Ayurvedic Tips for Dementia or Cognitive impairment

DEMENTIA OR COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT Ayurvedic Tips

A diagnosis of dementia requires that at least two central functions of the brain to be impaired and interfere with daily living. These functions are of memory, language skills, ability to focus and pay attention, ability to reason and problem-solve, and visual perception.³

Doctors check for medical history and conduct a physical examination.³

As no single test helps diagnose dementia, a number of tests may be needed to find out the problem.³

• Cognitive and neuropsychological tests: These test for thinking skills

• Neurological evaluation: This evaluation tests for language, senses, balance, and reflexes

• Brain scans: CT or MRI scans look for any evidence of stroke / bleeding in brain or tumors. Additionally, PET scans show patterns of brain activity.

• Laboratory tests: Simple blood tests can detect problems in the body which may affect functioning of the brain, e.g. vitamin deficiencies.

Diet Recommendations (Aahar)

Dementia is an outcome of the aging process. Diet should be aimed at slowing the aging process and nourishing the nervous system.

• Dry vegetables, meat, sesame, germinated cereals, pulses should be used in diet.

• Avoid our, saline, pungent and alkaline food items. Also avoid contradictory food, unwholesome and Abhisyandi (those which obstruct the channels of normal circulation) putrid and stale food.²

Lifestyle changes (Vihar)

Similar to diet, you should avoid lifestyle regime that accelerates your. This includes daytime sleeping, heavy alcohol intake, excess physical activity and overworking.³

Some asanas that are helpful are as follows -

• Suryanamaskara:

It is a whole body exercise and is particularly helpful because it encourages you to breathe deeply and rhythmically.

• Pranayama

Bhramari Pranayama is known to increase positive thoughts and feelings of happiness.