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CATHERINE W GICHUKI
DOHA
PHYSICAL activity and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help in preventing dementia, HMC Geriatric Fellowship Programme Director and Deputy Chairman of Geriatrics and Longterm Care Dr Shafi Khan has said.
Speaking to media persons recently, Khan also advised people not to delay approaching a healthcare provider in case of dementia symptoms.
“There is a limited understanding of the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Many people think it’s a normal part of ageing. In many cases, family and friends simply do not know how to talk about someone experiencing significant decline in memory, reasoning, and thinking abilities,” Khan said.
Some types of dementia-like conditions such as depression, are reversible. “In depression, Vitamin B12 deficiency and under-active thyroid cases and symptoms may improve after our treatment,” he noted.
Some of the signs and symptoms of dementia include struggling to remember recent events; forgetting names of friends or everyday objects; repeating things; struggling to follow conversations; problems with thinking or reasoning; and feeling confused even when in a familiar environment.
According to Dr Khan, dementia is preventable if one remains physically active and eats a healthy diet. “One should exercise for at least 150 minutes a week,” he said.
He recommends eating lots of fish, vegetables and fruits while decreasing the amount of unhealthy fats in the diet.
According to Khan, one also needs to stimulate the brain by finding new hobbies e.g. solving crosswords, learning a new language etc.
Brain is like a circuit and the more one keeps it active the more connections will be formed, whereas the less active brain under-performs.
He also advised that if one has any vascular risk factors, these should be corrected. He suggested lifestyle measures like quitting smoking and drinking to prevent dementia.
More social interaction and get-togethers can help avoid dementia, he noted.
DOHA
PHYSICAL activity and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help in preventing dementia, HMC Geriatric Fellowship Programme Director and Deputy Chairman of Geriatrics and Longterm Care Dr Shafi Khan has said.
Speaking to media persons recently, Khan also advised people not to delay approaching a healthcare provider in case of dementia symptoms.
“There is a limited understanding of the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Many people think it’s a normal part of ageing. In many cases, family and friends simply do not know how to talk about someone experiencing significant decline in memory, reasoning, and thinking abilities,” Khan said.
Some types of dementia-like conditions such as depression, are reversible. “In depression, Vitamin B12 deficiency and under-active thyroid cases and symptoms may improve after our treatment,” he noted.
Some of the signs and symptoms of dementia include struggling to remember recent events; forgetting names of friends or everyday objects; repeating things; struggling to follow conversations; problems with thinking or reasoning; and feeling confused even when in a familiar environment.
According to Dr Khan, dementia is preventable if one remains physically active and eats a healthy diet. “One should exercise for at least 150 minutes a week,” he said.
He recommends eating lots of fish, vegetables and fruits while decreasing the amount of unhealthy fats in the diet.
According to Khan, one also needs to stimulate the brain by finding new hobbies e.g. solving crosswords, learning a new language etc.
Brain is like a circuit and the more one keeps it active the more connections will be formed, whereas the less active brain under-performs.
He also advised that if one has any vascular risk factors, these should be corrected. He suggested lifestyle measures like quitting smoking and drinking to prevent dementia.
More social interaction and get-togethers can help avoid dementia, he noted.
