Fighting Dementia - What You Need to Know

In this episode of the Menopause Uprising Podcast, we dive into the critical topic of dementia, exploring the risk factors, and the latest strategies for prevention and management. Whether you're caring for a loved one, concerned about your own cognitive health, or just want to stay informed, this episode offers practical advice and the latest research on combating dementia.

Transcript -Automatically Generated

Welcome to this episode of Menopause Uprising with me, your host, Catherine O'Keefe. So this is a solo run. On today's episode, I'm going to talk about a deeply personal topic for me, and that is dementia. Several weeks ago, I did a summary of the Lancet study around the 14 modifiable lifestyle factors we can all take in relation to dementia.

And there was such a I thought, really, I need to reach more people. So I thought, I'll throw this into a podcast and therefore more of you can read it or listen, sorry, more of you can listen to it as we go through. So let's get into it. So as many of you know, dementia is a deeply personal topic for me. My mom has Alzheimer's, which is a form of dementia.

And I've shared with you before, she hasn't recognized me for many years. It's a harrowing disease. And unfortunately, many of us don't know it. are all too familiar with it. It's a disease that slowly takes the person away from you over time. The good news is there is more research now is being done in this area and just in the last month a new Alzheimer's drug was released in the UK.

that can be used in the early stages of the disease. So progress keeps being made, which is fantastic. I'm really hoping in the coming years, we'll see even more. However, what we do know right now and what the Lancet study has highlighted is that there's two additional factors making a total of 14 that are now recognized as modifiable.

when it comes to enhancing cognitive function. So for me, it's really important that we start making these changes now. If you're listening to this and you're in your 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, start now. It's never too late. No matter your age. Now is the time to start. With this list, there's many factors to consider and you might find some of them don't apply to you.

Some of them you might already have under control and if that's the case, fantastic. My advice is just to cherry pick one area you think needs attention and start working on it. Remember, what you do today the choices you make today, they're going to influence your future health, your health in your 80s and 90s, and if we, if we see into a hundred.

So before we delve into these factors, I do want to highlight some very important information regarding dementia. I have been vocal about this and right now, there is no clinical evidence to suggest that HRT, hormone replacement therapy, will prevent dementia. It's something we simply do not know, and more research is needed.

The British Menopause Society, the International Menopause Society, the North American Menopause Society, and many other medical bodies have all been clear in reinforcing that HRT is not a preventative treatment for dementia and should not be used in such a way. I just wanted to reiterate that point before we go any further.

So let's jump in and look at the good stuff. So there's a wealth of information of evidence based strategies that can significantly reduce your risk of dementia. So the 2024 Lancet Commission, a 56 page report on dementia, has identified 14 factors. And they estimate that implementing these recommendations, you could prevent nearly 50 percent of dementia cases.

That you could prevent nearly 50, that you could prevent nearly 50 percent of dementia case. That you could prevent nearly 50 percent of dementia cases. So these factors span from early life to later life with actionable steps that you can take today, tomorrow, later on, um, but particularly during midlife, where about 30 percent of dementia causes originate.

So, let's start off. Number one is hearing loss. Even mild hearing loss can increase dementia risk. So, hearing aids have been shown to reduce or slow down cognitive decline, particularly for those with other risk factors. So, if you've never had your hearing tested, put that top of your list, especially if you've started to notice changes in your ability to hear conversations.

Secondly, high LDL cholesterol. You'll have heard me talk on social media a lot recently about cholesterol. HDL, I call the happy one. LDL is the one that, you know, we need to keep in check. Elevated LDL levels are linked to dementia. So you need to regularly monitor your cholesterol levels and discuss what supports are needed with your doctor.

So next, depression. There's a strong link between depression and dementia, though the exact cause isn't fully understood. Treating depression, whether it's through therapy, medication, or both, can reduce your risk. So it's important to take time and look at how you're feeling. How are you? And, you know, make sure that you're talking to someone, if that's your doctor, a therapist.

It's really important to have support. Menopause does put a toll on us emotionally and it's important to get the support you need. Fourthly, a traumatic brain injury. Everyone,

even one, fourth, a traumatic brain injury, even one mild traumatic brain injury can increase dementia risk. So be mindful of activities that may lead to, that, be mindful.

Even one mild traumatic brain injury can increase dementia risk. Be mindful of those activities that could lead to head injuries like sports and make sure you're wearing protective helmets. So if you are on that electric scooter or that bike, if I see you swinging down my hill, Make sure you have a helmet on you.

Next, physical inactivity. Movement is key. Regular exercise is again linked to lower dementia risk. The type of exercise isn't as important as staying active. So whether it's cardio, resistance training, you want to aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. I would just basically say try and have movement in your life every single day.

Next, diabetes. Midlife onset of diabetes does also risk, increase the risk of dementia. So managing diabetes effectively is essential. If you haven't been screened for diabetes or you haven't had your LDL cholesterol checked in the last one to two year, you haven't had your LDL cholesterol checked in the last one to two years, please make that appointment with your doctor.

