Cooperative Living July 2022 - 21

HEALTHY TAKE
The Heart-Brain Connection
fiesearchers find important links between heart and brain health
Story Courtesy of Family Features
T
he same risk factors that
contribute to making heart
b
dise
prevalelence
h
isease the leading cause ofdeath
worldwide also affect the rising global
pr
nce ofbrain disease, including
stroke, AlzhAlzheimer's disease and
dementia.
The Th globlobal death rate from
Alzheimer's disease and other dementias
is increasin
increasing even more than the rate of
heart diseas
me ican
se death, according to the
American Heart Association's Heart
Disease and Stroke Statistics 2022
Update.
Globa ly Globally, more than 54 million
people hadhad Alzheimer's disease and
other dementias in 2020, a 37% increase
since 2010 and a 144% increase over
the
the past 30 years.
Additionally, nearly 1.9 million
deaths wereer attributed to Alzheimer's
disease and other dementias worldwide
iin 2020, co
RISK FACTORS
" Th gloThe lobal rate ofbrain disease
is quickly ooutpacing heart disease, "
says Mitche
chell S.V. Elkind, M.D.,
the past president ofthe American
Heart Association, and a professor
th past
re
ear Asso
ofneurology and epidemiology at
Columbia University's Vagelos
College ofPhysicians and Surgeons.
fififififififififififififi
co-opliving.com
n 2020, compared with nearly 9 million
deaths from heart disease.
some types ofdementia are related to
aging, and how some types are due to
poor vascular health. It's becoming more
evident that reducing vascular disease
" We are learning more about how
l
fd
some types ofdementia are related to
risk factors can make a real difference
in helping people live longer, healthier
lives, free ofheart disease and brain
disease, " he says.
According to the statistics update,
people with midlife hypertension were
five times more likely to experience
impairment on global cognition and
about twice as likely to experience
reduced executive function, dementia
and Alzheimer's disease. The risk for
dementia associated with heart failure
was nearly twofold.
Experts recommend maintaining a
healthy weight, managing your blood
pressure and following other hearthealthy
lifestyle behaviors that can also
support good brain health. Studies show
maintaining good vascular health is
associated with healthy aging and
retained cognitive function.
TIPS TO GOOD HEALTH
Optimal brain health includes the
ability to perform tasks like movement,
perception, learning and memory,
communication, problem solving,
judgment, decision making and
emotion. Cognitive decline and
dementia are ft en seen following stroke
or cerebrovascular disease and indicate a
lar
isease and indicate a
decline in brain health.
healt
Consider these steps to live a
se steps to live a
healthier lifestyle and protect your heart
and brain health:
and prot ct you hear
* Don't smoke; avoid secondhand
smoke.
ke;
* Reach and maintain a healthy
weight. Be mindful ofyour eating
aintain
healt
eating
habits; eat foods low in saturated
low in
fat, trans fat, sodium and added
sugars.
* Be physically active. Start slowly
and build up to at least 150
minutes ofmoderate physical
activity, such as brisk walking,
Star
to at
as brisk
ki
each week. As an alternative,
minutes
to
cardiovascular health.
ular
healt
* Get your blood pressure checked
regularly and work with your
health care team to manage it
ifit's high.
* Have regular medical checkups
and take your medicine as directed.
* Decrease your stress level and seek
emotional support when needed.
ar
ur
ppor whe
ical checkups
as directed.
our stress level and seek
eeded 
To learn more about the relatiionship between
heart health andbrain health, visit heart.org.
onship betwee
July 20222 ● Cooperative Living ●
brain health, visit heart.org.
19
ut th re
ood pressure checked
nd work with your
eam to manage it
you can do 75 minutes ofvigorous
physical activity, or a combination
ofthe two, to improve overall
ivity, or a combination
prove overall
http://www.heart.org http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living July 2022

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