You know that your body needs exercise, but did you know it’s CRUCIAL for your brain as well? I recently interviewed Ron Nevelow, with Enlighten Senior Care on my podcast, and he shared the 5 things we all should be doing to work toward (and keep) a healthier brain.
Exercise – 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, enough to keep your heart at an elevated rate. Walking is the #1 way to do this, especially for older adults, followed by swimming.
Social Interaction – when you interact with people socially you use different parts of your brain. Note having a conversation with a new person will challenge your brain even more.
Brain Foods – #1 food is fresh blueberries. Fresh strawberries are excellent too. Salmon, broccoli, dark chocolate (small amounts), walnuts. The general rule is if it’s good for the heart, it’s good for the brain.
Physical & Mental Health – taking care of your health by getting enough REM sleep, staying hydrated, keeping blood pressure in check, cholesterol levels in healthy range, managing diabetes, maintaining a healthy weight and staying mentally healthy by treating depression and anxiety.
Challenging Cognitive Activities – these are activities that utilize and push the brain. Learn or relearn a language, take up knitting, learn technology. Check out www.DuoLingo.com. It’s a free site for learning a language.
Learn more about Brain Fitness by listening to Episode #75 of the podcast Aging in Style. You can find it on my website www.loriwilliams-seniorsservices.com.
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