It’s been a while since I have posted an article. I’ve neglected my outlet. However, the important thing is that I am committing to making an effort to turn that around. It’s not easy to commit to things. I get it! I understand that when you read a compelling article about improving brain health, you might feel excited about self-improvement ideas in the moment. But how do you go from reading about ideas to actually implementing them into your daily routine? Consider the following.

A continued message for brain health states that whatever we can do to improve heart health is also important for a healthy brain. Lifestyle matters. In a nutshell, these are just a few areas to focus on:

Nutrition
Exercise
Sleep
Socializing
Stress Management
Mental Stimulation

1. Nutrition. Research shows that following the MIND diet can slow cognitive decline in older adults. The MIND diet (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) is a combination of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet.

The MIND DIET

The MIND diet is comprised of 15 elements, 10 brain-healthy food groups and then five unhealthy groups. The 10 brain-healthy food groups include:

Beans
Berries
Fish
Green leafy vegetables
Nuts
Poultry
Olive oil
Other vegetables
Whole grains
Wine

The five unhealthy food groups include:

Butter and stick margarine
Cheese
Fast or fried foods
Pastries and sweets
Red meats

2. Exercise. Think heart-healthy. We know exercise is good for your heart. What's good for the heart is good for the brain too. Find time to fit in 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity exercise. Go for a power walk, take a swim class, ride your bike. Add strength training to your routine. Do some push-ups. I like to do push-ups off the side of the bathtub! haha! Try it! It's addicting.

3. Quality Sleep. It is so important to get quality sleep so that your brain can flush out toxins. Uninterrupted sleep is like pushing the reset button for your brain! Yet many of us do not get good sleep for many reasons that are outside of our control like kids getting sick in the night or a storm wakes us up. But practicing good sleep habits is important for brain health as well as our mood!

4. Social Engagement. Staying active socially is important. Even for me at age 53, staying socially active takes a bit of effort and planning. I do love to hang out with friends and laugh. However, this is an area that I need to work on integrating into my schedule. Staying socially connected prevents low brain activity especially in the later stages of life. Maybe volunteer if you can, play cards with your neighbors, join a book club, or meet friends for coffee once a week to keep yourself socially active.

5. Stress Management. Mental stress can lead to physical problems in the body, such as stress headaches, stomach issues, and fatigue. Most people can relate to feeling sick when they are mentally stressed. Taking time, even if it is five minutes, to close your eyes and practice meditation can be a great way to immediately relieve the symptoms of mental stress. Regular practice of meditation, for example, can also reduce the negative impacts to your blood pressure as well as improve cardiovascular health. Remember, what’s good for the heart is good for the brain.

6. Mental Stimulation. You may have heard the term “use it or lose it”. Scientifically speaking, when we are learning new things we are effectively creating new neural pathways. As we age, old pathways die off. Keeping our brain active helps to support the growth of new nerve cells. The more neural pathways we build up, the less the brain will be affected by normal aging.

I encourage you to make goals for yourself and work them into your daily routine. Take a walk, eat a healthy snack, make time for a little meditation, read, and spend some time with friends and loved ones. Let’s make the commitment to create a healthy brain.

What Do We Know About Preventing Alzheimer's Disease?

Preventing Alzheimer's Disease

How the Evidence Stacks up for Preventing Alzheimer's Disease

The MIND Diet: A Detailed Guide for Beginners

What are the Components of the MIND Diet?

MIND Diet Slows Cognitive Decline With Aging

Sharpen Your Mind with the MIND Diet

Physical Exercise as a Preventative or Disease-Modifying Treatment of Dementia and Brain Aging

Here’s How Much Exercise You Need to Keep Your Brain Healthy

Sleep Deprivation Increases Alzheimer’s Protein

Alzheimer’s & Dementia Prevention