7 Best Things To Do For Brain Health

7 Pillars Of Brain Health

The way that you live your life has a huge impact on your brain health. How you manage stress, how well you socialize, how well you sleep, how much you exercise and what you drink and eat all are crucial to brain health.

So how do you achieve brain health? Here are 7 pillars of brain health that can help you achieve optimal brain health, even into old age.

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7 Best Things To Do For Brain Health

1. Physical Exercise

It’s important to exercise and stay fit in order to have good brain health. You need to get your body moving. People who exercise on a regular basis have a decreased risk of coming down with Alzheimer’s disease. Exercise causes chemical changes in the brain that boost thinking and mood. Regular exercise can prolong your life, reduce the risk of heart disease, maximize sleep and help you lose weight. The mind is closely linked to the body, so the more exercise you get, the better your mind will function. Try regular exercise to develop a strong memory.

2. Reducing Risks For Mental Health Conditions

We can’t always avoid mental health problems, such as depression or anxiety. However, there are things we can do to reduce risk factors for these issues. For example, avoiding and dealing with chronic stress can help reduce risks for depression and anxiety conditions. Additionally, learning healthy coping skills for dealing with life’s problems and our own emotions can help prevent going into a depressive spiral. One of the biggest considerations in this respect is the health of our relationships, where we actually have more control than we might have in other life situations.

3. Food And Nutrition

There’s some truth in the old saying “You are what you eat.” By making good food choices every day, you can improve the health of your brain. As you get older age, your brain is subjected to stress that can be harmful to your brain health. The process by which stress affects brain health is known as “oxidation.” Food that’s high in antioxidants can help reduce the negative effects of oxidation. Try eating a Mediterranean diet, which is high in nuts, olives, leafy green vegetables, whole grains, and fish.

4. Medical Health

Good brain health starts with controlling your medical risks. Things like smoking, high cholesterol, head trauma, depression, obesity and diabetes all increase a person’s chances of developing dementia. If you get regular check-ups and follow your doctor’s advice (that means taking medications as prescribed), you’ll be better both physically and mentally. Your brain is happier when you take care of your medical health. Make sure you avoid obesity as people who are overweight have an increased risk of diabetes, which can lead to dementia. Try to improve balance exercises, strength training, and aerobic exercises.

5. Sleep And Relaxation

When you’re well rested your brain will function better. Sleep is energizing. It improves your immune system, enhances your mood and restarts the brain. It may also decrease the development of beta-amyloid plaque, which is linked to Alzheimer’s dementia. Anyone who has had to stay awake for an extended period of time, or got a bad night’s sleep knows how much of an impact this has on mental functioning, focus and concentration. If you have trouble with sleeping well, try meditation to manage your stress levels, which may also help to decrease the age-related loss of brain health.

6. Mental Fitness

Brain health depends on using your mind to its maximum ability. If you spend much of the your time in front of a television, you’re not really stimulating your brain and exercising it in a way that promotes its growth and power. This is similar to muscle wastage from lack of movement. Mental exercise is just as critical as physical exercise is to brain health.

Mental exercise can maximize a person’s ability promote brain cell growth and improve the functioning of their brain. It can decrease the chances of developing Alzheimer’s dementia. Just as a person exercises their muscles, they need to exercise their brain. There is something known as “brain reserve,” which helps the brain respond and adapt to mental changes and reduce the risk that your brain will sustain damage. Your brain reserve starts when you’re a child and gets stronger as you get older. People who continually develop new interests and skills, engage in things that are interesting, take part in new activities and continue to learn new things that will maximize their brain reserve.

7. Social Interaction

People who maintain social interaction and remain connected with others have better brain health. Try to engage in conversation with others, spend time with others, and stay in touch with loved ones. Those people who have the most social interaction enjoy better brain health.

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The hectic, information overload experience that makes up most people’s daily routine probably does have your mind working in overdrive just to keep pace. When you are intentionally mindful, you’re being honest about your present moment and situation. Your mind is full, but it is filled with understanding your present situation, environment, and feelings, and using this knowledge to achieve mental and physical benefits. Download my free report, Top Mindfulness Exercises You Can Try Today, to help you conquer the many mental and physical issues in your life.