How is your brain functioning? There are many factors that influence the health of your brain. It is very dynamic organ which has the ability to change. Supporting and challenging your brain in a positive way can optimizes its function.
1. Exercise Daily - Exercise is vital for brain health. It provides benefits to the brain on many levels such as reducing stress, improving circulation, increasing oxygen availability, and stimulating nerve cell growth.
"A new study finds that older adults who exercise just a half hour a day are nearly 40 per cent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s than those who don’t exercise at all. The research comes from the Ontario Brain Institute, which reviewed more than 850 studies on the matter. The researchers conclude that more than one in seven cases of Alzheimer's disease could be prevented if all older Canadians who are currently inactive -– which, statistics say, includes most of them -- were to get moving on a regular basis." (1)
2. Learn a New Skill - Learning a new skill helps to create and strengthen connections in the brain. To develop these connections, the brain needs to be activated in ways such as movements (coordination) and thinking (processing).
"According to CCSU Business & Development, practicing a new skill increases the density of your myelin, or the white matter in your brain that helps improve performance on a number of tasks. Additionally, learning new skills stimulates neurons in the brain, which forms more neural pathways and allows electrical impulses to travel faster across them. The combination of these two things helps you learn better. It can even help you stave off dementia." (2)
3. Read - Reading is a great exercise to keep your brain healthy. Reading stimulates many areas of the brain leading to improved memory, focus, creativity, imagination, and more.
"In one study, researchers tested almost 300 older adults’ memory and thinking ability every year for 6 years, and the participants answered questionnaires about their reading and writing habits, from childhood to their current age. After the participants’ deaths (at an average age of 89), the researchers examined their brains for evidence of the physical signs of dementia. Those people who reported that they read were protected against brain lesions and tangles and self-reported memory decline over the 6-year study. In addition, remaining an avid reader into old age reduced memory decline by more than 30%, compared to engaging in other forms of mental activity." (3)
**Note: These recommendations do not replace advice given by your healthcare provider. Always consult your healthcare provider for personalized medical advice. Recommendations and Information provided are designed for informational purposes only, they are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease.
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