Our whole brain inevitably decreases with age – a change that is more accelerated and deep in nearly 7 million Americans currently living with dementia. While there is no way to return this loss to the volume of the brain, we can potentially restrain it by prioritizing our mental and physical health.
Dr. Arjun Masurkar, a cognitive neurologist and madness specialist at NYU Langone Health, shared with us four main ways to maintain a healthy mind while we get old.
Be physically active
Following a sedentary lifestyle – and his physical, social and intellectual inactivity associated – is one of the worst things we can do for our brains.
When we perform aerobic exercises, our heart pumps more blood into our brains, keeping life -and -nutrient oxygen to keep our brains healthy.
Regular aerobic exercise has also been shown to reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and sleep apnea – these conditions can affect the brain. Some good exercises for the brain include:
- outing
- running
- BIKING
- swimming
Adopt a healthy diet for the heart
The Mediterranean diet contains lean sources of healthy protein and fats, as well as antioxidants that can keep our brains healthy and fight against diseases like dementia. Some examples of foods that have brain health benefits include:
- Greasy fish, such as salmon
- berries
- Leafy
- Legumes, such as beans and lentils
- nuts
But alcohol consumption can have many adverse effects on the brain, especially in people over the age of 65. Therefore, I recommend that my patients consume a maximum of one alcoholic drink per day, preferably none.
Associate with others
An active social life is another way to keep our brain healthy with aging. When we interact with other people, it keeps our minds engaged and it holds a schedule – even the act of socialization can release very important and healthy chemicals in our brains such as serotonin and dopamine.
In terms of brain health, social interactions that are personally can be more effective than those that are only online.
It is also important to take care of sensory problems. By correcting our vision and hearing, we can improve our interactions with others and potentially protect ourselves from madness in the future.
Stimulate
And fourth, we can stimulate our minds with activities on how to make a puzzle cross, learn a dance or engage in an intellectual hobby.
Brain stimulation transitions that are also social, such as paper games, can be even more useful.
But don’t stay all night! Good sleep helps us to preserve our memories from the day before to our long -term memory and also our brain premiums to be active and efficient the next day.
In the long run, a good night’s sleep can help clear the toxic proteins and inflammation that are at the core of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia.
Dr. Arjun Masurkar is an assistant professor at Department of Neurology At the NYU Gossman Medical School. He is a cognitive neurologist and a specialist in madness.
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