There's a lot of interest in brain health these days.
When dementia comes, it's hard on the whole family.
My mother-in-law (my wife's mother) has mild cognitive impairment and is on the road to dementia, and I'm worried.
If you believe in your potential and keep stimulating it, you can get better and better as you age.
The potential for your brain to improve is endless.
Einstein's post-mortem brain autopsy is a great example. It was found that his brain had 400 percent more glial cells than normal.
These cells specifically help interconnect brain circuits.
Many people believe that we gradually lose millions of brain cells every day as we age. This is not true.
Factors that contribute to the decline in physical and brain function
- Inadequate exercise and unhealthy diet
- Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption
- Picking up on what older people do and conforming to expected patterns of behavior.
Both physical and mental exercise help keep the brain sharp into old age.
The more you use your brain, the better it gets.
If you haven't started exercising yet, start now while your brain is learning to accept new good habits.
10 Things to Boost Your Brain
Do 30 minutes of aerobic exercise at least 3 days a week
Laugh out loud 3 times a day
Meditate 5 minutes a day
Give your brain a break for 10 minutes a day
Get a good night's sleep
Eat foods that are good for the brain
Give your brain new information
Putting together puzzles can also help prevent dementia.
I'm going to start doing these 10 things to keep my brain healthy.