Researchers have found that the process of dementia can start 20 years before behavioral symptoms occur which is why it is important to do these 4 things to boost and protect your memory – to prevent, if possible, or at least delay the onset of dementia.

1. EXERCISE! Even just walking 30 minutes 3 times a week keeps the brain engaged with the rest of the body to keep muscle memory strong.
2. SLEEP! Important events happen during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. There’s a “cleanup crew” (acetylcholine) that goes and removes the debris in your brain (plaques and tangles).
3. DIET! What you eat matters. Dementia has been called type 3 diabetes.  The brain uses 20% of your body’s blood sugar.  It prefers to run on ketone bodies.
   1. Include coconut oil. Its medium chain triglycerides turn into ketone bodies.
   2. Follow the Mediterranean Diet (reduces inflammation).

4. USE IT or LOSE IT! Just as your muscles stay firm and functional by using them, so your brain function stays robust by using it and by generating new neural pathways.
   1. Puzzles of any type (though I hate sudoku)
   2. Learn to play a musical instrument or chess
   3. Learn tai chi or qigong – a two for one (muscle memory and new neural pathways).

Carol Becker, CCHt is a dementia therapist, hypnotherapist and life coach. Learn more at her website – ResourcesByBecker.com