Lifestyle Changes May Improve Brain Health Outcomes and Reduce Chances of Dementia: Experts | The Canadian News

Jennifer Hilborn’s childhood memories of her mother, Nancy, are very clear.

“She was one of the most loving, caring and classy women, she was a registered interior designer, she had wonderful taste,” Hilborn recalled. “She led a great life”

However, the poise and grace of her graceful role model began to wane when Nancy hit 60.

“The kitchen was the first place I noticed it,” Hilborn said. “She would stand there and literally count every green bean for every guest, and this was a woman who knew how to host. Then we got into things like getting lost, forgetting appointments, and struggling to find the right words. “

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Doctors referred to it as a cognitive decline, most likely the beginning of Alzheimer’s disease. Overtime things got even more challenging, especially when Nancy lost her license and had to move into assisted living.

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“She got a little aggressive, she wandered, she became a totally different person,” Hilborn said. “It’s not just about losing your keys, the disease is attacking your brain.”

Hilborn is also thankful that her mother took the time to have an up-to-date will and had her power of attorney in order. She said having those plans in place made it easier to navigate a difficult situation.

For women, the statistics are alarming. Lynn Posluns is the founder and president of the Women’s Brain Health Initiative. The registered charity focuses on raising funds and awareness to combat the diseases of brain aging that affect women.

“Women succumb to the disease of brain aging twice as often as men,” Posluns said. “Almost 70 percent of Alzheimer’s patients are women.”

For Hilborn, those numbers hit home. In addition to his mother, his grandmother also had Alzheimer’s. This year, Hilborn discovered that she also has a genetic marker for the disease. Now you are doing everything you can to take care of your brain, hoping it will pay off in the future.

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“I eat healthy, exercise regularly, reduce stress, and sleep a lot … or at least do my best,” Hilborn said.

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Posluns said what most people don’t realize is how 40 percent of all dementia cases can be prevented through lifestyle choices.

“By the time symptoms of a disease like Alzheimer’s appear, the damage has likely occurred 20-25 years earlier,” Posluns said.

“So really Alzheimer’s is a middle-aged disease whose symptoms appear in old age.”

In recognition, the Government of Canada has declared December 2 as Women’s Brain Health Day. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, more than 400,000 Canadians aged 65 and over are living with dementia, of whom two-thirds are women.

Hilborn’s mother, now 82, lives a 20-minute walk away. Although he does not recognize his daughter, Hilborn knows that the love bond between them remains strong.

“She sometimes turns her lips into a kiss and kisses me and leans into that hug, so it feels really good, that part is still there.”

© 2021 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.



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