We lift weights to keep our muscles strong . . .We exercise to keep our heart and lungs healthy . . .But what can we do for our brain?
Be sure to also read “5 Ways You Could Be Harming Your Brain” to learn more about things you should AVOID for optimal brain health.
Researchers have not yet discovered a cure for dementia. However, they have found many things that can help to improve brain function over time. Here are 10 things you can do to improve your brain health!
10 Ways to Support Your Brain Health.
1.) Sleep 8 Hours a Night. Amyloid plaques are found in the brains of people who have Alzheimer’s disease. Sleep deprivation increases beta amyloid plaque deposits in the brain, and adequate sleep helps to clear them away. In addition, amyloid plaque deposits are concentrated most heavily in the area of the brain responsible for generating non-REM and REM sleep cycles. This creates a cruel feedback loop of poor sleep and amyloid deposition, resulting in even poorer sleep.
2.) Eat a Mediterranean Diet. One study found a 51% reduction in dementia risk! The Mediterranean Diet consists of eating primarily plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts and replacing butter with healthy fats such as olive oil. Other aspects of this eating plan include using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods, limiting red meat to no more than a few times a month, eating fish and poultry at least twice a week, enjoying meals with family and friends, and drinking red wine in moderation (optional!).
3.) Eat More Spinach, Kale, and Collard Greens. Those who eat daily servings of leafy greens may be able to expect about half the cognitive decline rate as those who do not eat leafy greens.
4.) Exercise. In humans, studies show people who are more physically fit have greater brain oxygen consumption. Greater brain oxygen consumption is associated with faster nerve processing. Additionally, one mouse study found that mice that ran on the treadmill reduced the buildup of brain amyloid plaques and tangles, as compared to sedentary mice.
5.) Read Books. People over 50 who read books regularly have a 20% lower chance of dying over the next 12 years compared to people who do not read or who read only magazines/newspapers.
6.) Wear Hearing Aids. Research has shown significant cognitive benefits to wearing hearing aids. In one study, wearing hearing aids resulted in a 14% improvement in working memory, a 20% improvement in selective attention, and a 0.2 second increase in cognitive processing speed for people in their 50s and 60s with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.
7.) Take Good Care of Your Teeth and Gums. People with gum disease may have a higher risk of dementia.
8.) Speak More Than 1 Language. Studies show that speaking a second language may delay the onset of several forms of dementia by up to 4.5 years.
9.) Keep Busy. Busy schedules improve memory of past events, times, and places. Researchers are still working to understand whether people with higher cognitive function just tend to be more busy, or if it is their active schedules that stimulates and protects their cognitive health.
10.) Do Brain Training. The 2009 Alzheimer’s Society Study found that cognitive training helps those over 60 perform everyday tasks. However, there is no identifiable benefit for those under 50 years of age. Cognitive training has been shown to increase blood flow to the prefrontal cortex. In older individuals, brain training has also been shown to strengthen connections between the two hemispheres of the brain. The more complex brain training tasks led to the greater improvement in brain function. So, doing a crossword puzzle is good, and taking a community college course is even better!
There is no magic bullet to maintain all cognitive function as we age. Still, know that reading a book, while brushing your teeth, after eating a large kale salad is a great place to start!
In the Spring of 2018, I presented a Lunch & Learn talk at Pacific Seafood on the subject of Brain Health. The Lunch & Learn was free and available to all team members at the company. We served a free Mediterranean-inspired lunch. Watch the presentation in the video below: