About 55 million individuals worldwide have dementia. While taking care of your overall health can lower your risk and ensure you live a long and healthy life, exercising your brain is just as important.
As we age, the brain naturally shrinks and blood flow slows. However, you can combat this to some extent. Here’s how!
1. Continue Learning
Learning doesn’t just stop when school ends. It should be a continuous cycle throughout your life. When you learn a new skill or new information, your brain forms new neurological connections. This can keep your mind sharp and in tip-top shape as you age. Research even suggests this to be the case!
2. Eat Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Studies show a link between omega-3 fatty acid consumption and decreased cognitive decline. Ensuring you get enough of these fatty acids on a regular basis is undeniably important. Good food sources of omega-3 include mackerel, salmon, tuna, and nuts.
3. Prioritize Using Your Brain
Need to do some quick math? Instead of pulling out a calculator, try doing it in your head. This can, again, help build and solidify neural connections, making these tasks faster for you in the future.
4. Exercise Regularly
This probably comes as a no-brainer. Exercise can help improve blood flow to your brain, ensuring this organ gets the nutrients and oxygen it needs to function properly. Furthermore, exercise can help reduce high blood pressure and other health markers that are closely linked with the development of dementia.
5. Read More
Research demonstrates how reading has the potential to decrease the chances of memory decline by over 30%. Picking up a book to read before heading to bed or first thing in the morning can provide your brain with the stimulation it needs. Alternatively, you may also choose to join a book club or read to your children or grandchildren.
If you or someone you love is battling memory issues and cognitive decline, get tested for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. At Pathways Neuropsychology Associates, we can help you or your loved one uncover what exactly is going on, as well as navigate this difficult time. We can also provide information regarding the next steps. Get in touch with us today.
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