HEALTH & WELLNESS S P E C I A L S E C T I O N
judgment, and visual perception.
At least two of the aforementioned
symptoms must be severely impaired
to indicate signs of dementia. Usually
the signs and symptoms are progressive
and get worse over time. If caught early
by a health care professional, some
symptoms can be treated. One of the
most common types of dementia is
Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s accounts for 60 to 80
percent of all dementia cases. It causes
severe problems with daily tasks that
involve memory, thinking and behavior.
It is not a normal part of aging, but the
greatest known risk factor is increasing
age since the disease is progressive.
While it is most common in people
over the age of 65, younger-onset
Alzheimer’s is found in five percent of
people as young as their 40s.
According to the Alzheimer’s
Association, evidence shows that
incorporating the following habits
will keep you fit both physically and
mentally:
• Heart Health – Obesity, high
blood pressure and diabetes—all
risk factors for cardiovascular disease—negatively impact your
cognitive health. Cardiovascular activity increases blood flow to
the brain and body, reducing the risk of cognitive decline.
• Helmet Up! – Brain injury is one of the leading causes of
dementia and cognitive decline. Play it smart and always wear a
helmet to protect from brain injury.
• Sleep Tight – Have you ever stayed up late, only to find you’re
forgetful and mentally lethargic the next day? Not getting enough
sleep can result in lower brain function, affecting memory and
thinking.
• Be a Social Butterfly – Staying active with friends and loved ones
may support brain health as well. A recent study from the Women’s
Healthy Aging Project found that babysitting grandchildren could
lower the risk of Alzheimer’s.
• Challenge Yourself – Enjoy crossword puzzles or painting? Keep
your brain challenged by doing something new each day, whether
it is learning a new language, doing a jigsaw puzzle or reading a
book!
Eye and Ear Health
Hearing and vision are two essential parts of our everyday lives.
Yet there are many individuals who let ear and eye problems go
unattended. Ear and eye health is equally as important as taking care
of the rest of the body and should be well maintained to ensure many
years of seeing and hearing the things you love.
Eye Health
It is important to visit your eye care professional once a year for
a comprehensive eye exam. Although you may think you are seeing
fine, issues may be lurking without any
warning signs. During a yearly visit,
your pupils will be dilated, or widened,
so that your eye care professional can
examine the back of the eye for damage
or disease. It is important to know your
family’s eye health history as well, since
some conditions are hereditary. Some of
the most common eye diseases include
diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, cataracts,
and age-related macular degeneration
(AMD).
•
Diabetic Retinopathy: This type
1 or type 2 diabetes complication is
caused by damage to blood vessels in the
retina, the light-sensitive tissues in the
back of the eye. If left untreated, diabetic
retinopathy could cause blindness. Early
stages of this condition may go unnoticed
if an eye care professional is not visited
yearly. As the condition progresses,
symptoms may include blurred vision,
impaired color vision, floaters, and/or
dark areas in your vision. Symptoms may
occur if there is too much sugar in your
blood, which can cause a blockage in
the blood vessels that lead to the retina.
Proper management of diabetes is the
best way to prevent vision loss.
• Glaucoma: The second leading cause of blindness, glaucoma
is a group of diseases that damage the eye’s optic nerve. The
risk of developing glaucoma increases with age and if parents
or siblings have the disease. During an eye exam, glaucoma
can be detected by measuring eye pressure, inspecting the
drainage angle of the eye, evaluating the health of the optic
nerve and testing the visual field of each eye. Depending on
the type and severity of the disease, glaucoma can be treated
through eye drops, medication or surgery.
• Cataracts: A cataract affects vision by clouding the lens of
the eye. Chances of cataracts increase greatly with age, with
more than half of all Americans either having a cataract or
having had cataract surgery by the age of 80. People in their
40s and 50s can have cataracts, but they are typically small
and do not affect vision. Cataracts are detected by blurred
vision, faded colors, glare from headlights or lamps, poor
night vision, double vision, or frequent prescription changes
in eyeglasses or contact lenses. Early detection can improve
cataracts through new eyeglasses, anti-glare sunglasses or
brighter lighting. Surgery can also be done to remove the
cloudy lens and replace it with an artificial lens.
• Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD): One of
the common but lesser known eye conditions is AMD. A
leading cause of vision loss among people 50 years of age and
older, AMD affects the macula, the millions of light-sensing
cells that provide your eye with sharp, central vision. Age
is a major risk factor for developing AMD, with most cases
occurring after the age of 60. Genetics, race, and smoking
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