Love and hearts are on our mind this time of year. February is heart month for obvious reasons but let’s remember, what’s good for our heart is also good for our brain. To have a healthy brain as we age, we must act now. Don’t delay and love your brain now.
What we do in middle age matters in terms of heart and brain health. Studies show that those who engage in regular mental and physical exercise, eat brain and heart healthy, have a positive attitude, and are social have better cognitive function in later years. So, what are we waiting for? As we grow into our middle and later ages, many of us may want to indulge in the “better” things of life. But often those “better” things are not always healthier. Meals full of fat, more alcohol than necessary, and a more sedentary lifestyle often are chosen as we age. Don’t do it! Choose differently and love your brain now.
The more steps we take today to love our brains, the more we will be rewarded with better cognition later. Often in my presentations on brain health, I ask the question “if you could have only one: a healthy body or a healthy brain in your later years, which one would you choose?” Guess which choice always wins? Yes, we all want a healthy brain as we age, yet we often focus more on our body. I think this stems from the numerous ways to measure our physical health: blood pressure, lab tests, weight, and even day-to-day physical ability. Measuring our brain function is a little less objective. We measure our cognitive ability based on a feeling of our mental functioning, remembering things, or even how well others observe our mental capacity. That’s all very subjective.
Then there’s the negative stigma of a less than stellar memory or cognitive function. Many do not seek help with waning cognitive function until later stages when someone else notices it. Just like any physical issue we may have, the sooner we seek help with any brain related challenges experienced, the better. It’s time to love your brain now.
Daily choices to love your brain now:
- Exercise both body and brain! We need physical exercise for a healthy body, but physical exercise of at least 150 minutes a week (~20-30 minutes/day) is shown to help our brains as well. Cardiovascular/aerobic exercise is most effective for brain and heart health, so get up and get moving. Your brain needs a workout, too! Engage in mentally challenging activities for at least an hour daily to keep brain cells strong. Both physical and mental workouts should challenge us, but not overly stress. The adage is true for both body and brain: use it or lose it!
- Eat for your brain! What we eat impacts not only our body, but also our brain. A heart and brain healthy diet full of colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and brain healthy fish is recommended. Minimize red meat and avoid processed foods. Choosing how we fuel our body and brains with what we eat matters. Antioxidants, Vitamin B, and Omega-3 fatty acids shown to maintain a healthy brain and memory abound in the healthy foods above, so eat for your brain health!
- Manage the Intangibles. Little things in life are important, so let’s pay attention to those intangibles that impact brain wellness. These include choosing a positive attitude, being social, managing stress, sleeping well, and physical health maintenance. These little things include many daily choices but add up to keeping our brain and body healthy as we age. Each intangible includes multiple decisions daily, which may seem overwhelming. Don’t allow all the choices to overwhelm, simply take one at a time. Think about which of the above may need improvement and make healthier choices about that today. Small choices lead to more consistent ones and soon healthier habits are born. Pay attention to the little things to love your brain now.
Each day we make hundreds of choices that influence our brain health. Don’t wait until an issue arises later in life, choose well and love your brain now.
For more details on all the above and 150+ mental fitness activities to exercise your brain check out Brain Boosters: Memory Techniques and Mental Fitness for Adults today!