Hey, I wanted to share some stuff about brain health…

• Dose up on blueberries, green tea, nuts, salmon and tumeric – they are all fantastic for a healthy brain
• Train your brain with puzzles, read widely and take up a new hobby – neurons that fire together wire together
• Avoid cigarettes, drugs and alcohol.  Too much TV is not good either – adequate sleep is vital
• Socialise… join a club, go to the park, volunteer – human interaction is good for the brain
• Chill out… chronic stress and anxiety is toxic to the brain – de-stress with exercise, meditation and positive vibes

The key to long term brain health is the same as any other exercise… Use It or Lose It.

Research in the field of alzheimer’s and dementia is increasingly pointing to the importance of having an active life, with lots of unique mental stimuli.  Doing crosswords and puzzles activates parts of the brain but still leaves massive amounts of it unactivated.  You still need to do other things that concentrate on the ability to listen carefully or that involve movement.

Having an active social life and keeping physically fit ensure strong blood flow to the brain’s tiny vessels and offers protection for the brain as you age.  The brain needs physical activity which helps to maintain the cardiovascular flow, while exposure to different sorts of experiences is important because it allows different parts of the brain to be activated.

It’s a myth that we are born with a certain number of brain cells and do not generate new ones over our lifespan.  Even though our brain cells die with age, the remaining cells can take over function and recent research also suggests we do grow new brain cells.  Our brains love learning to manage new tasks, it stimulates the cells and allows the development to occur.

So, the secret to brain health is to keep learning how to do new things… along with eating a healthy diet, exercising and living life.

Tags: 5 steps to a healthy brain, antioxidants, exercise, health and fitness, wellbeing