Maintain Your Brain

For many, one of the biggest fears about aging is the decline in cognitive function. We may have seen a loved one struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease or Dementia. Or we may just have anxiety from seeing storylines related to cognitive decline in popular media - especially if you are a fan of medical dramas.

So what can we do to help keep our brains healthy as we age?

Luckily, many of the things we are already doing to care for our overall physical health can benefit our cognition. Here are some of our top tips:

• Move your body on a daily basis. The Surgeon General recommends 150 minutes of exercise per week, or 30 minutes on 5 of the 7 days of the week.

• Sleep for 6-8 hours each night.

• Make water your beverage of choice.

• Avoid highly caffeinated drinks like coffee and soda and drink decaffeinated green tea instead.

• Eat a diet that is heavy on the greens to boost vitamin E and blood flow.

• Occasionally indulge in a small piece of dark chocolate (70%),

• Snack on pumpkin seeds to boost dopamine and increase focus along with adding wild fish and pasture-raised poultry to your meals.

• Avoid simple carbs and refined sugars - things like rice, pasta and white potatoes.

  Here’s another important tip to remember: your brain falls under the “use it or lose it” category. You need to “exercise” it just like you would any other muscle - you just need to be a bit more creative!
  
  Helpful brain exercises include any type of puzzle - crossword, sudoku, actual jigsaw puzzles. Even playing cards, learning a new dance step or reading a book help keep your brain active and functioning. Be mindful of those apps you see advertised everywhere, though - they often teach memorization skills which are not all that useful in everyday life.

Finally, be a social butterfly! Or at least go interact with live humans every once in a while - social media does not count. Isolation can lead to depression and stress, which can contribute to memory loss. So getting out and seeing friends and family (or heading to your local Studio for a workout) can improve your mood and help your brain - win-win!