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When to start reducing dementia risk? Now!

March 8, 2019 5 Comments

 

Core to our Age-Well Project is understanding that the more we do to reduce our risk of age-related degenerative disease now, in our 50s, the better. Many diseases of old age take root in mid-life: for a healthy, happy old age we need to tackle our future wellbeing now.

So we were fascinated to read new research confirming this. Researchers in Sweden tracked 800 women for 44 years to see if their activities, both physical and mental, could impact their dementia risk. At the start of the project the average age was 47 (roughly where Annabel and I were when we started this Project) and the women were followed for the rest of their lives. They were ranked according to their level of creative activity, so visiting an art gallery or theatre in the last six months counted as moderate activity. High activity was defined as more frequent cultural visits, and painting or singing in a choir. They were also divided according to their levels of physical activity:  active (ranging from walking, gardening or biking to more intense exercise like running or swimming for at least four hours per week)  and inactive (less than four hours of light physical movement a week).

By the end of the study, almost a quarter of them had developed some form of dementia. Those categorised as having high mental activity were 34 percent less likely to develop dementia in any form (and 46 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s) than those with low mental activity. And those who were physically active were 56 percent less likely to develop any form of dementia.

GIVE UP GIVING UP!

So NOW is the time – whatever your age – to make a change, take up a new hobby or intensify your exercise plan. With Lent falling this week there’s been plenty of talk about ‘giving up’ things. But we prefer thinking of it as ‘taking up’ something. What activity can you add to your weekly routine to make a difference? This doesn’t mean committing to a huge new exercise programme. It might be a trip to a local gallery or dropping into a fitness class. If you add something you love, rather than take something away, it will be easier and more enjoyable.

So this weekend Annabel has booked into a laughter yoga class (she’ll blog about it soon but it sounds HUGE fun) and I’ll be heading to the National Portrait Gallery to catch the new Martin Parr exhibition.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

It’s International Women’s Day today so it seems a good time to share our new ‘author’ pic, taken for the jacket of our book. I’m so happy to have my bright, creative, supportive pal by my side on our Age-Well Project. Committing to staying healthy in middle age in hard and we all need an ‘accountability buddy’ to help us through. Women are so good at supporting one another, so let’s celebrate that today.

And don’t forget that Alzheimer’s is a women’s issue. Women account for two-thirds of Alzheimer’s cases.  In the over-65 age group 1 in 6 women will develop Alzheimer’s by 2050, the figure is 1 in 11 for men. And the burden of caring falls disproportionally on women, too. You can read our blog post on this here.

GUARDIAN MASTERCLASS

We’re beyond thrilled to have been asked to give a Guardian Masterclass on June 11th. We’ll be sharing our top tips on how to live a longer, healthier and happier life: starting right now. And we’ll break down our four cornerstones of healthy ageing, explaining how to put them into practice and stay on track with your own Age-Well Project. You can book tickets here:

https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-masterclasses/2019/mar/04/the-age-well-project-preparing-for-a-longer-healthier-and-happier-life-annabel-streets-susan-saunders-health-wellbeing-course

 

Susan

Photo by Charlie Hopkinson ©

 

 

  • Conditions: Ageing, Alzheimer's, Brain and Dementia
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Comments

  1. Diana Studer says

    March 9, 2019 at 8:56 pm

    I’m vegetarian. How many of the recipes in your book will be meat-based? Will you offer vegetarian alternatives

    Reply
    • Annabel Streets says

      March 14, 2019 at 1:25 pm

      Hi Diana. off the top of my head we only have one meat recipe that I can recall. We don’t eat much meat but we like to include the odd dish for those that do (and we have husbands who we’ve never managed to wean!).

      Reply
    • Susan Saunders says

      March 24, 2019 at 4:25 pm

      Hi Diana, there are only a couple of meat-based recipes in the book. The book is more of a general guide to healthy ageing than a recipe book. I do hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  2. Gaynor says

    March 12, 2019 at 3:30 am

    Looking good you two! I think it is the first time I have seen you together in a photo. Of course it helps to have a close friend and confidant to support you and bounce ideas with. It will help you both to age well having that relationship.
    Sorry I can’t come to your presentation, but I am in a different country.
    I have ordered the book and although I am a coeliac, I am used to adjusting recipes.
    Congratulations and keep up the good work.

