Will playing by edge regularly repel Alzheimer’s? The fish oil you take daily will keep your memory sharp?
Many people think it is worth trying to help the health of the brain. After all, the forecasts are worrying: the number of people living with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, should double every 20 years.
In Florida, researchers are studying ways to stop the cognitive decline, which is known as the memory slide. They look at what people eat, how they live and with whom they spend their time to learn what can affect the health of the brain.
“There are so many strategies that are of interest to the last five to 10 years,” said Dr. Daniel Vela, a neur-intervention surgeon for St. Mary hospital with Palm Beach Health Network.
Not all strategies take place. Some, however, seem to be useful
Sleep makes a difference
Researchers agree that sleep allows the brain to rest, repair and remove all toxins that can accumulate during the day.
Vela recommends keeping a regular sleep schedule as much as possible by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. To help better sleep quality, he advises to receive morning sunlight.
“This exhibition in the early morning in the sun is a regulator of your sleep cycle,” he said. Take aims to obtain at least 15-30 minutes of exposure to natural light as soon as possible after awakening.
Dr. Nicole L. Baganz, deputy director of Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute of Florida Atlantic University, said that the directives say that you should target eight hours of sleep per night, for some people, six hours are good enough. “It is individualized how necessary sleep is, but many studies confirm the powerful effects of sleep on brain health.”
How the diet affects brain health
Everything you put in your mouth affects the health of the brain, especially if your diet triggers high cholesterol or diabetes.
“Diet management is important,” said Vela. “You must keep your arteries clean, especially the brain arteries, which we end up operating in some people who have experienced repetitive cerebral bleeding or brain attacks as a stroke.” Vela said that as people age, they accumulate cholesterol in their arteries, affecting blood flow to the brain. He advises a low -cholesterol content diet to ward off this accumulation.
Vela says that reducing your sugar consumption can also help keep your brain live. Research has revealed a potential link between excessive sugar consumption and an increased risk of dementia. “Part of our diet not only consists in consuming antioxidants, nutrients, magnesium and healthy fats, but the most important strategy to maintain cognition and brain health is to stay away from added sugar.”
Dr. Andrew Newberg, neuroscientist and director of MRI at Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute of Florida Atlantic University, studied nutrition and health of the brain and recommends eating more plants based on plants. “Make sure you get your vegetables, fruit and nuts with good oils and try to avoid processed foods,” he said. This type of diet, he says, reduces inflammation that could have a negative impact on brain health.
Get your vitamins and minerals
Certain vitamins and minerals are generally presented as prevention of the decline of memory. Magnesium, for example, protects brain cells from damage caused by oxidative stress, inflammation and neurotoxins. A study published in the European Journal of Nutrition in March 2023 revealed that eating more foods rich in magnesium reduces the risk of dementia – especially in women.
Omega-3 fatty acids can also be beneficial. A study of the Center for Health Sciences at the University of Texas revealed that the consumption of cold water fish and other omega-3 fatty sources can improve cognition at the average age. The researchers found that the consumption of more omega-3s was associated with better abstract reasoning, or with the ability to understand complex concepts using logical thinking.
Baganz said obtaining nutrients from a balanced diet is more effective than supplements.
Games and puzzles can help
Make lats, a daily crossword puzzle or any game that requires problem solving, strategic thinking and rapid decision -making can stimulate and challenge the main brain regions. However, although they can slow down the decline, the scientific evidence that games improve brain health are limited.
Experts say that games serve a goal but advise to mix brain stimulation activities.
“Reading, learning new things, talking to people, just engaging the brain in different ways is good for your brain,” said Newberg. “The more different things you do, the better in terms of cognitive reserve and dissect the effects of aging.”
Social activity is crucial
“Loneliness is one of the worst things that can happen to the brain,” said Baganz to Fau. “Social connection is important for mental health and reduces cognitive decline. Positive emotions such as compassion and appreciation are strongly linked to brain health and mental health. ”
Baganz recommends volunteering in the community and re -engage in the activities you have found once difficult, or even to learn a new language – everything that engages the brain and exposes you to social interaction.
Exercise can have the greatest effect
Research shows the parts of the brain that control thought and memory are more important in volume in people who do the exercise than in people who do not.
Baganz says that any type of exercise, including walking, chair yoga or strength training, will help. “The exercise produces chemicals that can promote brain health,” she says. “Try to regularly get a kind of aerobic exercise, even just a fast walk.”
Be patient, however. Several studies have shown that it takes about six months to start collecting the cognitive advantages of the financial year.
Mental well-being
Newberg in Fau studied spirituality and its link to brain health. He found that meditation and prayer help extinguish the decline of memory. “These practices change the functioning of the brain,” he explains. “They help the brain to regulate itself and help cognition as well as to reduce stress, anxiety and depression.”
Some of the myths on brain health make researchers like Newberg wishing to put people on time.
Genetics determine your future
The health of the brain as you age is a complex interaction between genetic predisposition and environmental and lifestyle factors. Experts have determined that around 40% of dementia may be delayed by treatable median life factors.
Treatment of hearing loss, hypertension, diabetes and obesity can reduce your risk.
Alcohol kills brain cells
Moderate alcohol consumption does not kill brain cells. Alcohol can affect the structure of the brain, function and overall health, but it does not directly cause the death of brain cells.
Video games rot your brain
The effect of video games on children remains blurred, but for adults, the benefit for brain health varies depending on the type of game. Experts say that games that connect people from around the world and those who force you to switch between tasks have the most advantages.
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