Medical science has succeeded in increasing the average life span of humans. Complex surgeries involving transplants is no more just a theory, it is being widely used to save lives across the globe. But at the same time there is a downside too. As we are living longer, we’re more likely to suffer from age-related memory loss and dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease. Studies say that healthy lifestyle and good medical care may help keep the mind, like the body, active and vital well into old age and you don’t need to search for neurosurgery in Bangalore or at any other place. So here are some mind sharpening therapy to keep your mind sharp.
1. Stay Physically Active
By keeping your heart, lungs, and blood vessels healthy, exercise helps ensure that all parts of the body, including brain cells, receive the oxygen and nutrients they need.
2. Challenge Your Mind
The old saying “use it or lose it” applies to our brain and muscles alike. In many ways, it’s like a muscle. Challenging the brain to learn new things — by reading, taking up a language, doing crossword puzzles, or playing a musical instrument, for example -can help keep the brain and informational processing in top form and may even reshape brain circuitry.
3. Eat a Diet Abundant in Fruits and Vegetables
Researchers are only beginning to understand the many healthful components in plant-based foods that help protect against chronic diseases. For a healthy brain, antioxidants such as vitamin C, E, and A may be especially important. Dozens of studies have shown that foods high in antioxidants, such as blueberries and walnuts, slow age-related decline of brain function.
4. Control Blood Pressure
Over time, chronic high blood pressure, or hypertension, damages blood vessels, particularly small capillaries including the tiny vessels that deliver nutrients and oxygen to the brain. Studies suggest that chronic hypertension is associated with increased risk of age-related cognitive decline.
5. Maintain Normal Blood Sugar Levels
An epidemic of type 2 diabetes is under way in the U.S. and much of the developed world, driven largely by rising rates of obesity. Researchers have found a strong association between diabetes and declines in mental flexibility, memory, and the speed of brain processing.
6. Take Depression Seriously
Along with its short-term consequences, chronic depression may permanently alter the brain, increasing the danger of cognitive problems like Alzheimer’s disease later in life. Stay connected with friends and family as being socially isolated is a risk factor for depression.
