Take care of the brain
As we age, we all experience our own unique set of health challenges, and taking care of the brain becomes a priority. Few things are more scary than the thought of losing our cognitive abilities.
After all, the brain is the control center. So even with the healthiest body, if your brain is not working properly, your physical health will suffer and our quality of life will decrease.
Why is it important to know how to take care of the brain?
For years, we have been taught how to improve our physical health, but what about the health of our brain? And without focusing on brain health, is the damage already done or can we still do something?
Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed answer because we don’t know what causes or how to prevent cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s . Even the main risk factors, such as age, being a woman or genetics, are a mystery to researchers.
Since we don’t know how to prevent it and you can’t stop the aging process or change your gender, protecting your brain health is more about reducing other risk factors. You need to focus on the things you can control and incorporate lifestyle decisions that make sense.
Let’s talk about some of the things you can do to help keep your brain healthy as you age.
Maintain a healthy heart to take care of the brain
According to several research studies, the good news is that if you have been following a heart-healthy lifestyle, then you are already on the right track to better brain health.
The cells within your body, including your brain, need adequate amounts of oxygen and nutrients to stay healthy. Exercise helps distribute oxygen and nutrients throughout the body while eliminating waste.
Maintaining good nutrition, exercise, and good stress management makes sense for both physical and mental health.
Obviously, the quality of nutrition and the amount of hydration you get will have an impact on the health of your body. It just makes sense that a variety of natural foods with good hydration is the best “food” for better brain health.
The more than 100 billion neurons (specialized cells) in your brain receive oxygen and nutrients through a dense network of sensitive blood vessels. So when these vessels are damaged or weakened by high blood pressure or inflammation caused by stress, the health of the cell will suffer.
Be Conscious Consumers
Beyond maintaining a heart- healthy lifestyle , you should also consider many of the cancer-related lessons we have learned. For years, you have knowingly and unknowingly been putting toxins into your body.
These toxins enter your body in the form of additives or pesticides through the food you eat. You also inhale them through the air you breathe. Both indoor and outdoor air can be contaminated with pollutants.
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Consumer products, such as non-stick cookware, construction materials, and items with certain types of plastics, have been shown to emit gases and pollute indoor air quality.
Becoming an informed and demanding consumer who makes purchasing decisions to keep toxins out of your body is necessary to help protect your brain health.
Find an intellectual purpose
Lastly, the brain, like our muscles, needs to be exercised. Just as the amount of weight and intensity of your training affect your results, the same is likely true about how your brain works.
Crossword puzzles, mind games, and hobbies can be an important part of your happiness, but these activities may not carry enough “weight” to improve your brain health. Researchers have shown that even the brain of an older adult can ‘reorganize itself by forming new neural connections’.
But, it just makes sense that for this to happen, you have to push your intellectual limits. Learn new things that challenge you on a recurring basis. Include a purpose, setting goals to share what you learn to help others. This combination will help form these new neural connections.
While there are no proven ways to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, these are things you can do that make sense. By following a recipe that includes a heart-healthy lifestyle, reduction of toxins in your body, and intellectual purpose, you can improve, and even potentially repair, the health of your brain.
