Prevention - a healthy brain

1. Prevent degeneration

Research has shown that stimulation of the brains can help in the prevention of degenerative diseases of the brains, for example, Alzheimer's disease.
Stimulation means:

Engaging in mind sports, for example chess or crossword puzzles
Recording new information, learn new things
Keep moving

At present, much research has been done here.

On the site of the Center for Disease Control you can find more information about this. On this Dutch site Het fitte brein (the healthy brain) you can also find information. 'Het fitte brein' organized a series of meetings in which the following three speakers got the floor.

Ard Schenk (Former world champion and Olympic champion skating, fysiotherapist): 'Bring order to your life, move, eat healthy and relax occasionally'.
Professor Doctor Dick Swaab (Brain Institute Amsterdam): 'Keep the brains active with new information and new or complex tasks for the brain'.
Professor Doctor Erik Scherder (Clinical Neuropsychology Amsterdam): 'We know how bad it is for people with dementia to not get in motion, both for their physical and mental fitness'.

2. Prevent cardiovascular diseases

Another initiative focuses on youngsters. It has been found that many young people are not brought up in a healthy lifestyle. Children move too little and eat too much and unhealthy food. One in seven young people is too heavy. This has major implications for later life. For example, someone who is overweight has a greater chance of a stroke or a CVA.