WHEN MARIO GREGORIO was diagnosed
with dementia in 2008, he immedi-
ately had a dark thought: this is the
end. “But then I decided to look at
what I could do,” says the 71-year-old
retired data analyst, who lives in Burn-
aby, a suburb of Vancouver. “I thought,
maybe I can prevent it from progress-
ing.” His hunch was right.
In 2017, The Lancet published a
lengthy report by two-dozen interna-
tional experts who examined the evi-
dence to date. That study concluded
that 35 per cent of dementia risk is
within our control. Lifestyle changes,
the authors suggested, can slow down
the disease or forestall it altogether.After Gregorio did his own research,
he switched to a mostly plant-based
diet, became an avid swimmer and got
more involved in community activities.
“My gerontologist told me I’m doing all
the right things,” he says. In fact, Gre-
gorio feels healthier now than when he
received his diagnosis. His blood sugar
has improved, he has fewer falls and
he no longer walks with the cane he’d
been using for several years.
There are over a dozen types of
dementia; many Canadians have more
than one type. In fact, the condition
has a higher impact on our healthcare
system than both cancer and heart dis-
ease. Due to our aging population, over
the next 15 years the cost of dementia
to our economy will surpass $16.6 bil-
lion, according to the Alzheimer Soci-
ety of Canada. “The number of people
living with dementia is only going to
grow,” says Dr. Samir Sinha, director of
geriatrics at Toronto’s Sinai Health Sys-
tem and University Health Network.
Sinha is on Canada’s ministerial advi-
sory board on dementia, which helped
the minister of health develop a national
strategy that includes an investment of
$50 million over five years in public
education and research. “If we’re bet-
ter aware of what dementia is and isn’t,
we’re better able to help people get
access to care and support earlier. But
in many cases,” he adds, “there are
things we can do to prevent it.”
Here are 25 habits that can offer you
and your loved ones protection.reader’s digest
30 september 2019