Health Coach Corner by Maria Hicks
We all want to maintain our brain, right? I think there is a definite link to maintaining healthy brain function and your diet & lifestyle! I’ve done a little research for you and listed some super easy tips to start doing, so we can keep our lovely “thinking caps” in prime working order!
More than 5 million Americans currently have Alzheimer’s and by 2050 that could increase to between 11 and 16 million. Did you know that neither dementia nor Alzheimer’s are a normal part of aging? Your memory and brain functioning do not have to decline simply because you are getting older.
- Eat plenty of high quality Omega 3’s (fish oil, flaxseed) – studies show that omega 3 fats reduce the cell inflammation that triggers a decline in memory.
- Eat a nutritious diet with plenty of vegetables and pay special attention to avoiding sugar (not just the white stuff, but even “healthier” sugars like, honey, maple syrup, brown rice syrup and evaporated cane sugar)
- Exercise 3-5 times per week. According to one study, the odds of developing Alzheimer’s were nearly quadrupled in people who were less active during leisure time, between the ages of 20-60, compared with their peers – so keep moving and grooving!
- Wild blueberries, which have a high antioxidant content, are known to guard against Alzheimer’s disease
- Challenge your mind daily. Mental stimulation, such as learning an instrument or language or doing crossword or word search puzzles, is associated with decrease in a risk of Alzheimer’s. Researchers suspect that mental challenge helps to build up your brain, making it less susceptible to the lesions associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Anyone up for a game of scrabble?
