(WYTV)- You may have heard the news recently that doctors have diagnosed former first lady Rosalynn Carter with dementia.
She shares it with 55 million people around the world.
Dementia is an umbrella term for symptoms affecting memory, thinking, and social abilities.
It’s not one disease but Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, but what puts you at risk?
“Some of these are cardiovascular issues, like blood pressure, smoking, obesity, diabetes, and education. Sleep is an important factor, as well as social isolation and the development of depression so all of these factors cumulatively cone together in the development of dementia,” said Dr. Ronald Peterson of the Mayo Clinic.
Heavy drinking, hearing loss, and even air pollution may also be risk factors. Stay active: exercise, read books, go to lectures, see family and friends, and get your hearing checked.
You can’t prevent dementia but again, you can reduce some of your dementia risks, and it’s twice as likely to affect women as it would men.
