The body is a temple.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 10 million of our U.S. baby boomers will develop Alzheimer’s disease.  In 2008, an estimation of 5.2 million Americans of all ages have Alzheimer’s disease.  This is just an example of the prevalence of threats to our neurological health.  It is important to know what to do NOW in order to protect the health of your brain in both the near and distant future.  Also, it is vital to not be ignorant to the effects of: what we put into our body and any patterns or habits that we have.  A reverent attitude towards your body is key to sustaining your brain in age.

Having knowledge of what is healthy for your brain can reverse the aging process, increase IQ, increase memory, help prevent neurological diseases or illness, and increase cognitive processes.

If we reflect on how the body is a temple, we can understand that what we put into our body matters, and should be taken seriously.  Let’s start with healthy brain food that you can add to your daily meals.

Folic Acids
WHAT: Orange juice, vegetables, dry beans, leafy greens, citrus fruits, whole wheat bread…
WHY : Helps with neurotransmitter activity and connections between them in the brain, preventing dementia and Alzheimer’s, improving memory, and keeping your SHARPNESS.

B-Vitamins
Think B is for Brain and be sure to check those nutrition facts for B filled foods.
WHAT: Whole grains, fish, dairy products, eggs…
WHY: One word, energy.  They help in metabolism; providing energy where it is needed.  B-Vitamins also help in making the red blood cells which provide oxygen for all your body parts.

Antioxidants
[Excluding Supplement Antioxidants]
WHAT: Blueberries, cranberries, red beans, dark chocolate, pecans, spinach….
WHY: They keep everything working, prevent cell damage by replenishing electrons in cells.

INTERESTING NEWS IN RESEARCH:  A recent study by Engelhart et al. (2002), explored the suggestion that oxidative stress may contribute to Alzheimer disease and whether the risk of Alzheimer disease might be reduced by intake of antioxidants that fight against the effects of oxidative stress.  Their conclusion was that high dietary intake of vitamin C and vitamin E may lower the risk of Alzheimer disease.

How do you get your brain in shape? The same way you get anything else in shape; by exercise.  General exercise helps the brain by increasing the blood flow to the brain and neurons.  It increases memory.  Aerobic exercise is most helpful for the brain.  This is exercise that involves oxygen consumption in the body - and improves it too!  Examples are walking, running, swimming, stair climbing, skating.  Add some of these activities to your routines.  Stairs instead of elevators, walking instead of driving, treadmill and Ipod instead of couch and remote…

Moreover, there are activities that I am going to call “brain-ercise;” that is, exercise for your noggin.  This includes any type of game or activity that requires some thought put into it.  Some examples are:

Any type of strategy or memory game; Soduku, Scrabble, Boggle
Homework; Online classes, writing, reading, book clubs
INTERESTING TIP: **Breaks/Changes in your routine make the brain work harder.
This can be as simple as brushing your teeth with the opposite hand, doing something different than what you normally do.  WHY? It makes the brain work harder.

All of these brain-ercise activities are healthy for the brain because it increases the intensity of the connections between neurons - those vital cells that maintain the workings of the brain.  Make these workouts fun and read, write, or play a game that you enjoy - with a friend!

What else helps the brain?  Anything you enjoy or find pleasurable! This can be exercising (which already releases endorphins), ANYTHING that makes you laugh, sex, time with friends, relaxing, going to the pool, being in the sun, etc.

Aside from what is pleasurable, what about those things in life that just bring stress to our lives?  Stress, in my opinion, is one of the worst toxins for the body.  It is like poison and the more you are unable to deal with stress, the more detrimental effects it will have on your physical and mental health.

Dealing with Stress…
Meditate, Calm yourself down and put the worrying habits to rest, do Yoga, or focus on a pleasurable activity.

WHY: When you stress, a hormone called cortisol is released.  This is helpful while dealing with the present stressor by changing proteins to energy.  HOWEVER, high levels of cortisol in daily life is dangerous.

Sustained high cortisol levels destroy healthy muscle and bone, slow down healing and normal cell regeneration, co-opt biochemicals needed to make other vital hormones, impair digestion, metabolism and mental function, interfere with healthy endocrine function; and weaken your immune system. -Women to Women.com, Adrenal fatigue

Lastly, for a brain-healthy life, pay attention to your habits. Sleep is very important to rest and rejuvenate the brain.  Drinking, smoking, and other harmful patterns are without a doubt harmful to memory and brain functioning.

Links:

2008 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures from the Alzheimer’s Association

Alzheimer’s Facts and Figures

Video from MSNBC.com on Boosting Your Brain Power