Aging is a natural part of life, but the speed in which your brain ages is dependent on your everyday lifestyle choices. Fortunately, making small adjustments to your everyday habits can promote brain health over a lifetime. A recent study looked at 2,100 adults over the age of 60, most of whom had a sedentary lifestyle, over a period of time. The study showed that basic types of daily actions can keep your brain fit.
Food can be used to fuel your brain similar to how you fuel your body. If you serve up a healthy meal to yourself every day, your brain may operate better. Brain health can be improved by including foods that are high in antioxidants, healthy fats, and vitamins in your meal. Consume colorful fruit, vegetables, healthy nuts, whole grains and food that are high in Omega 3s (like fish).
These foods can assist in reducing brain inflammation and cell damage. Heavy, greasy meals can leave the brain lethargic and could negatively impact relating and emotion. Your brain can benefit from consistent meals that offer your body what it needs to keep your brain consistent. Eating healthy is not about diet availability, it is about averaging your food consistent to give your brain the attention it needs.
Just as activity is great for the heart and muscles, it is beneficial for the brain as well. Exercise causes an increase in cerebral blood flow, which aids in new neural connections via stimulation. Movement through activities like walking, gardening, or dancing maintains a healthy brain. Thirty minutes of waking movement tricks improve people’s attention with new memory capacity.
It works to lower stress levels while enhancing mood. When we’re happy, we can think more clearly and stay engaged. So the next time you feel refreshed after a walk, remember your brain thanks you for it.
Conversations sharpen and nurture the brain. Staying social fixes the loneliness and isolation that pave the road to memory loss or cognitive disorders. So call a friend, join a hobby group, or regularly visit family. Or just an easy “how are you doing” is enough to turn a crank in someone’s head and lift their spirits.
Interacting with people is an excellent exercise for your mind and emotions. You do not have to be in large groups; interactions with others that are meaningful to you.
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Your brain benefits tremendously just by doing these behaviours every day as set habits. Just pick one step and gradually build up over time. These small choices will keep your brain well and your life energetic; the sooner you start the better your brain will age.