There seems to be a myth about brain health as you get older; “you can’t control keeping your brain sharp as you age”. Wrong. You can. I’ve seen it first-hand.
As with all parts of the body, changes occur as you age. Things shrink, squeak, and sag. But you can still be sharp as a knife. The best way to improve your brain health is with a few small changes to your day-to-day.
👯 Move it, move it
The NHS recommends you do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week. That’s 30 minutes every weekday. Any more than that, you can pat yourself on the back. Doing so helps you feel better, function better, and sleep better.
🐟 Eat more brain fats
I’m not just talking fish. Flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts, soybeans, spinach, and even brussels sprouts are high in omega-3 fatty acids. This and vitamin D can help with things like learning, memory, cognitive well-being, and blood flow in the brain.
💩 It’s a gut feeling
When you’re bloated you feel irritable, right? That’s my favourite example of how the gut and brain are connected. Maintaining a healthy gut helps produce the neurotransmitter GABA which helps reduce stress, anxiety, and fear.
🧠 Stimulate your brain
Keeping yourself socially and intellectually active is vital for your brain to stay sharp. I’m talking meeting friends, playing chess, doing a jigsaw, trying sudoku, downloading a brain training game on your phone. Any of these can help keep you on the ball.
