Seven million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease and 10 million Americans age 65 or older have been told they have some form of dementia. Plus, mild cognitive impairment affects around 8 million folks -- almost none of whom have been diagnosed.

You want to take steps to reverse your dementia risks -- and a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association should help you do just that. It highlights three cardiovascular conditions directly linked to an increased risk for cognitive decline and dementia -- heart failure, atrial fibrillation (A-fib), and coronary heart disease.

Fortunately, you can prevent or delay all three of these heart conditions -- protecting your brain at the same time.

Eating a diet low in saturated fats, red and processed meats, added sugars and salt; quitting -- or never starting -- smoking; getting daily physical activity (if the doctor says OK); managing stress; maintaining a waist circumference that measures less than half your height; and having healthy sleep habits help reduce the risk for those three conditions.

-- The risk of heart failure can also be reduced by staying on prescribed statins, anti-hypertensives, and anti-inflammatories.

-- You can reduce your risk of A-fib by controlling high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol and diabetes, and maintaining a healthy weight.

-- Coronary heart disease, caused by a buildup of arterial plaque, can be prevented or delayed if you follow all the heart-healthy suggestions already mentioned.

For more info on how to maintain heart and brain health, read Dr. Mike's book "The Great Age Reboot" and "16 Natural Ways to Support Heart Health" on iHerb.com/blog.

Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook.com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iHerb.com, the world's leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively. Together they have written 11 New York Times bestsellers (four No. 1's).