Take Care of Your Brain And It Will Last Longer
At the recent Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, scientists from England, Germany and the USA observed five lifestyle habits that dramatically diminish the likelihood of dementia, even when people may be genetically predisposed. Here are the five ways to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s by 60% and keep your brain healthy.
- Don’t smoke. Smoking harms the blood vessels of your brain, and ages it faster than normal. Smoking also hurts your breathing, so your brain gets less oxygen than it needs. If you don’t smoke, don’t start, and if you do, find a way to quit, no matter how hard it may seem. Arrange for professional help if need be, but this one habit is responsible for tens of thousands of deaths every year – don’t be one of them. And tell your kids too, since they may think smoking is glamorous or cool – it isn’t, it’s lethal, and it’s up to you to say so.
- Eat well. Food additives and chemical preservatives are bad for your brain, while eating fresh, wholesome foods, especially high water content foods like fruits and veggies, are tolerated well by your brain. But mostly, the brain likes healthy fat – fish, avocados, nuts and seeds, and olive oil are sources of good fat. Develop recipes or seek restaurants that serve healthy food, so you can get to your ideal body weight – you’ll look better, feel better, and live longer.
- Avoid excessive alcohol. Drinking in moderation, usually limited to one or two drinks per day, has not been shown to create big problems in most people’s health, but over-indulging is likely to have a harmful effect. Be conscious of how much you are drinking — common sense will guide you toward the right level of moderation for you. And again, educate your kids about the risks of over-drinking – believe it or not, they are looking for such guidance and it’s your responsibility to provide it.
- Get enough exercise. Movement of your body, especially your spine, nourishes and stimulates your brain, which keeps it young and less subject to degeneration. Most experts recommend at least five moderate 30-minute exercise sessions each week, or five more intense 15-minute sessions per week, to get sufficient movement to keep your mind and body running well. Also, get enough rest and sleep – not exercising can be as valuable as exercising, so give your brain enough down time to heal and self-regulate.
- Choose mentally stimulating activities. Puzzles, problem-solving, creative hobbies and reading are examples of constructive use of your brain, which tends to keep it in good working order. Thirty to sixty minutes each day of mentally challenging games or stretching your intellect with learning new things comes back to reward you by adding years of quality living to your life. Relaxing your mind can have a similarly beneficial effect – learning to meditate, walking outside and communing with Nature, or just sitting quietly can heal your brain and enhance normal function.
A study from Harvard in 2018 shows that, in spite of genetics and family history, following these simple guidelines can reduce your risk of dementia by up to 32%. And when you add chiropractic care, it gets even better.
This research is important because many people erroneously believe that family history is the prime factor determining your brain longevity. It now appears that you can alter even your genetic tendencies by choosing lifestyle habits that support good brain health.
If you want more information on keeping your brain healthy, ask your family chiropractor. Doctors of chiropractic are specially trained in the care and feeding of the nerve system, which includes the brain, spine and nerves. You depend on a healthy brain to run and heal your body properly, and this is why chiropractors help people to stay healthy and live longer — because chiropractic care helps your brain to work better, for longer.