If your life is wrapped up in the challenges of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s, you can’t help but think, “Is this going to be me one day?   Am I at risk for this disease?”   It can be pretty darn scary.

Diet

What we eat is critical to maintain healthy brains, and of course to keep us feeling strong enough to accomplish all that we need to do.  Amy Paturel, of AARP discusses the importance of the diet we follow for our brain health.    You can find her article on the AARP website.  She lists simple foods that need to be part of our daily diet to optimize the science of nutrition in combating Alzheimer’s.   Basically, she is encouraging the Mediterranean Diet, known for brain enriching foods.

 Regular Exercise

Of course, diet is just part of what we need to do to keep our brains healthy.  Regular exercise is equally important, which can be difficult when you are busy living your demanding life while caring for an aging loved one.   Remember to allow time for yourself to get the exercise you need no matter how impossible that seems to be.  Is there a way you can kill two birds with one stone and exercise while spending time with your loved one?  My dad loved his daily walks and to make it more physically challenging for myself, I sometimes would jog in place as we walked through the park.  He got his much needed family time and I was able to get some cardio as we spent time together as well!   I have a friend who gently jogged as she wheeled her mom through the neighborhood in her wheelchair.  Heck, I’ve even been known to sit and do my stretches as we chatted in the den.   We do what we gotta do, right?

Additional Information

For more tips on Alzheimer’s prevention, see Alzheimer’s website with all kinds of up to date research:  alz.org

Remember, taking care of the You the Caregiver is just as important as taking care of your loved ones!