September is Healthy Aging Month; and in honor, we’ve compiled a few tips about keeping your brain healthy while aging gracefully. Practicing good brain health is crucial for all ages, and studies show that we can prevent or delay the onset of cognitive decline by modifying certain lifestyle factors.
1-Minute Tip: Choose a whole grain option. The foods you eat play a large role in brain health and wellness. Take one minute to think twice about a processed carb breakfast treat filled with empty calories or a red meat dinner entree and consider a plant-based alternative instead. Studies show people who follow a Mediterranean diet are more likely to slow the onset of cognitive decline.
5-Minute Tip: Sign up for a class. El Camino Health offers a variety of classes in stress reduction and management and mindfulness. You owe it to yourself to spend five minutes finding the right recurring class for you to further promote good brain health. Stress management activities contribute to lowering blood pressure, which - if left unchecked - can increase the likelihood for early mental decline.
15-Minute Tip: Create an acronym. An acronym is a word that is created by taking the first letters of all the key words or ideas you need to remember and creating a new word out of them. Take 15 minutes every morning while drinking your tea or coffee to combine the handful of tasks you want complete into a short acronym. Repeating the acronym throughout your day while you check items off a list is a great way to boost cognitive performance and keep your brain on its toes.
30-Minute Tip: Download a brain-busting app. This is where technology is really handy nowadays — there are tons of brain teasing apps at the tip of your fingertips. Playing a brain-stimulating game on your phone for 30 minutes a day is great practice for cognitive functions like speed, memory, attention, flexibility, and problem-solving. Try an app like Luminosity or these online exercises from AARP.
This article first appeared in the September 2020 edition of the HealthPerks newsletter.
