India, Sept. 12 -- Dementia is a growing health crisis, with millions of new cases diagnosed each year. It not only robs people of their memory and independence but also deeply impacts families who watch their loved ones change before their eyes. After losing his father to the condition, dentist Dr. Mark Burhenne shared in a September 7 Instagram post the 5 habits he now follows to lower his own risk. (Also read: Just 1 diet soda a day could triple your risk of life-threatening diseases like stroke and dementia, new study warns )

"What I wish I knew when my dad was still alive. My dad was an athlete and an accomplished mountaineer. It left us all asking, how could this possibly happen to one of the healthiest people we knew?" wrote Dr. M...