When we think of dementia, we often fear a loss of control. But the reassuring news is up to 40 percent of dementias can be prevented or delayed if we change our health habits.

Dementia shares key risk factors with cardiovascular (of the heart and blood vessels) disease, including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, being overweight and smoking.

Inflammation and oxidative stress (where protective antioxidants are losing their fight with damaging free radicals) follow.

Without enough oxygen, brain cells can’t function effectively, and eventually die.

Reduced blood flow also leaves the brain vulnerable to the plaques and tangles seen in forms of dementia.

But by changing our habits, we can both improve heart health and reduce the risk of dementia. Here are five lifestyle changes we can make now.

Oily fish, like salmon, sardines and mackerel are rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Omega-3’s have anti-inflammatory effects and have been shown to significantly reduce blood pressure.

This means we need to get them from our diet. This is especially true as we age, because reductions in omega-3 intake have been linked to faster rates of cognitive decline.

Plant foods – like leafy greens, extra virgin olive oil, blueberries, nuts and pulses - contain a range of vitamins and minerals, including polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, vitamin C, and vitamin E.

Diets high in plant foods, like the Mediterranean diet, have been shown to improve blood pressure, glucose regulation and body composition, and have also been linked to lower rates of cognitive decline, better markers of brain health and lower risk of dementia.

On the other hand, saturated fats, refined carbohydrates and red and processed meats are believed to trigger inflammatory pathways and highly processed foods have been linked to hypertension, type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Eating more of these foods means we’re also likely to miss out on the benefits of other foods.

Refined grains (like white bread, rice and pasta) are highly processed, meaning many of these beneficial nutrients are removed.

Physical activity can reduce inflammation and blood pressure, while improving blood vessel functioning.

This helps the body deliver more oxygen to the brain, improving memory and other cognitive functions affected by dementia.

The key to forming long-term exercise habits is choosing physical activities you enjoy and making small, gradual increases in activity.

Any movement that raises the heart rate can be classified as physical activity, including gardening, walking and even household chores.

Smokers are 60% more likely to develop dementia than non-smokers. This is because smoking increases inflammation and oxidative stress that harm the structure and function of our blood vessels.

Quitting smoking can begin to reverse these effects. In fact, former smokers have a significantly lower risk of cognitive decline and dementia compared to current smokers, similar to that of people who have never smoked.

It’s never too early, or too late, to begin making these changes.

Obesity and high blood pressure in midlife are key predictors of dementia risk, while diabetes, physical inactivity and smoking are stronger predictors later in life.

Like giving up smoking, changes at any stage of life can reduce inflammation and change your dementia risk.

But even small changes can lead to significant improvements in health. Start by making manageable swaps, like:

• use extra virgin olive oil in place of butter, margarine and other cooking oils

• swap one serve of processed food, like chips, white bread, or commercial biscuits, for a handful of nuts

• swap one serve of meat each week for one serve of oily fish

• swap five minutes of sedentary time for five minutes of walking and slowly increase each day.

(This is an opinion piece and the views expressed above are the author’s own. FIT neither endorses, nor is responsible for them. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article here.)