You’ve seen it happen to your car.
First, it’s the belts. Next, the radiator gives up the ghost. Then you need new tires. And – seriously? – now they want to sell you a new battery, too.
It’s happened to your home.
There’s a leak in the basement at the same time you need a new roof. You’re pretty sure something is living in the shed. And let’s face it, the entire house could probably use a fresh coat of paint, too.
Now, you can see it happening to your body.
The hair goes gray and then falls out. Your waistline grows while your muscles shrink. You can’t see as well as you used to. And now you’re hearing seems to be on its way out too.
And what happens next? Well, my friend, new research reveals there’s no punchline here—just a frightening fact. Fading vision mixed with hearing loss could put you on the path toward dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
But there IS a way out of this jam. A solution that could help save your eyes… your ears… and your brain… all at the same time.
Duo DOUBLES your odds of dementia
I know people who are planning big celebrations and massive vacations for when they’re fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. But my own post-vaccine goals are way more modest.
I’d just LOVE to see my eye doctor. Because I’m LONG overdue for a new set of glasses.
I’m not quite Mrs. Magoo yet. But my vision isn’t nearly as sharp as it was in those innocent days of 2019.
While I’m out, I’ve decided I’ll get a hearing check as well. Because new research shows that if you let your eyes and ears go together, your brain could follow.
Overall, seniors who suffer from both hearing and vision loss have more than DOUBLE the odds of dementia over six years.
Shield your eyes and ears to protect your brain
The new study doesn’t dive into the reasons for the rise in dementia risk. But there are likely two biggies:
- When you lose your eyesight and hearing, you tend to withdraw socially. After all, you can’t hear what’s being said, so you stop trying to interact. And isolation is a known factor for dementia. One recent study found persistent loneliness before 65 increases the odds of dementia by 91 percent and Alzheimer’s disease by 76 percent. And we know from other research that loneliness and withdrawal in later years can also set the stage for cognitive struggles.
- When you lose vision and hearing, the parts of the brain responsible for sight and sound can start to lose power. And since those same regions also handle critical cognitive functions, you can begin to suffer the dreaded brain fade of dementia.
If there’s any good news here, it’s that the study found losing just one of those senses doesn’t increase the risk of dementia… only both.
But why live in silence or darkness if you don’t have to?
Get your eyes and ears checked. And if you need glasses or a hearing aid… or have cataracts that need care… stop putting them off. You won’t just be saving your sight and hearing. You will be driving down your dementia risk too.
If you’re in good shape, keep it that way with the help of some basics. Lutein and zeaxanthin are terrific for overall vision health and may help with cognition, too. And circulation-boosting pine bark extract can often help with certain types of hearing loss.
Oh, and if you like to sip on a glass of wine or gulp down a beer from time to time, you’ve GOT to see this booze trick for protecting your peepers. Cheers!
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