Research recently presented at The Alzheimer's Association International Conference indicates that Alzheimer's disease could potentially be prevented for millions just by reducing lifestyle risks.

The lifestyle risks and the percentage of Alzheimer's they are associated with are: smoking (11 percent), obesity in midlife (7 percent), diabetes (3 percent), depression (15 percent), physical inactivity (21 percent), high blood pressure in midlife (8 percent) and low education (7 percent).

That's not to say it's absolutely certain that these risk factors can cause Alzheimer's, but scientists believe that about half the cases could be prevented.

According to a paper by researcher Deborah Barnes, a professor at University of California San Francisco, a reduction of 25 percent across all the risk factors could prevent nearly a half-million occurrences of Alzheimer's in the U.S. alone. These are estimates, of course, and further research has to be done.

Another paper at the same conference addressed the maintenance of cognition while aging. Cognition is the mental processes, such as problem solving, memory and learning.

Seniors over the age of 65 with no impairment were given a battery of tests for cognition, stress, personality traits and depression, as well as physical tests. What scientists concluded was that scoring low on trauma, depression, stress and anxiety was related to keeping good cognitive health. They gave an example of the characteristics of coping: "developing a strategy, remaining positive, getting advice and taking action." Researchers hope to make these tests part of a Resilience Index to assess patients for risk right in the doctor's office.

If more incentives are needed to make changes in lifestyle, this is surely one. Be more active, quit smoking and deal with high blood pressure -- and you'll possibly avoid Alzheimer's at the same time.