Healthy heart leads to lower dementia rates, study says

There's more evidence that what's good for your heart is also good for your brain.

A new study shows that the healthier your heart, the lower the chance of developing dementia.

People who stuck to 7 heart-healthy metrics had a 70 percent lower chance of dementia. Doctors say the study shows much of our risk is under our control.

"We need to take it upon ourselves to say, 'I alter my risk today - I get my blood pressure under control; I make sure that if I have heart disease I keep managing it the best way I can; I keep my cholesterol perfect; I manage my health parameters as much as possible and I alter my diet'," said Dr. Marwan Sabbagh.

Those 7 metrics say: don't smoke, keep your body mass index under 25, get regular exercise, keep your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar at recommended levels and eat fish twice a week and vegetables 3 times a day.

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