    Reply
    • Annabel Streets says

      March 14, 2019 at 1:23 pm

      That’s very kind, Gaynor. We’re sorry not to see you, of course. But perhaps we’ll make it to the other side of the world one day! Thanks for all your support over the years…

      Reply

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Welcome to The Age-Well Project

Welcome to The Age-Well Project!
Here you’ll find easy changes for a longer, happier life. We’ve immersed ourselves in the science of longevity and distilled the research to make it work in our everyday lives. You can change the way you age: here’s how.

Favourite Posts

WHY I’VE THROWN OUT ALL MY BEAUTY PRODUCTS (nearly…)

Why Alzheimer’s Is A Women’s Issue

HOW HAVING A DOG CHANGED MY LIFE

GREEN SPACE IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH

SUGAR, CHOCOLATE, SADNESS AND BRAIN-BOOSTING BISCUITS

WHY ‘INFLAMM-AGEING’ COULD START IN THE GUT AND HARISSA-ROASTED VEGETABLE SALAD

POLYAMINES – THE NEW SECRET WEAPON FOR AGEING WELL & MOROCCAN SPINACH AND CHICKPEAS.

THINNING AGEING HAIR – WARM CHICKEN LIVER SALAD

About The Age Well Project

This site is for anyone who wants to make the second half of their life as healthy, happy and disease-free as possible. Sign up to get the latest research on ageing – and delicious recipes to match – direct to your inbox.

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The Age-Well Project blog
What do you want to achieve for your bones?’ T What do you want to achieve for your bones?’ 

This interesting question came from Rebekah Rotstein, who has worked with the Royal Osteoporosis Society and is founder of movement system Buff Bones @gotbuffbones when Susan interviewed her for The Power Decade. 

We thought the answer was that we wanted them to be dense, because that would protect them in the years ahead. Rebekah invited us to view this another way, ‘Your goal is not just to have high bone density,’ she explained. ‘Your goal is to not fracture and to live a full, independent life. You do this by strengthening your bones and body. But you also need to maintain and improve your balance and responsiveness to avoid falls because falls lead to fractures.’

We’re big fans of the ‘brushing your teeth standing on one leg’ trick to add extra age-well benefits to this most regular of tasks by improving balance. When we do it, we can feel movement – and a bit of a wobble – in our feet. Rebekah explains that this movement is also a form of calibration, helping us maintain balance. She urges us to try this barefoot because, as we age, we lose dexterity in our feet: we want to be able to feel the messages they’re sending us.

There’s more on better bone health on the blog - link in bio

#longevity #womenover50 #agewell #ageingwell #agingwell #longevityblog #healthblog #agewellblog #over50bloggers #womenover50 #healthspan #womenover60 #postmenopause #postmenopausalhealth #bonehealth #osteoporosis #osteopenia #balance #buffbones
Beans for breakfast?! Yes please. On a recent trip Beans for breakfast?! Yes please. On a recent trip to Jordan, Annabel started her day with foul, made from fava beans. 

The Jordanians mash the cooked beans and serve them warm from a swan-necked vessel using a Harry Potter-ish long-handled ladle.  The beans are then drizzled and scattered with various spices, sauces and olive oil. 

Full of protein and fibre, it’s a great way to start the day. The (super-simple) recipe is on the blog, link in bio 

#longevity #womenover50 #agewell #ageingwell #agingwell #longevityblog #healthblog #agewellblog #over50bloggers #womenover50 #healthspan #womenover60 #postmenopause #postmenopausalhealth #breakfast #breakfastrecipes #favabeans
Grab some GABA! This neurotransmitter is linked to Grab some GABA! This neurotransmitter is linked to better sleep and mood - but needs progesterone to produce it. This is why post-menopausal women are more likely to experience insomnia and anxiety. 

But there are actions we can take to produce more GABA naturally. Save this post for future reference and check out our GABA blog post - link in bio

And save this for future reference 😊

#longevity #womenover50 #agewell #ageingwell #agingwell #longevityblog #healthblog #agewellblog #over50bloggers #womenover50 #healthspan #womenover60 #postmenopause #postmenopausalhealth #GABA #neurotransmitter
A three-page interview of Annabel in today’s @ob A three-page interview of Annabel in today’s @obsmagazine extolling the benefits of walking, and of being outdoors. Just in case you’ve had your fill of the coronation… ´Walking is freedom, an escape for the mind and the body.’ 

Hear hear!
Launch party for The Power Decade! Wonderful to se Launch party for The Power Decade! Wonderful to see so many of our favourite Age-Well people (and books!) there 😊
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