healthy living lowers the risk of developing dementia by more than a third, a study has found. Analysis by Age UK suggested that lifestyle was responsible for 76% of changes in the brain and that people could go some way to avoiding the disease by adopting or quitting certain habits. Taking regular physical exercise, eating a Mediterranean diet, not smoking, and drinking alcohol in moderation were all found to decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. “It’s important to remember that diseases like Alzheimer’s are complex and are likely to be caused by a mixture of genetic and environmental factors, which are still not fully understood. While there are ways to reduce our risk of dementia, there is currently no sure-fire way to prevent the condition, which is why continued investment in research is vital." The Telegraph