There is a lot of talk out there of using food to delay the onset of dementia.

Honestly, by the time Jim was officially diagnosed, I figured I was doing enough. He’d already been diagnosed with diabetes a few years ago and I went all out. Fiber this and veggies that. Everything I cooked had some sort of hidden helper ingredient to keep Jim’s blood sugar stable.

I took every ounce of enjoyment out of our eating experience.

Suddenly, I was standing over his shoulder while he cooked, or adding protein powder and crushed flax seeds to everything. Hell, you could build a solid house with our Saturday pancakes by the time I was done with the recipe. Light and fluffy became thick and nearly inedible.

Finally, Jim said enough. Yes, he was diabetic but he also wanted to like the taste and texture of what he was eating.

Now, he’s solidly in his eighties and while I still make sure we eat well, I don’t stress about his diet like I used to. He worked hard his entire life, he should be allowed to enjoy his last years of retirement.

But, I’m not in my eighties. I still have 3-5 years to look after Jim and then (hopefully) a few more decades to look after me. Looking at my current health and family history, I have a higher than average chance of developing both diabetes and dementia.

So, I’m actively trying to delay the inevitable.

Losing weight – The Covid 15 became the Covid 50 in my case.

The process in which I lose weight. I’m doing a combination of lower carb (not Keto) and Intermittent Fasting (eating only between 12noon and 8pm). Both methods are free, easy to track and have somewhat solid studies to indicate they can help protect the brain from deteriorating. This combination of methods is also sustainable and won’t interfere with my ability to care for Jim.

The new, lower carb recipes I’ve found benefit Jim too (without going overboard like before), so it’s a win-win. Ironically, he’s forgotten he was a picky eater, so I can slide more foods like mashed cauliflower into his diet without complaint from him. I couldn’t do this after his diabetes diagnosis.

Exercise, I’ve fallen off this wagon over the summer. Time to get back on the bandwagon. I have no excuse not to walk at least 5000 steps every day, even if it’s just pacing back and forth in my basement.

Mind games.

I vary the games I play on my phone in the evening. Some are word games, some with cards. I write and I read to keep my mind active. I’ve been learning new marketing and social media skills as I relaunch the YA novels I published years ago. Plus, I’ll pick knitting and crocheting back up. It’s been a year or two since I created anything with my hands.

Every little bit helps.