Vascular Dementia - Another Reason Why You MUST Take Good Care of Yourself!

This weekend, I found out that one of my oldest and dearest friends has vascular dementia.  My friend was (and still is..his illness aside) a brilliant man.  He invented the first solar/wind collector and developed hydroponic farming using his system.  These units are still in use over 30 years later; sometimes, I look up at various buildings in Manhattan and there they are; still going strong.  He was a NASA scientist, financier, philanthropist and one of the funniest and best friends anyone could hope for.  Now, he gets lost going around the block.  Currently, he is in a group home, being well-cared for...a victim of many mini-strokes that followed massive strokes experienced during the past several years.
Vascular dementia can be prevented and here are some facts you should know about this condition:

Courtesy the Mayo Clinic, here is the definition of vascular dementia:
Vascular dementia is an umbrella term that describes impairments in cognitive function caused by problems in blood vessels that feed the brain.

In some cases, a blood vessel may be completely blocked, causing a stroke. Not all strokes cause vascular dementia. It depends on the severity of the stroke, where the stroke occurred and the portion of the brain that's affected. Vascular dementia also can occur when blood vessels in the brain narrow, reducing the amount of blood flow to those sections of the brain.

Risk Factors Include:
■Increasing age. This is one of the biggest risk factors for vascular dementia. The disorder is rare before the age of 65. And people in their 80s and 90s are much more likely to have vascular dementia than people in their 60s and 70s.
■History of stroke. The brain damage that occurs with strokes appears to increase the risk of developing dementia.
■Hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). Atherosclerosis occurs when plaque builds up in your arteries and narrows your blood vessels. This can increase your risk of vascular dementia.
■High blood pressure. Hypertension puts extra pressure on blood vessels throughout the body. This increases the risk of vascular problems in the brain.
■Diabetes. High glucose levels damage blood vessels throughout the body, increasing the risk of stroke and other vascular problems in the brain.
■Smoking. Smoking increases the risk of hardening of the arteries and other vascular diseases, including vascular dementia.
■High cholesterol. High levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) are associated with an increased risk of vascular dementia, and possibly with a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  For years, I would get on my friend's case about what he ate, drank, weight and exercise - he'd always laugh at me and tell me to stop worrying about him.  When I tell YOU to stop smoking, watch your weight, sugar and blood pressure, listen to me, please.  I don't want any of you to experience what this great man is living through.  If you have any of the above-mentioned conditions, start becoming pro-active and get yourself into a wellness program.  Every little bit counts and above all, you gotta have hope!