Aging in good shape and health depends on many factors including the physical environment, lifestyle changes, and genes. Regardless of how healthy a person is, their brain and mental functionalities must change with age.
A person’s brain starts to decline in memory as one reaches thirty years and this is very evident as one achieves the age of fifty. Preserving a youthful cognition is impossible and it’s one of the significant challenges that come with age.
Since age is a natural gift of life, taking a good response in maintaining your health will keep your brain always active, mentally and physically fit and makes you engaged in many other spheres of life.
This guide will provide essential tips that ensure a healthy brain as you get along with life.
Protecting Your Brain Health
Apart from weight control, and reducing the likelihood of contracting cancer, diabetes, and hypertension, study shows that including hearty exercises in your daily activities can greatly help improve the health of your brain. This usually activates useful hormones and genes that help your brain remain healthy regardless of age.
“Changes in the brain caused by dementia begin years before diagnosis. And throughout this timeframe, there are no clear signs that that person has dementia.” comments Jane Byrne, Project Coordinator at FirstCare.
Additionally, daily physical exercises and activities help overcome bad mood, relieves stress and treat conditions such as anxiety and depression. On top of this, heart-pumping exercises prevent the risks of getting Alzheimer’s, a disease which is developed as one gets old.
- Avoid Some Prescribed Medications
Some drugs administered in hospitals can affect people’s thinking capabilities. In long-term, such drugs can improve the chances of developing dementia and other problems related to the brain.
You should learn to recognize and avoid medicinal drugs thought to treat allergies, insomnia, vertigo, overactive bladder, and anxiety. Using alternative non-drug medications will be safer and ensures a healthy brain.
The food that you eat not only determines your body health, but also brain health. Good diet ensures a healthy brain and a poor diet contributes to problems that affect your brain cells.
Make sure to use food less in salt, sugar, and low in fats. Conditions such as hypoglycemia (makes brain neurons to die due to insufficient nutrients) and diabetes are caused by blood sugar levels in the blood. A high content of sugar in your diet can significantly influence the development of Alzheimer’s leading to total memory loss.
You should, therefore, consider using vegetables, whole grains, a lot of fruits, and low or non-fat daily in your diet. This is what builds the good health of the body and brain.
Scientific research has shown that older adults who engage themselves with activities that are mentally challenging have the healthiest brains.
Activities such as taking essential courses, reading books, and trying mind-challenging games such as math quizzes and puzzles can help improve the development of new brain cells which can act as a reserve for future memory loss.
Paint, draw and experiment with other things that can help play with your mental abilities. By this, age will not affect your brain health as much.
Healthy social relationships have a great impact on developing a healthy brain. Social networks that are engaging and stress-free can help reduce the risks of hypotension and dementia.
Ensure you maintain strong social connections through a stable marriage, good friends, and following an interest that makes you connected to other people (e.g. Sports, education, and etcetera).
In conclusion, avoid alcohol and cigarettes, maintain a healthy weight, and be happy in your marriage. If you follow this guide clearly, you’re certain to improve your brain health and cognition as long as you live.