Save Your Brain quiz might help slow Alzheimer’s onset

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Did you know that Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in Iowa? Did you know that many older Iowans are more concerned about losing their cognitive abilities — thinking and memory — than any other health concern?

Unfortunately, there is no currently available curative medicine or treatment for cognitive decline, dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

But there is good news! You might be able to lower your risk of these diseases up to 70 percent. Prevention is the key.

A self-help quiz recently went live on the Iowa Department of Public Health website that helps older Iowans learn how to reduce their risk of cognitive decline, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

If your computer has trouble pulling up document, you probably know someone who can help you on another computer. You may also go to your public library to use the computers there for free, and ask a staff member to help you locate the website.

The quiz is not a test of your knowledge, so you won’t be answering questions about facts you recall from your high school days or calculating arithmetic problems. The quiz asks questions about your current habits that impact your brain health.

There are four areas of questions centering around things you can change: your eating habits, your activity level, your social interactions and your willingness to learn new things to stay sharp.

The point of taking this quiz is to help you identify the areas that with a little bit of work could help prevent cognitive decline.

Ann Cochran is the heath navigation coordinator in the Dallas County Public Health Department.

The Iowa Department of Public Health Save Your Brain quiz will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses.

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