"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Thomas Edison's determined optimism illuminates how important it is in the face of delays to keep your eye on the goal.

That will-do attitude got us the electric lightbulb, and if you have Type 2 diabetes (or prediabetes), it can help you avoid dementia.

A new study published in JAMA found that dementia is a major complication of diabetes. In fact, if you turn 70 and have had Type 2 diabetes for more than a decade, your risk for dementia is twice that of people who are diabetes-free at 70.

And, say the researchers, for every additional five years earlier you were diagnosed with diabetes — for instance, at 55 instead of 60 — there's a 24% increase in the risk of developing dementia.

We know that controlling diabetes can seem daunting. There are 10,000 ways to remain sedentary; eat sugary, saturated-fat snacks; increase metabolism-damaging inflammation; and darken your future.

But there is a way to make sure your inner light doesn't fade.

If you have diabetes, the first step is to declare: "I have not failed."

Adopting a plant-based diet; ditching red and processed meats, ultraprocessed foods, and added sugars; and getting 300 minutes a week of aerobic exercise and strength building twice a week can protect your brain, as well as every other organ in your body.

Talk to your doctor about nutritional counseling, exercise, and cognitive behavioral therapy to help you leave behind your "ways that won't work." That’s a bright idea.