Our brain is one of those that organs that deteriorate as we age. Even though we are lucky enough to avoid having dementia or even Alzheimer’s, our ability to retain as well as access memories can be affected. You might think that there is no escape for this, but the good news is that there are studies that show that by changing one’s lifestyle, we may be able to slow down our brain’s aging and perhaps reverse it too. What you need to do is to reduce inflammation in your body, increase your brain as well as cognitive reserves, and lessen oxidative damage.
To achieve these three, these healthy brain aging tips are worth considering:
Handle your stress
Chronic stress can affect your neuronal plasticity while at the same time increase the amount of cell death in the brain. One way to stop the effects of stress is to blow off steam which can be done with exercise. Exercising helps reduce your cortisol levels which can stop the death of your brain cells.
Social activities
If you want to keep your brain cells active even as you age, don’t forget to attend social activities. Making new friends, conversing with other people, and immersing yourself in a new environment keeps the mind active which develops healthy brain cells too. Get together with your family, meet with old friends, or go and attend social activities in your community. You’ll find these types of activities to be good for your brain.
Have more omega-3s
Another tip that you should consider when it comes to preventing your brain from deteriorating is to have more omega-3s in your system. Fortunately, this is not that hard to do because there are plenty of options where you can get this fatty acid such as in salmon, anchovies, mackerel, and sardines just to name a few. Eating these foods will not only help with your heart, but your brain health too.
Try brain activities
Never get tired of training your mind as you age, whether it is playing word games, doing crossword puzzles, coloring books, and other games that will test your brain. Keeping your brain active as much as possible will help stem the death of brain cells because you are furnishing it with newer and healthier cells.
Meditate
Meditation is another way to keep your brain healthy as you age as it helps you feel calm and relaxed especially when you are stressed out because it helps lower your cortisol levels. It appears that mindfulness meditation can help improve the structural changes in your brain along with improved neuroplasticity as well. Even doing five to ten minutes of meditation every day can have a huge impact to your brain’s overall health.
Keep a healthy weight
It is always a good idea to keep your weight at the right number as you age to prevent any age and weight-related disorders from occurring. If you haven’t been eating properly, now is the time to do so. Load up on important nutrients by choosing fruits and vegetables over processed food as much as possible since these foods are loaded with vitamins and minerals that are critical to your health.
Add curcumin
Curcumin has several benefits to your brain from fighting inflammation, to preventing plaque buildup, and reducing oxidative damage just to name a few. You can take supplements containing 400mg worth of curcumin daily to help keep your brain cells functioning.
Aging is inevitable, but this doesn’t mean that you should let time take its course over your brain’s health. After all, these tips can help keep your brain healthy and active as you age.
