Words Jeannie Croucher
Many people like to engage in activities and healthy eating programmes which it is hoped, will have the added benefit of making them feel better as well as looking wonderfully fit and toned. In recent years there has been much debate on the enormous importance and benefits of achieving and maintaining a healthy body in an effort to hopefully protect us from illness and give us an extra zest for life.
But how do we keep our brain healthy? Many people forget that, in all its complexities, the brain is one of our most vital organs and if we imagine going to the gym to put our bodies through a good workout, there are many things we can do to strengthen this ‘muscle’ and help prevent the effects of cognitive decline and disease.
Recent scientific research shows that efforts made to keep our hearts healthy can also have the added benefit of keeping our brains fit and healthy. In other words, the factors that can cause heart disease such as high cholesterol, lack of regular physical activity, smoking, excessive alcohol intake and high blood pressure can also cause degeneration of the brain.
Advancing age does not always have to lead to a sharp decline in mental functioning. We all know people who are in their 80’s and older who are still engaging socially with family and friends, some who still work either in a paid or voluntary capacity and maintain their independence. The brain does not remain stagnant throughout one’s life – it can, in fact, learn to adapt to new experiences. While it also must be realised that people will demonstrate differing results to the same tests, it is true to say that research into the effects of certain factors on the brain have all shown to improve its ability to reduce the risk of dementia. These include increased physical activity, adopting a heart healthy diet, managing heart health risks, challenging the brain with new mental activities and being more socially engaged. Results from a 2014 clinical trial of older adults at risk of brain impairment showed that implementing a combination of these lifestyle choices led to a decrease in cognitive decline.
So what can we do to improve the health of our brains? Well firstly it is important to understand that it is never too late or indeed even too early to start a new plan of action and engage in changes to our lifestyle that may reap positive benefits for us as we advance in age.
Stay Physically Active
Any kind of cardiovascular exercise that causes a rise in our heart rate, pumping oxygen through our whole body may be linked with improving our chances of preventing the onset of a condition such as dementia. The type of exercise undertaken can be anything from gardening to housework, just as long as it is aerobic. There is no necessity to take out a gym membership as walking, running and dancing are just as effective. It is advised however to exercise for 30-45 minutes at a time and to do so at least three times a week.
Stay Socially Active
What may come as a surprise to some is that social interaction is also strongly regarded as an enjoyable yet vital factor in improving brain health. Being more socially active and maintaining regular engagement with our family and friends may reduce our risk of deterioration in mental ability and it has also been shown to help in the battle against depression and disability. When these social activities are combined with physical activity, the effect can be even more beneficial. This could involve something as simple as having friends over for a cup of tea to getting out and engaging in local community or voluntary events or joining a walking club. Just ensure that it is an activity you enjoy so that you will be more likely to keep it up.
Adopt a Healthy Diet
Eating a heart healthy diet has also been associated with improvements in both physical as well as cognitive health. This type of nutritional programme promotes a greater intake of fruit and vegetables while lowering the consumption of fat. In particular the Mediterranean plan has shown some possible health benefits. This diet advocates not only fruit and vegetables but nuts, grains, healthier fats like olive oil in place of saturated fats, a lower intake of salt and red meat and regular portions of poultry and fish. However, while there appears to be less research into the link between a healthy diet and improved brain function, it is still widely believed by many medical and scientific experts that what is good for the heart is also beneficial for the brain.
Stay Mentally Active
Challenging your brain is perceived by experts on the field of aging and cognitive development as another way of benefitting your brain function. For example, learning a new skill where your mind has to work moderately hard at understanding and remembering a new strategy, facilitates mental stimulation and can help in delaying the mental ageing process. If you do the same activities all the time without presenting new learning challenges to your mind, you are not giving your brain a chance to exercise itself and it will function as lazily as any underused muscle. But on the other hand, if you take up a mentally engaging hobby, for example learning a new language or a musical instrument – then you are really challenging your brain, as this task focuses on learning new techniques and vocabulary.
Inadequate sleep because of work, family or even sleep disorders such as insomnia can also interfere with mental awareness. It is important also to avoid excessive consumption of alcohol, which can lead not only to short but also long term brain impairment.
While research is ongoing and it is difficult to prove the results of studies on brain health conclusively, it is safe to say presently that a strong association exists between certain lifestyle choices and cognitive health. In plain language, there are simple steps that we can all take, no matter how young or old, to build up our brain ‘reserve’. So let’s give our grey matter the respect it deserves, for all the hard work it does for us and say, ‘roll on old age – we‘re ready for you’!
- ‘Brain Health’ is published in Anthology Volume 01. Read more features from this volume or buy it now.
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