Preventing dementia: Risk factors you can control

It may seem that dementia — including Alzheimer's disease — occurs at random in older adults, no matter how healthy they are. This is in part because the two greatest risk factors, aging and genetics, are things you can't do anything about.

However, you're not totally defenseless against the disease.

Consider these tips from Mayo Clinic experts that can help keep dementia risk as low as possible:

• Exercise regularly. A minimum of 150 minutes of moderately intense physical activity a week is recommended, or 75 minutes of weekly exercise at a vigorous intensity. Also, do muscle-strengthening exercises 2 or more times a week.

• Eat healthy. Eating habits that model the Mediterranean diet, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, or the Mediterranean-DASH intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet all appear to reduce dementia risk.

  These diets emphasize minimally processed plant foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, berries, nuts and whole grains. Fish is an important protein source. Healthy unsaturated fats from fish, avocados and olive oil are emphasized, as well.

  Processed foods, sugar, salt and saturated fats are avoided or kept to a minimum. Supplements — including vitamins, minerals and fish oil — are not associated with dementia risk reduction and are not recommended.

• Don't use tobacco. Dementia prevention is one more reason to stop tobacco use.
• Use alcohol in moderation, if at all. Excessive drinking is strongly linked to increased dementia risk.
• Engage the brain. This appears most helpful for older adults, and can include just about anything that gets you thinking. Try games and puzzles, social interaction, learning new things, and memorizing.
• Take care of heart-health risks. Managing your weight, and addressing high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and diabetes may all indirectly reduce dementia risk.