Many individuals will agree that there is much beauty to be observed in getting older.

Older individuals have a solid sense of self molded by years of accumulated experiences. Very few things faze older people because they have already witnessed countless situations and events.

Best of all, they are armed with life lessons, which makes them excellent repositories of sound advice on life.

As wise and as emotionally mature as one gets with each year that passes, however, it is somewhat inevitable that aging will be typically perceived with some degree of negativity, for the following reasons:

• Most people tend to think that it signals the decline of one’s quality of life.
• One will gradually lose their strength, vigor and youthful appearance.
• Many also worry about the deterioration of memory; this is because the hormones and proteins that support brain health decrease with age. In addition to that, the decreased blood flow to an aging person’s brain is known to affect cognitive functioning.

Can Brain Health be Maintained As You Age?

Despite the body’s diminished efficiency due to aging, there are ways to beat its effects.

For instance, there are different strategies you can use to preserve memory. The same goes with ensuring your brain’s ability to properly process information.

Here are six proven reliable methods of boosting your brain health as you age.

1. Stay Social

People who get to have frequent social interactions are less likely to develop dementia. According to the Alzheimer’s Association International conference, social interaction has preventative effects against the disease.

What’s more, a study conducted by the National Institute of Health reveals that 10 minutes of daily social interaction has the ability to boost the brain’s performance on a variety of cognitive examinations.

Suffice it to say, reaching out to people and having meaningful conversations on a regular basis are a must for brain health maintenance.

2.  Get Enough Sleep

As you get older, make sure that you always get the recommended hours of sleep. It is during sleep that cells regenerate.

Additionally, during sleep, the brain goes on a “detoxification” mode, getting rid of damaging molecules linked to neurodegeneration. For more sleep tips, visit  Counting Sheep Research.

3. Eat More Brain Food

Health professionals have already rounded up the superfoods that are good for the brain, and some of them are:

• Fatty fish, such as salmon and tuna, that are rich in omega-3 essential acids
• Nuts and seeds
• Blueberries
• Avocadoes
• Pomegranates
• Dark chocolate

These superfoods contain nutrients that are known to support brain cells, protect the organ from free radicals, and improve blood flow.

4. Take Health Supplements

There are supplements on the market that are formulated specifically to boost brain health. You have Ginkgo Biloba, and there also supplements with caffeine pterostilbene. The latter is particularly popular because pterostilbene can activate PPAR-alpha, a nuclear receptor.

PPAR-alpha controls lipid metabolism and other functions. It promotes cognitive function and improves blood circulation.

Another health boosting practice that can benefit the brain is taking anthocyanin supplements. A natural ingredient made from purple corn husks, anthocyanin can help get rid of free radicals and prevent oxidative damage that can lead to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other neural disorders.

5. Exercise Your Brain

Answer crossword puzzles, try your hand at Sudoku, play scrabble. These activities will keep your brain alert and sharp. Think of them as exercises to strengthen your brain so it stays healthy for a long time.

6. Continue Learning

Try a variety of new things that can improve the way you think and act. For example, if you’re still in the corporate world, sign up in professional development courses to improve existing skills or learn new ones.

Not only will this help you in your career (even if you are nearing retirement), but the lessons you can derive from the program will likely prove useful in other aspects of your life.

Alternatively, try to learn a new language and travel to new places.

These experiences will increase your knowledge as well as provide you the chance to strike up new relationships and increase your social interactions.

Effectively overcoming the impact of aging on brain health all boils down to adopting smart practices. So consider adhering to the strategies rounded up here and keep an eye out for other solutions. In doing so, you can be sure to support the proper functioning of your brain no matter how advanced in years you get.

 

Author Bio: Frank L. Jaksch Jr. is the Chief Executive Officer and a co-founder of ChromaDex. He oversees research, strategy and operations for the Company with a focus on scientific and novel products for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical markets. Mr. Jaksch earned a B.S. in Chemistry and Biology from Valparaiso University.