Smoking. Now. Um, I could spend a lot of time talking about smoking and, you know, we don't have evidence not yet against vaping, but for me, I include them both in the same umbrella. And I say that from the point of view of I'm thinking of your future long term health. So if you are smoking, if you are vaping, I would really encourage you to talk to your doctor, look at quit.

ie and look for support. To start reducing, eliminating smoking, just think your long term health. Smoking increases dementia risk, but if you stop, it can help mitigate that risk. It's never too late to stop. And the benefits extend, as I said, far beyond those of your brain. Hi blood pressure hypertension particularly when the systolic number is above 130 Is linked to dementia.

So again, you need to make sure you're regularly having your blood pressure checked and manage it with lifestyle or working with your doctor and medication. Next up is weight management. And we know this is such a challenge for all of us as we go through menopause. So maintaining a healthy weight is important as both obesity and also Being underweight are linked again to dementia.

It's a deeply personal and sensitive issue. So it's important that you approach this with compassion. Please be compassionate with yourself. Consider your journey. It's your unique individual journey and how you feel as you make choices that support your well being. Next up is alcohol, and this is really in relation to sustained heavy alcohol use.

So if you're consuming more than 21 units of alcohol, that's 21. In the uk, it's 21 in the US per week. That can also further increase your risk of dementia. In the uk, one unit of alcohol is equivalent to 10 milliliters of pure alcohol, so that's about a point. of lower strength beer or a small glass of wine.

So alcohol impacts so many aspects of menopause. So again, it's worth looking at how it's impacting, not just in relation to your brain health. Social isolation is next on the list. And, you know, when we look at the blue zones, we know about the importance of community, the importance of having your tribe, of having people who are going to support you as you navigate menopause, as we navigate life.

While there's a greater impact in later life, social isolation is another risk for dementia. So staying connected with your friends, your family is really important. Just make that effort. And in menopause, sometimes we can kind of feel like, Oh gosh, you want to stay at home in the pajamas. You want to curl up on the couch, but that's okay to a certain extent, but don't let that become a habit and just make sure that you have opportunities to interact with others.

And most importantly, you have support. Next is vision says she, and I'm here doing this, wearing my glasses and I am due an eye test. I think I'm a month over. So that's top of my to do list. Addressing vision problems early, again, is another big item on your to do list, particularly in later life, as your vision might seem fine, but regular checkups can just detect if there's anything changing, anything happen, happening.

So I would recommend regular vision check, vision tests. And in Ireland, remember you can have that covered, um, under your PRSI. I think the, the part of the check is also covered. Um, next up is air pollution. Now, if we live in Mexico City and densely populated cities, this is definitely going to be a real issue, but it's one, how do we, how do we monitor that one?

That's one really that's outside our control. So we can't control air pollution entirely, but We can advocate for better policies, supporting clean air initiatives and all of that, but it is going to depend where you're living. So maybe we all need to move to the Iron Islands, but if we all move there, we'll have a big problem, right?

Um, so some of these, as I said, you know, are going to be, you can, you can do something very practical about them and others you can't. Finally, education. So early life education builds cognitive reserve. It's protecting against dementia in your later life. So this factor is rooted in early life. So really it's all about supporting educational initiatives for all in terms of a, as a long term impact.

So for me, it's about being a student of life. Always be open to learning new things and this will keep your brain active and it will keep you, keep you challenged. So they're the 14 factors that have been identified with the Lancet. So hearing loss, high LDL cholesterol, depression, traumatic brain injury, physical inactivity, diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, weight management, sustained heavy alcohol, social isolation, vision loss.

Now, what's important, if you look at that last list of 14, you might be thinking like I was, well, where is sleep? And also, where is gum health? Because they're two aspects that have also been looked at and researched in relation to the beneficial impact they have on our cognitive health. But at this point, sleep has not been listed as there's no conclusive evidence to show it will impact dementia.

Okay. I do think in time we might see that, but we just have to wait. I was totally surprised as I really would have seen, expected to see that being listed as a key factor. So time will only tell. And then in relation to gum disease, we do know that that also impacts the brain. So it's not yet listed as a factor.

But what I would say is please do be diligent in relation to your visits to the dentist. I know we're all a bit kind of like, eek, going to the dentist is as exciting as going for a leg wax. But again, it's really important to do this and keep your gums healthy. We know that other potential modifiable risk factors exist, and we considered several of these factors, but on balance, judge that not enough consistent evidence exists to meet our high bar for inclusion.

Inclusion as modifiable risk factors. These risk factors include too little sleep, an unhealthy diet, infections, and mental health conditions. That's a comment from The Lancet. So, remember, Start small. Maybe you just pick one aspect of the list and either book that appointment, get the eyes checked, the hearing, or start at home with maybe a 10 minute walk.

But please do make changes, however small. Since my mum's still diagnosis. I've been interested in all aspects of dementia and especially how to prevent it. I have a lot of the tick boxes. I have issues with my hearing. I have issues with my sight. I have hypothyroid. So all of these are kind of ticks that increase your susceptibility to dementia.

So I'm very conscious now to make sure that I'm doing the modifiable lifestyle steps that I can take. So I'm keenly aware that we need to be proactive in this space. And remember, it's not about perfection. It's about progress. Any step you take towards these goals can contribute to better brain health.

And I know these evidence based strategies, they may not be glamorous. But they are effective. I hope you've enjoyed this episode of Menopause Uprising with me, your host, Catherine O'Keefe. And if I could ask a lovely favor from you, I would love you to rate, review or comment on this episode on whatever platform you're listening to.