A growing body of research identifies 12 potentially modifiable risk factors.
- Physical inactivity
- Smoking
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Air pollution
- Head injury
- Infrequent social contact
- Less education
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Depression
- Hearing impairment
Most of the risk factors can be managed by proper nutrition and lifestyle changes.
Hope for Dementia has introduced the Mindful Eating. Healthy Minds. program to encourage healthy eating and social interaction through a series of healthy eating activities for seniors.
Participants are guided through program activities by a peer volunteer. Activities include –
- A workshop on mindful, healthy eating.
- Educational material, including recipes for delicious, easy-to-prepare meals.
- Healthy meals prepared with new friends.
- Food baskets filled with good food.
Reference material
What is mindful eating?
Food is a big part of our everyday experience. It’s how we nourish our bodies and minds. It’s also an important way we connect with others. Eating can be a wonderful way to introduce mindfulness practice into our lives.
Mindful eating is an opportunity to fully experience the enjoyment of food in the present moment. As we become more mindful, we become more committed to our well-being. This includes eating more nourishing foods and being grateful for those times when we are in the company of good friends and family. All of these positive experiences contribute to brain health and are known to help prevent diseases like dementia.
Mindfulness adds a richness to all aspects of our lives. Download and share the flyer on Mindful Eating.
Videos on mindful eating give you some food for thought about your food choices and their effect on your brain health.
How to be present in the moment When we bring our thoughts to the present moment, our minds relax. When our minds are relaxed, our bodies are optimally designed to digest our food and extract all the nutrients properly.
Contact Contact with food is the ability to enjoy our meal and to be thankful for the goodness that it provides.
Impact of food on our body The foods we eat have an impact on our moods. Some foods make us feel lethargic, hyperactive, or peaceful. It is important to be aware of our food choices and the impact they have on our brain.
Connectivity Food is a common denominator that brings us all together. Geography, age, culture do not matter when we are sharing a good meal together. Let us be mindful of the connections that good food makes to all of us.
