Keeping your Brain Young and Healthy

As we age, our brains also go through various changes.  Some of the major risk factors associated with aging are neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer.  Cognitive impairment is also inevitable.  But there are some things you can do to help sharpen your brain and reduce the risk of memory loss as you get older.  Here are a few:

1. Use mental stimulation. Engage in any mentally stimulating activities like reading or brain teasers like word puzzles and math problems as they may help you maintain and improve cognitive functions.  You can also get assistance from your senior helpers doing activities that also require mental effort, such as drawing or painting. According to studies, activities that involve mental functions stimulate connections between nerve cells and may help the brain generate more new cells.  This will gradually build up into a reserve that may help fight against cell loss.

2. Exercise. Studies show that exercising can also improve brain functions.  This may encourage the development of more nerve cells, which will increase the connection between brain cells. As a result, your brain functions better and your mind remains sharper.

3. Improve your diet.  A healthy diet may help lower the risks of mental deterioration.  You can ask your caring companions to help you improve your diet by (1) reducing calorie intake; (2) reducing consumption of saturated fats and cholesterol from animal fat (3) increasing food rich in vitamin B, folic acid, B6 and B12, such as green leafy vegetables and fortified cereals.

4. Lower your blood pressure. High blood pressure levels also increase the risk of cognitive impairment as you age.  Stay lean by exercising regularly, avoid stress, have healthy and balanced diet, and limit alcohol consumption.

5. Lower your blood sugar. Diabetes is one of the risk factors of dementia.   Seek medical advice if your blood sugar is abnormally high.  Otherwise, eat plenty of fiber-rich food and stay active by exercising.   

6.  Fight bad cholesterol.  High levels of bad cholesterol is another factor that could increase the risk of dementia. Fight bad cholesterol by exercising, eating healthy, watching your weight and saying no to any forms of tobacco.

7. Drink responsibly. Excessive alcohol intake could increase the risk of getting dementia so limit consumption to two glasses a day. 

8. Rest and relax. Stress caused by anxiety, depression, sleeping deprivation and exhaustion may lead to cognitive impairment.  Get plenty of restful sleep to maintain a good mental health. 

9. Watch your head, physically.  Moderate to severe head injuries caused by physical trauma could lead to cognitive impairment.  So protect your head at all times. 

10. Reach out and make new friends.  Social ties may help improve your mood and this, in turn, can help lower blood pressure and increase life expectancies.  This could help prevent degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer.