Aging with a healthy brain: How lifestyle changes could help prevent up to 40% of dementia cases

Modifiable risk factors for dementia include high blood pressure, obesity, physical inactivity, diabetes, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and infrequent social contact. (Shutterstock)

A 65-year-old woman repeatedly seeks medical help for her failing memory. She is first told it’s nothing to worry about, then, a year later, that it’s “just normal aging.” Until finally, the penny drops: “It’s Alzheimer’s. There is no cure.”