(13-05-06) From Infancy to Elderly: Top 10 Ways to Maintain Your Brain

By David Perlmutter, M.D., FACN

(ARA) - Time and again, studies have shown how important
exercise, regular mental stimulation and balanced nutrition
are to growing minds during childhood. In fact, scientists
used to think all crucial development occurred between
infancy and the teenage years. Current research, however,
indicates that our brains continue to make new connections
well into our senior years, and we now understand more than
ever the value of nurturing our brains through every stage
of our lives.
Babies, for example, are synaptic sponges. Each time you
stimulate a baby's mind -- with singing, talking or even
cuddling -- its busy little brain cells make another of the
synaptic connections so critical to healthy development. As
a child grows and learns to walk, talk, read, do math and
socialize, even more synapses, or connections, are made.

Amazingly, the same activities continue to build our
brains as we age. People young and old can incorporate
these 10 tips into their daily lives to help maintain
better brain health and ensure peak performance:

1. Get mental exercise: Read. Write. Take up a new hobby.
Mentally stimulating activity strengthens brain cells and
the connections between them, and may even create new
cells. Children experience this almost constantly, but as
we get older we need to deliberately challenge our brains.
For example, don't just read a book; join a book club to
discuss what you've read and share your experiences with
others. Also, try a new hobby, like knitting or doing
crossword puzzles.

2. Get physical exercise: It's about circulation.
Physical exercise oxygenates the blood, maintains good
blood flow to the brain, and encourages the formation of
new brain cells. If you can afford a gym membership or a
personal trainer, then do so. Running or walking outside
can also prove equally beneficial if you make it part of
your daily routine.

3. Adopt a brain-healthy diet: Use your head while
browsing the supermarket.
Shop the outer ring of your grocery store -- you'll find
yourself buying fresh foods, fruits and vegetables, and
eating a more brain-healthy diet. A diet considered brain-
healthy is one that reduces the risk of heart disease and
diabetes, encourages good blood flow to the brain and is
low in saturated fat, cholesterol and calories. Studies
have shown that high intakes of saturated fat and
cholesterol lead to a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease.

4. Incorporate DHA into your diet: Get to know the good
fats in your life.
While it is often said that Americans consume too much
fat, we actually aren't getting enough of the fats that are
good for us. Adequate levels of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA),
the omega-3 fatty acid found in the brain, eyes and heart,
is critical for optimal brain development and function in
infants, and ongoing brain function in adults. DHA has also
been associated with reducing the risk for Alzheimer's
disease, dementia and age-related macular degeneration, a
major cause of blindness.

Fatty fish is the primary dietary source of DHA, making it
difficult for most people to get enough of this important
brain nutrient from diet alone. (Experts recommend about
220 mg a day for adults). There is also concern about the
environmental contaminants found in some fish and fish
oils. Fortunately, there is a non-fish, vegetarian
alternative -- DHA from algae, also known as Martek DHA.
Today dietary supplements and fortified foods with DHA from
algae are becoming increasingly available.

5. Be aware of toxins: Keep your bloodstream clean.
Avoid exposure to environmental toxins, including tobacco
smoke and stress. It is also important to be mindful of the
toxins that may be in the foods you eat. For example,
certain fish may be extremely high in mercury, leading the
U.S Food and Drug Administration and Environmental
Protection Agency to caution pregnant and nursing women, as
well as children, to limit their fish consumption. All of
these elements can contribute to the formation of free
radicals that, if left unchecked, will damage brain cell
membranes.

6. Make sure you get enough antioxidants: Eat your fruits
and veggies.
Antioxidants help provide the body with tools to
neutralize harmful free radicals, and are directly involved
in the process by which the brain makes its energy. Good
sources of antioxidants can be found in the produce, frozen
fruit, vegetable and whole grains sections of your
supermarket.

7. Monitor your homocysteine level: Ask your doctor about
the state of your mind.
Another area important to cognitive function is your
homocysteine level. Homocysteine, found naturally in your
blood, is an amino acid that can negatively affect your
cognitive functioning if present in excessive amounts. Your
physician can perform a simple test to determine your
homocysteine level and recommend ways to lower it if
necessary.

8. Prevent diabetes: Educate yourself about living a
healthy lifestyle.
According to the Alzheimer's Association, there is
overwhelming evidence linking high blood pressure and
diabetes with dementia. Insulin resistance, high blood
sugar and other unknown factors in people with diabetes
lead to deposits in vessel walls that inhibit blood flow to
the brain, heart and other parts of the body. The American
Diabetes Association has found that 30 minutes a day of
moderate physical activity, coupled with a 5 to 10 percent
reduction in body weight, resulted in a 58 percent
reduction of type II diabetes.

9. Wear a helmet: Protect your head. It's the only one
you've got.
It seems obvious, but too many people arrive in the
hospital with irreversible brain injuries that could have
been prevented if they had only worn a helmet. When
participating in contact sports or riding a bike or
motorcycle, always wear a helmet.

10. Seek out positive emotional experiences: Laughter is
the best medicine.
Studies have shown that adults who lead stimulating lives -
- are social, have lots of hobbies and laugh a lot --
develop more neurons, more connections between neurons and
more efficiency in using their brain cells than those who
lead sedentary lifestyles.

Courtesy of ARA Content

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