“I hold that the brain is the most powerful organ in the human body.” — Hippocrates
Considering all the injuries and diseases that seniors are at risk for, nothing provokes greater fear than losing our minds. We can tolerate a lot of things going wrong, and often do. We take our meds, follow-up with physical therapy, and fight back. We get better.
But whenever we forget a name, lose our keys, or get confused, we wonder, “Is this normal? Am I starting to lose my memory? Is there something wrong with my brain?”
We’ve read the statistics on Alzheimer’s, dementia, and “mild cognitive impairment.” We may have aging relatives who suffer. It’s a good question all seniors should ask: “What should I be doing now to prevent loss of neurons and protect from brain disease?”
The prognosis for recovery of brain degeneration is poor and although scientists are trying to find medications, so far progress hasn’t been good. Fortunately, some research is pointing to some effective strategies for prevention. You can build a better brain at the same time.
How to Build a Better Brain
According to newest studies, the biggest strategies for keeping your brain healthy and protected from the ravages of age are similar to the ones used for longevity and prolonged physical health. These are the same as our six pillars for healthy aging we described in our earlier book, the War on Aging:
- Exercise
- Diet
- Quality sleep
- Social connections
- Stress management
- Purpose and goals
The first three elements—exercise, nutrition, and sleep—every senior should pay attention to daily. Now let’s look at them from the perspective of how they contribute to brain health. I think you’ll agree that, contrary to popular opinion, you can stop dementia and memory loss, and at least slow down any genetic predisposition to brain disease.
Exercise for Brain Health
Rob and I have written a lot about how our daily exercise habits have saved our butts (pun intended)! In fact, we’ve been told that we could “tone it down” a bit when it comes hitting people over the head about the merits of exercise to aging seniors.
In our 40s and 50s, we were motivated by a desire to keep looking young, but then we found regular sports also staved off illness, including many of the “chronic degenerative diseases of aging.” And, as we’ve aged (75 and 79) we are living proof that old age doesn’t have to be a descent into sedentary idiocy. (Rob’s written 10 cyber punk fiction books and I’m working on book 2 in the trilogy of the War on Aging.)
Important information to remember (and act on!): The same research that shows exercise to be a wonder drug for aging bodies is now being revealed as key to prevention and treatment for dementia and brain disorders. From Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, dementia, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), patients show incredible improvements when they start moving more and exercising.
Exercise can be used to prevent brain dysfunction in seniors. This is because exercise brings several cellular benefits inside the neurons of the brain.
More about Diet and Brain Health
I’ve been reading an excellent book on the topic, Genius Foods: Become Smarter, Happier, and More Productive While Protecting Your Brain for Life, by Max Lugavere with Paul Grewal, M.D. The authors do an excellent job of reviewing and explaining all the research into aging brains for non-health professionals. Important for all seniors and “pre-seniors” to read, in my opinion.
Perhaps it isn’t appealing to most readers if I were to write about the cellular science of the brain. Not everyone is motivated by science like I am. Genius Foods does a great job of explaining how important it is for seniors to eat some foods and avoid others.
I recommend buying the book because it could save your life, and especially the quality of your mental life as you age. This isn’t the last time I will share with you some of these keys to better brain health. More to come in future posts. Stay tuned (why not subscribe to the blog and we’ll send you email notices when there are new posts?)
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