Nurturing Brain Health for a Vibrant Mind and Nerve Function

Friday, August 23, 2024

As we get older it is common to start to experience cognitive decline. Following a few simple lifestyle changes can help support healthy brain and nerve function.

Get Moving:

There are many benefits of exercising regularly. Start slowly with a few minutes a day and increase the amount you exercise by 10 minutes every week until you reach your goal. The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology’s Canadian Movement Guidelines recommend adults between 18-64 years of age be active at least  2.5 hours a week to achieve health benefits (1)

The benefits of exercise include, but are not limited to:

Helps improve mental wellbeing such as feelings of anxiety (2)

Potential improvements in attention and focus (3)

May assist with the growth of new neurons (4)

May help to slow down cognitive aging (5)

Eat a balanced, varied diet:

Specific nutrients in food – such as omega-3 fatty acids, have been associated with improved cognitive function in older people. (6)

What’s in which foods?

These are examples of foods that these nutrients are found in:

Omega-3 are in oily fish, nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables.

Flavonoids are in leafy greens, onions, apples, berries, citrus fruit, and wine.

Vitamin D is in oily fish, egg yolk and some mushrooms.

Vitamin E is in olive oil, nuts, seeds and avocado.

Choline is in chicken, salmon, nuts, beef and eggs.

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The Mediterranean diet has been shown to provide a wide array of health benefits. Some studies have found an association between the Mediterranean diet and lower levels of cognitive impairment. (9)

The diet is characterised by:

High intake of fruit, vegetables, cereals and legumes.

Low-to-moderate intake of dairy products and meat.

Moderate intake of fish.

High monounsaturated to saturated fat ratio, which can be achieved through high consumption of olive oil rather than other fats.

Stay connected:

Studies show that engaging with other people may improve cognitive function and maintain overall well-being. (10, 11)

Join a class or social group to meet new people and develop new skills.

Contact friends regularly, family members and neighbours who are important to you.

Teach someone something new. You will both benefit from the connection.

Reduce alcohol consumption:

Try to reduce excessive alcohol intake. If alcohol is used inappropriately it can result in learning and memory issues and long-term alcohol consumption is associated with reduced brain volume (12). Whilst alcohol may help you drift off to sleep more easily, it can often interfere with sleep later in the night and reduce the amount (REM) sleep which is important for brain health (13).

Tips to cut down: