A GENERAL RECIPE for living well includes regular physical activity, eating a healthy diet, and avoiding smoking. Now, research finds five factors that can also help support brain health and sharp thinking as you age.
The researchers found a direct link between healthy lifestyle habits and a lowered risk of cognitive decline as the participants got older—that was true, even in people who had signs of developing Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
The study participants were labeled as having a low-risk or healthy lifestyle if they did the following:
- Do not smoke.
- Doing moderate to vigorous exercise for at least 150 minutes a week.
- Limit alcohol use to one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men.
- Engage in brain-stimulating activities, like reading, playing games, and visiting museums.
- Follow a variation of the MIND diet.
Study participants received a healthy lifestyle score within these areas and, the healthier they were, the better their brain health. The researchers found that for every one-point increase in the healthy lifestyle score, the lower the amount of beta-amyloid plaques (signs of Alzheimer’s disease) and the higher their score on cognitive tests that looked at factors like memory and attention span.
Why are these habits good for the brain? These lifestyle factors and habits are known to be good for you and a healthy lifestyle is good for the brain. These factors in particular have been investigated and shown to be associated with slower cognitive decline and a lower risk of dementia.
While plant-based diets have been linked to healthier brains, the MIND diet is a specific kind of plant-based diet. It incorporates several elements of the Mediterranean diet, like plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, olive oil, and whole grains.
Previous studies on similar diet patterns have shown that this style of eating is very rich in polyphenols, which are powerful plant compounds that have been shown to have neuroprotective properties. The foods in this diet can help reduce bodily inflammation and promote good gut and heart health.
That diet, along with regular exercise, limiting alcohol use, and avoiding smoking is good for the cardiovascular system. What’s good for the heart and blood vessels is generally good for the brain. A healthy lifestyle increases your heart health and brain health. A healthy heart can only help your brain.
Research has also found that doing mentally stimulating activities is linked with a lowered risk of developing dementia. The thing that is most often recommended to patients for their brain health is structured cognitive exercise. With muscles, if you don’t use it, you lose it. The same is true of your brain. By Manny Palomar, PhD (EV Mail August 12-18, 2024 issue)
