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Dementia: A Puzzling Matter

What is dementia?

Dementia is a gradual decline of mental ability that affects your
intellectual and social skills to the point where daily life becomes
difficult. It is also an umbrella term for many ailments which
affect memory and decision-making ability such as Alzheimer’s disease,
vascular dementia (dementia caused by stroke), brain injury, drug
abuse, medication side effects, Vitamin B12 deficiency, and thyroid
abnormalities.

How can we prevent or slow dementia?

In some cases of dementia, it may be reversible or improved once the
underlying cause has been treated. One method of preventing dementia
is to keep your brain active. The activity of learning is an excellent way
to exercise your brain. Learning a new language or dance steps or Tai
Chi forms are just a few ways you can exercise both sides of the brain.
The left side of the brain thinks logically and follows sequences while
the right is creative, intuitive, and emotional.

Jigsaw puzzles are another great way to harness both brain powers.

While working on a jigsaw puzzle, it has been studied that there exists
continuous activity throughout the brain involving all cells and parts
of the brain. This intense activity works to exercise the brain cells and
thereby activate them and increase their efficiency and capacity too.

Your brain produces a chemical known as dopamine that is chiefly
responsible for learning and memory. The production of this chemical
increases in your brain when you are engaged in solving a jigsaw puzzle.

Another benefit of solving jigsaw puzzles is it can be done as a solitary
activity or with others. Maintaining social relationships is also important
for people who suffer from dementia along with their caregivers.

Consider a jigsaw puzzle as a gym membership for your mind. It’ll
enhance focus, expand creativity, help you practice visualization, and
improve memory.

Dan Cassidy, Nutritional Product Advisor