Over the past few decades, researchers have identified several things that increases one’s risk of developing some form of dementia, including Alzheimer’s. Among those are:

1- Genetics & family history – Ever hear the expression of blame it on your parents? Well, in the case of dementia and other illnesses, your parents are to blame as they pass on their defective and mutated genes to you. In the case of Alzheimer’s, researchers have identified a number of genes that appear to increase the risk of developing the deadly dementia.

2- Smoking and alcohol use – a variety of studies have indicated that the more one smokes and/or drinks, the greater the chances that they will develop some form of dementia later in life. In the case of excessive smokers and/or drinkers, that later in life could be sooner.

3- Atherosclerosis – also know as hardening of the arteries. It is caused by a build up of plaque along the walls of the arteries, making them harder, which decreases their ability to pump the blood through the body. Yes, there are muscles along the outer walls of arteries and these muscles contract enough to help the blood flow through, but as plaque builds up and causes the walls of the arteries to harden, those tiny muscles are no longer able to constrict the arteries.

4- High ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL) – the higher the levels of LDL, the greater the risk of developing what is known as vascular dementia.

5- Diabetes – this has been linked to a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia.

6- Age – just like cancer and so many other health conditions, the older we get, the greater the chances of our developing some form of dementia.

I recall a conversation with a friend about things that increase the risks of developing cancer and dementia, his response was simple – living causes cancer and dementia. After I chuckled, he clarified by saying that dead people don’t develop these illnesses, only living people. He went on to say that probably half of what we eat, drink, breathe and touch will be found to increase one’s chance of developing cancer and/or dementia.

Well, he will be right in that so many things we consume or come in contact with can have long-term impacts on our health. Take this recent report for instance:

Doctors often prescribe anticholinergic drugs for a variety of ills. But a new study suggests they may increase the risk of dementia in older patients.

These medicines include everything from Benadryl (diphenhydramine) to certain antipsychotics and Parkinson’s meds. They’re used to treat a wide range of other conditions, including depression, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, overactive bladder, allergies, and gastrointestinal disorders.

Anticholinergic drugs help contract and relax muscles, and work by blocking acetylcholine, a chemical that transmits messages in the nervous system.

But the new British study found that people aged 55 and older who took strong anticholinergic medications daily for three years or more had a 50% increased risk of dementia.

So, what may help one condition or illness may end up increasing your risk of developing dementia. Reading this brought to mind all of those commercials you see on television, advertising one drug or another. If you listen carefully, many of those commercials spend half of their time telling you of the possible side effects of the drug they are trying to get you to buy. I often wonder why anyone would ever want to take some of these advertised drugs.

I guess in today’s world of modern medicine and wonder drugs, we’re damned if we do take the drugs and damned if we don’t take them.