Although the causes of mental illnesses such as Alzheimer's and dementia are largely unknown, studies show that lifestyle and diet play a major role in protecting against mental decline.

This will keep your brain fit and protect you from cognitive diseases.

 

Alcohol. An American study of older women shows that those who drank alcohol in moderation (e.g. one glass of wine daily) over a period of years had a 40% lower risk of mental decline than those who did not drink alcohol.

 

 

Apples. Fresh apples contain a high concentration of quercetin. Quercetin is an antioxidant that combats the damage to brain cells caused by free radicals.

 

Broccoli. In a study of men aged between 50 and 85, those with more folic acid in their blood showed better language skills. Folic acid is found particularly in green vegetables such as broccoli, spinach and Brussels sprouts.

 

Fish. DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid found in salmon, sardines, mackerel and halibut, is thought to reduce the build-up of blood plaques by 70%. Blood plaques are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. DHA is also found in almonds, walnuts and soya.

 

Eat less. Overweight people have a higher risk of developing mental illnesses. One experiment showed that mice that were able to eat an unlimited amount of food had significantly more blood plaques in their bodies than animals that were given 40% less to eat.

 

Movement. Even a daily walk of 3 kilometres halves the risk of developing dementia compared to people who hardly move at all.

 

Heart. High LDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking and diabetes are known risk factors for heart disease. At the same time, the risk of mental decline such as dementia also increases: with diabetes by 46%, with high cholesterol by 42%, with smoking by 26% and with high blood pressure by 24%. The risk increases disproportionately if you fulfil more than one of these risk factors; with all 4, the risk of dementia increases dramatically to 237%.

 

Mental sport. Regular mental activity such as brain teasers keep the brain cells fit and thus reduce mental decline.