• What you eat with broccoli and the way you prepare it makes a difference to your body’s ability to absorb it’s cancer-fighting properties. Broccoli shouldn’t be steamed for more than 4 minutes and studies show it should be eaten about 3-5 times a week.
• Fibre – eat more fibre – it can lower the risk of dying from a range of illnesses. It can reduce your risk of dying from heart disease, respiratory conditions or infection. It reduces the risk of certain cancers, diabetes and obesity. Fibre is found in fruits, vegetables and wholegrains.
• Good news about eggs – the cholesterol content of eggs, previously believed to be a health risk, is now much lower compared with 10 years ago.  The reason eggs have become more nutritious over the past decade is that hens are no longer fed bone meal. Eggs now contain more Vitamin D, which helps keep bones healthy.
• Berries ward off hypertension – eating just a cup of strawberries or blueberries a week can reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure. The berries contain lots of antioxidants.

Dementia – physical disease of the brain. As the disease progresses the brain becomes more and more damaged. Performance and judgement will deteriorate until the person is unable to lead a normal life. Dementia can affect anyone. Dementia is not contagious. No one single factor has been identified as the cause of Alzheimers’s.

10 warning signs:

1. A = A memory problem
2. L = Language problems
3. Z = Zips and buttons are difficult to fasten
4. H = Hygiene is not cared about
5. E = Extreme mood swings
6. I = Impaired judgement
7. M = Many alzheimer’s sufferers get lost in familiar places
8. E = even recognition of their own family and friends become difficult
9. R = Recalls memories of childhood times, but cannot remember anything that happened the same day
10. S = Suspicious of other people and may accuse them of stealing or hiding things.

Dementia progresses at different rates. How the disease starts and progresses will vary from person to person. Signs and symptoms become more persistent and serious over time. A combination of symptoms can be experienced at the same time.

In South Africa the most common forms of dementia include:

1. Alzheimer’s
2. Vascular / multi-infarct dementia
3. Alcohol dementia
4. Post-traumatic dementia
5. HIV/Aids – related dementia

Creating a caring environment 

A person with dementia is more likely to have an accident because he or she forgets where things are and how to use them.

Safety tips:

1. Install safety devices, like child proof locks
2. Lock up cleaning fluids, firearms, medicines and alcohol
3. Add extra lighting or place contrasting coloured rugs at entrances and steps
4. Monitor the temperature of taps and food
5. Supervise all medication
6. Remove anything which might cause a fall
7. Be prepared for emergencies
8. Don’t leave open fires or heaters unattended