Sep 25, 2019
Barb Green, Parish Nurse
Milton, WI
Lifestyle has a profound impact on your brain health. What you eat and drink, how much you exercise, how well you sleep, the way you socialize and how you manage stress are all critically important to brain health.
Regular aerobic exercise (running, biking, swimming, walking) improves blood flow to the brain, which preserves existing brain cells while fostering the growth of new ones. A recent study shows a link between long term moderate physical activity and an increase in the size of the hippocampus—the area of the brain that deals with the formation of long-term memories. It is the area first to be damaged in Alzheimer’s disease. Exercise stimulates chemical changes that enhance learning, mood and thinking. If you are not a regular exerciser start by seeing your doctor to assess your fitness level. Record your daily exercise in a journal so you can see how much you’ve done. Balance your activity by incorporating aerobic activity along with strength training. Be sure to start slowly and warm up your muscles each time you exercise. Stay hydrated and eat meals that are high in fiber such as oatmeal, fruits and vegetables, beans, tofu and fish.
What’s good for the heart is also good for the brain. Maintaining good blood pressure, optimal cholesterol levels and good blood sugar control is important. High blood pressure and diabetes which are not controlled both cause damage to blood vessels which in turn may cause stroke, heart attack or dementia. Avoiding tobacco and limiting alcohol consumption are strongly encouraged. Yearly checkups with your doctor will keep you aware of how you are doing.
Exercising the brain includes mental stimulation. This can include learning a new skill, hobby, or language and doing games and puzzles like crosswords, Sudoku, and word search. There are a number of computer games that can help stimulate your brain.
Brain games available on the web for free include:
www.aarp.org/fun/puzzles
www.thirdage.com/living/games/sbt1.
Commercial brain fitness programs include:
www.lumosity.com
www.cogmed.com and others.
Playing cards, chess, or other games with friends is helpful. The important thing is to engage in a variety of these activities.
Social interactions are very important for brain health. Volunteering, joining a class, interacting with family and friends, being an active part of a church, spending time each day in Bible reading and prayer all fill the bill. These activities also help you manage stress which helps keep brains healthy.
A healthy diet promotes a healthy brain. The Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet are both helpful. More information about these diets can be found on the internet. The MIND diet is a hybrid of both these diets and has been specifically designed to promote better brain health. Adherence to any of these diets may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Specific foods that are beneficial to the brain include blueberries, avocado, spinach, broccoli, kale, asparagus, cold water fish (such as salmon, halibut, and tunas), nuts, turmeric, and cinnamon.
There are many brain supplements which claim to improve memory and brain health. Most research studies have not found a specific benefit to taking these vitamins. Remember that digesting vitamins from their natural source in whole foods is always preferable to taking a supplement.
Protect your brain by using safety measures to prevent head injury. Wear a seat belt and wear a helmet when biking, horseback riding, ice skating, etc. Head injuries and especially concussions can be a risk factor for Alzheimer’s. Concussions are getting a lot of press lately. It is important for people of any age to follow up with a doctor if a contact sport results in a concussion. Since a person’s brain is not fully developed until age 25, it is especially important for youth and young adults to get medical
attention and follow orders given.
Did you know that your brain performs important tasks during sleep? It has been compared to backing up a computer. When sleep is disturbed, memory can be lost. Everyone feels and functions better when they get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Children and teens need more.
No one wants to get dementia or have a stroke or heart attack. Genetics do have a role in these conditions but a healthy lifestyle can offset these risk factors. The younger you are when you start this lifestyle the better, but starting at any age will help.
(Adapted from Alzheimer’s & Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin newsletter)