Our bodies are doomed to fail eventually. We can slow the process but we cannot prevent it. What we have some ability to prevent is loss of mental function. It now appears we can stay fairly sharp and prevent dementia, or at least reduce the risk of getting it, through certain modifiable behavioral factors.

By now you have certainly heard of the sad ending of the life of the Oscar-winning actor, Gene Hackman. His mental acuity had deteriorated to the point that, following his wife/caretaker’s unexpected death, he was unable to care for himself and unable even to call for help. He may not even have realized that she was dead. It was a sad ending indeed but one we have some opportunity to avoid for ourselves.

Some loss of mental acuity is said to be inevitable due to changes in the brain as it ages. These changes, however, are not death sentences and the brain can function well far into the years, with a little preventive maintenance. The pie chart above from Alzheimer’s New Zealand identifies some of the things we can do or avoid to keep our brains as sharp as possible.

Some of the most recent research has shown that, when it comes to brain health, you don’t want to wait until you reach 65 to begin to think about it and to take the steps necessary to preserve it. Achieving two goals during mid-life has been shown to result in significant improvement in brain function later in life. One is eating a healthy diet. The other is having a lower waist-to-hip ratio. Obese people do not have favorable waist-to-hip ratios.

A healthier diet in mid-life was associated with higher functional connectivity between the left hippocampus and occipital lobe and cerebellum later in life and better white matter integrity. A lower waist-to-hip ratio was associated with better working memory and executive function at age 70.

The good news is that there is much that we can do to preserve our mental function and that most of the same things that preserve it also help keep our bodies functioning as well as possible.

  • Diet. The Mediterranean diet which emphasizes fish, and plant-based foods such as fruits, olive oil, nuts, seeds and vegetables, has been proven over and over again to be superior to all others.
  • Exercise. Use it or lose it is the mantra here. Good cardiovascular conditioning keeps the blood flowing to the brain and vital organs. It keeps muscles strong.
  • Smoking. Don’t start. Stop, if you have already started.
  • Alcohol. Recent research has shown that there is no amount of alcohol that it not a net negative in health terms. I am not going to say don’t drink, but try to keep it down to a reasonable amount.
  • Activity. Don’t be a couch potato. Keep your mind active with reading and puzzles. If you have retired, volunteer or take up a hobby.
  • Isolation. Social isolation deprives the brain of stimulation. Keep up with old friends. Make new friends. Join a club.
  • Vision and hearing. Both vision and hearing impart stimuli to the brain. If you do not see or hear well, that level of stimulation decreases and the brain suffers for it.

Take care of yourself and you give yourself the best chance to live a healthy and productive life.

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