When you are young and healthy, it is very easy to take your good health and clear thinking for granted. That is because it is just very unheard of when you hear of age-related diseases such as Parkinson’s and dementia happening at a young age. Not to mention, when you are young, you believe you are invincible and you could never fathom the idea of you ending up with health ailments as you age.
However, the fact of the matter is that as you age, your health will decline. You can take good care of yourself which you should do when you are young so you can increase your chances of staying healthy as you age. But either way, you won’t be as agile and sharp as you were during your younger years. With that being said, young people should take good care of themselves because they need to realize they are not so invincible. If they don’t eat well, exercise, and stimulate their minds regularly, then they are at an increased risk of developing age-related diseases. Genetics plays a role, but even without the genetics, the risks are still there. One of the most common age-related ailments is Parkinson’s and dementia.
What Happens To Your Body When You Have Parkinson’s Disease And Dementia?
Dementia is caused by excess plaque in the brain which causes the brain to degenerate which means cognitive function and memory are less functional, personality changes happen, as well as behavioral changes happen. However, whenever Parkinson’s disease is in the picture, then that will also cause changes in the brain which affects bodily movement, mental functions, personality, and behavior as well. And if you are giving in to the following three ‘innocent’ habits, this could be an early sign that you may have Parkinson’s disease and dementia:
Obsessive-Compulsive Behaviors
If you developed a habit where you are looking over and over again if you had locked the door, or you are having the need to buy a can of salmon each time you go to the grocery store for example, then those are compulsive behaviors. You may also fixate on the same topics that only interest you but does not interest anyone else. And you have the need to talk about them over and over again. If you never displayed these signs before, then you could potentially have Parkinson’s disease and dementia as this is a common habit that you had fallen into that can be a sign of that.
Odd Eating Habits
If you have Parkinson’s disease and dementia, changes in eating habits do happen. This can be as simple as having a sudden craving for salty food or putting too many pieces of food into your mouth. You may even become pickier as far as what you want to eat. If for instance, you used to love tuna sandwiches, you may be completely turned off by tuna sandwiches, which itself is not a significant sign. However, if you all of a sudden dislike tuna sandwiches but you have a strong craving for sweet and sour foods and eat it too quickly – those small changes can represent a serious problem. There may be even signs of pica which is eating inedible things such as sand, ice, and clay.
Saying Hurtful Things
As you know personality changes happen when there is Parkinson’s and dementia. This can most definitely include saying things that are hurtful to people. You lose your filter. If you develop the habit of being too honest during inappropriate times, then that could be a sign right there that there is cognitive decline due to Parkinson’s and dementia. Examples would be that you would not hesitate to tell people who are overweight the truth that they are, or how they look terrible in a certain outfit, and so on.
If you or a loved one have fallen into these habits and they are new, then you cannot ignore that. You must go to the doctor or take your loved one to the doctor. The good news is that there are treatments that can help prolong the condition while you live a good quality life as long as it is detected early on. Therefore you do not want to wait for it to worsen.
