We are designed to be smart people our entire lives. The brain is supposed to work well until our last breath. ~ David Perlmutter, M.D., author of Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth about Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar – Your Brain’s Silent Killers .
When I studied brain biology in college, we were taught that humans were born with a fixed intelligence and a brain that developed until about 25. After that, we began to lose neurons and along with it our brain power. And that was why aging adults were forgetful and senile.
Ask anyone: Most people think that seniors think slower, can’t remember, lose stuff, and are easily confused. Some have signs of cognitive decline and are on their way to dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease. By the time seniors reach 85, half will be diagnosed with serious brain dysfunction. We think that loss of brain power is a normal part of aging.
Wait. Stop. While this view is currently supported by health statistics, new studies say that we can stop the loss of brain power in seniors altogether. In fact, some say we should be able to prevent most cases of Alzheimer’s and dementia if we start early enough.
Can this be true, or is it just a lot of positive wishing?
The statistics on Alzheimer’s Disease are dismal. Today in the U.S. there are some 5.8 million people living with AD, and worldwide it’s estimated at 44 million. By 2050, 14 million people are expected to be diagnosed with AD.
Ready for Some Good News?
New research says there is no reason to assume decline in brain health is inevitable. If we treat our brains better, through exercise, diet and quality sleep. we can avoid the number one fear of aging seniors: losing our minds.
Brain decay doesn’t have to continue at the rate it is today. And no, we haven’t yet discovered any miracle cures. Brain decay and disease is a harsh reality for seniors and for caretakers. What I’m saying is that it doesn’t have to be that way. Caught early enough we might even be able to prevent it.
“Early enough” may mean changing health habits long before middle age. Of course, that means adults must recognize this fact and commit to lifestyle changes as early as or earlier than middle age. Which may mean even before having any symptoms.
What We’ve Learned about the Brain
It wasn’t until the mid-nineties that scientists discovered that new brain cells are generated throughout the life span of humans. The brain grows new neurons—called neurogenesis—when we learn new things, and it keeps them when they connect with other cells in networks.
Along with our expanded knowledge of the brain, we’ve also learned how interconnected it is with our body. The brain is protected by a brain-blood barrier, but it receives chemical messages from the gut. We have billions of microbes in the intestines that produce 70 percent of our neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine.
Diet has a major influence over our brain health. Until recently, only a few scientists recognized the connection between brain and mental health and metabolism.
3 Health Habits that Preserve Brain Health
A groundbreaking study in Finland is showing how dietary and lifestyle choices have an impact on our cognitive health. The FINGER study involves over 1,200 adults, half of whom are receiving nutritional counseling and exercise programs as well as social support.
The other half is the control group, receiving standard care. The initial findings after two years are striking:
- Overall cognitive function of those in the nutritional and exercise program increased by 25 percent.
- Executive function (decision making) improved by 83 percent.
- Processing speed (reaction to new information) improved 150 percent!
These percentages were comparisons to the control group. Overall, the study shows how much an impact simple changes in health habits can have for brain health.
Scientists will soon reveal other studies to support healthy habits as a valid means to prevent losing brain power as we age. You don’t have to wait for them to prove it. Start now, make your diet, exercise, and social life the best it can be.
As Max Lugevere, author of Genius Foods, reports: “Cognitive decline does not have to be an inevitable part of aging.”
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