How to Keep Your Brain Healthy
78When considering getting into shape, most people think about reaching their ideal weight with the proper muscle/fat proportions. But a healthy brain is just as important as a healthy body because it is vital to all our activities. If we could see what happens to our brain as we age, it could be compared to the body slowly getting heavy and out of shape due to inactivity, a lifestyle of unhealthy eating, and lack of proper nutrition. When the brain is out of shape, thinking and remembering are more difficult. Research has found that exercising your brain will help keep it healthy longer and reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias later in life. Mental decline as you grow older has to do with the connections among brain cells. Keeping your brain active may build connections and even generate new brain cells.
Research has also found that low levels of education have been linked to a higher risk of Alzheimer’s later in life, which may be due to low levels of life long mental stimulation. Higher levels of education appear to be more protected against Alzheimer's because the brain cells and their connections are stronger. Involvement in cultural activities, close personal relationships and emotional support and sports appear to protect against dementia. One study showed that men and women over the age of 75 who engaged in physical, mental or emotional activity had a lower risk of developing dementia. Physical exercise encourages blood flow to the brain and new brain cells. It doesn’t have to be strenuous exercise but is most effective when done regularly in combination with a healthy diet, social or mental activity. Aerobic exercise is very beneficial because it improves oxygen consumption, which benefits brain function and prevents the loss of brain cells.
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Keep your brain active every day
Here is a list of the best mental exercises to exercise the brain and keep it healthy: Commit to life long learning, begin reading something different than what you normally read, writing, attending lectures, taking courses for adults, memorization, playing games that rely on logic, math and word skills, learning new skills, changing your routine to challenge your thinking, training your brain to work faster and better, solving crossword puzzles and forcing yourself to spend more time developing relationships by turning off the television.
Combine physical and mental activity with a healthy diet
One long term study showed that middle aged people who were obese were twice as likely to develop dementia later in life and those with high blood pressure and cholesterol had six times the risk of dementia. Eliminate foods that are high in unhealthy fats such as hydrogenated oils and trans-fats. Healthy fats that promote HDL cholesterol have been found to help protect brain cells. Foods(especially green, leafy and cruciferous vegetables) that research has found to protect brain cells are spinach, alfalfa, broccoli, brussels sprouts, beets, red bell peppers, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, plums, raisins, prunes, kale, red grapes, cherries onions, corn, eggplant and oranges. Supplements that are effective for improving brain health are Vitamin C, E and B12.
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Comments
GREAT Hub Steve!! Thank you for sharing!!
I do my best to keep this blonde brain of mine in top performance mode!!
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Blessings always, Earth Angel!!
What a great Hub Steve! Thanks for always putting out such valuable and important information.
We are so passionate about being life long learners and recognize the impact it has on our life in so many ways :)
Lynne and Chad
Thanks steve for a great hub. Almonds and walnuts are also good for maintaining brain function.
Very educative hub. Thanks
Hi again steve, I read somewhere that ajinomoto which is used to prepare chinese food is toxic to the brain. Also aspartane which is present in sugar substitutes is toxic to the brain. Is this a myth or truth. Please comment. Thank you again.
Yah its really very helpful whenever I am given some mathametical logical question while attempting I feel myself that my brain starts working and until I solve it I dont feel relax thus I try to solve it fast.and my brain than works fast. yes this article is useful.
Never thought of that. Thanks for the info.
Excellent advice! Thank you! :)
Good info, Steve. I'm so happy that I my family are so mentally fit! We're big readers, love word games and MOST of us eat well and exercise regularly. Now if I can just get a few of them away from their trust in OTCs.
There's no proof (although many in the medical and scientific communities seriously suspect) and I'm sure many hubbers with medical knowledge will tell me I'm crazy, but I firmly believe there is a link between Alzheimer's, dementia, etc, and the microscopic build-up of chemicals in the brain from a life-long intake of pills, which only increase as most people age. Prescriptions, OTCs, whatever. And I predict it will get much worse before it gets better, as there is now a pill for everything one could possibly think of.
Love the hub! I'm going to make my husband read it, as some of your suggestions are ones I think he'd take to heart.
There are definitely some important points to consider in this hub. Thanks for publishing it.
Now a days, my wife and I like to play " Big Brain Academy " on the Wii console..I'm getting smarter every day ;-) Anyway..an informative hub again Steve.
I guess this hub is meant only for those with brains ... sigh!
Brain!?...Who Said...Brain....I have a Brain....lol
That would be me...BrainFire...I picked that name cause my Brain really is on Fire...lol
Great Hub! :)
Well I guess Scare Crow won't be showing up... Smiles from LI! :)
Very informative. Another great hub. Thank you.
Thank u for this useful information :). I have to admit, sometimes I do get a little lazy and sit the entire day in front of the computer :"> but there are times when I go to the gym and I play sports. As for the brain, well I play a lot of chess, I read a lot, I study self help materials all the time, I study comunication and seduction, relationships and business and marketing :) I think all these things should protect me from going crazy when I'll be old. (by the way, I'm only 20 so I have a long way to go :D)
Thank you for this hub, i Just wish i could get my hubby to take this advise. I wonder how well this works for people whose brains are already compromised. I also was happy to hear that alfalfa helps as I using it for improving my immune system and nerve regeneration. Its good to know its brain food too. I'll add it to my husband's vitamins.
http://www.shaklee.net/readyfor_retirement/prodHou
Great info here Steve, will start implementing your advice ASAP
There is a common thread in optimal health and it seems to be fruits and vegetables. I recently began a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and my energy and mental alertness have skyrocketed. I've gained an hour a day of mental and physical energy.
Thanks for another useful Hub Steve.
Great stuff, I'm looking forward to viewing more of your stuff, most just assume that if your bodies healthy , everythings fine. We all have to keep learning, and give the grey matter the workout it deserves, so we can enjoy what life has to offer, for many years to come.
Great hub, Steve! I'd like to add a few suggestions. First and foremost you want to supplement with vitamin D to keep mentally sharp. There is a huge body of research which shows a connection between brain function, mental, health, and having sufficient vitamin D. You want to have a blood level of 50 ng/mL as measured by the 25(OH)D blood test. For most people that requires taking 5000 IU a day but some need more and some need less. Personally I take 10,000 IU a day because my blood test came in a little low when I took 5000 IU.
Big Blue
I do crossword puzzles each day, it's something I picked up when I was younger because my grandmother and great aunt were obsessive about their puzzles. :) It just stuck with me over the years.
It's a good thing though because those two women are the sharpest set of sisters I've ever met and they are both in good health and in their 70's.
Another great hub Steve! Well done.
Great stuff, thank you, this has helped me with my school work in Gerontlogy..
Great Hub! Here's one you might like: http://hubpages.com/hub/depressionanddating
hubby7 says:
12 months ago
Excellent post, Stevemark. I enjoyed reading it. It complements my own article on keeping the brain healty. Again, great job!
hubby7