Brain health and cognitive decline are two key concerns that face us as we get older.
As we age, our brain shrinks which can lead to reduced cognition and cognitive function.
We also gain insight on how these habits can help us and why they work fromDr.
Getty Images / Willie B. Thomas
Numerous studies show that we have to fuel our brains with nutrient-rich foods to prevent cognitive decline.
Dr. Reyzelman, agrees and suggests that his patients incorporate healthy nutrition as part of their ongoing care.
Additionally, both the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet are considered to be the most widely-researched for theirheart-healthyattributes.
“Patients who have heart disease are significantly more likely to develop stroke and dementia.”
The takeaway:Take care of your heart health, and you’ll take care of your brain health.
TheMediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay, orMIND Diet, suggestspromising results.
Each of these are functions potentially impacted by age-related cognitive decline.
This has been shown in studies to improve cognitive performance across all age groups," shares Dr. Reyzelman.
There was also increased thickening of various parts of the brain cortexareas vital for memory and thinking functions.
The takeaway:Exercise is an essential element to preventing cognitive decline.
Breathe for a brain boost
Neurogenesis is the growth, development and maintenance of new brain cells.
Oxygen is vital to both of these processes.
This helps to increase processing speed and connectivity between various centers of the brain."
Now we have a better understanding of how.
To put this into practice, Dr. Reyzelman suggests adding meditation to your daily routine.
Meditation can help to optimize brain functions such as memory and attention.
And with podcasts and app readily available, everyone has access to free guided meditation resources.
If you prefer movement with your mindfulness, yoga is an excellent choice for a meditation in motion.
The takeaway:Breathe deeply, through the nose, to bring calm and improve cognition.
It typically works for your computerand it works for humans as well.
Sleep is the human version of unplugging your system.
It’s our way to shut-down to update.
We need enough sleeptypically between 6-9 hoursand we need quality sleep for our brain to function properly.
There are three stages of sleep and all are important to maintaining a healthy brain.
Dr. Reyzelman emphasizes, “If you don’t sleep well, all bets are off!”
Poor sleep quality has been linked to ahigher risk of dementiaand a higher incidence of Alzheimer’s Disease.
In fact,one studysuggests that approximately 15% of Alzheimer’s disease may be attributed to sleep problems.
We should also take a look at how these healthy habits work together.
The takeaway:If you don’t prioritize quality sleep, you increase our risk of cognitive decline.
They lived longer, had stronger immune systems and even had improved recovery time from disease.
The takeaway:Get out and go.
Reach out and connect.
Spend time with family and friends.
It’s more than fun; it’s important to maintaining a healthy brain.
Bottom Line
The choices that we make each day matter.
