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6 dementia fighting tips from Dr Sanjay Gupta and Marc Milstein, experts on brain health – walk, talk, read, learn, relax, and eat and drink properly

  • TV doctor and brain surgeon Sanjay Gupta and The Age-Proof Brain author Marc Milstein offer tips for how to protect the brain against cognitive decline
  • From eating well and not drinking too much alcohol, to being socially engaged and exercising regularly, we consider their steps for staving off dementia

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We can protect ourselves against the risk of dementia with some simple lifestyle practices. Exercising (above), eating a good diet, drinking less alcohol, socialising, reading more and trying new things all help keep the brain sharp, say brain experts including Dr Sanjay Gupta. Photo: Shutterstock
This is the fifth instalment in a series on dementia, including the research into its causes and treatment, advice for carers, and stories of hope.
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Before my mother presented with Alzheimer’s, I didn’t give the disease much thought. If I forgot something, I’d roll my eyes, laugh, and ask, “What am I like?” Or excuse myself as having had a senior moment. And then I’d forget about that, too.

Now when I forget something – anything – I’m seized by fear. You don’t think about dementia until you have to. And then it’s almost all you think about. I’m terrified I might one day suffer with what my mother suffers today.

More and more, though, the science tells us there are ways to protect ourselves – the experts speak of “modifiable risks”, things you can do something about. As my mother recedes more into some place where I cannot reach her, I grow increasingly determined to understand those risks better, and do more to protect myself.

Dr Sanjay Gupta is a US-based practising neurosurgeon and writer, who has written a number of bestselling books, including Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age and his most recent book, 12 Weeks to a Sharper You.
The cover of one of Dr Sanjay Gupta’s book. Photo: Simon & Schuster
The cover of one of Dr Sanjay Gupta’s book. Photo: Simon & Schuster
The cover of Marc Milstein’s book. Photo: Marc Milstein
The cover of Marc Milstein’s book. Photo: Marc Milstein

Marc Milstein, a global speaker on optimising brain health, recently published The Age-Proof Brain. Here are some of the preventive measures both authors suggest we implement now to reduce the risk of cognitive decline later.

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