–Stay healthy and you’ll stay sharp
We have all had a “senior” moment where a name won’t come to mind, or we walk into a room and can’t remember why. Some forgetfulness is normal. Short-term memory usually declines more rapidly than long-term memory.
But it is possible to hold off, and even prevent cognitive decline that often accompanies aging. What may not seem obvious is that working on general physical health is one of the tools we can use to give a big boost to brain health, and to maintaining cognitive function.
A research article entitled, “Predictors of Maintaining Cognitive Function in Older Adults (Neurology, June, 2009) reported that adults from age 65 to 73 who did NOT show signs of cognitive decline duing this age range shared many of the following characteristics:
Regular Exercise
Moderate alcohol consumption
No Smoking
They worked or volunteered (less than 55 hours per week!)
And they were less likely to:
be overweight
have high blood pressure
have diabetes
On the surface, these characteristics seem to be just good old advice about being healthy. But it turns out that a HEALTHY BRAIN goes along with other aspects of physical health. Exercise, lose weight, control blood pressure and diabetes, participate in meaningful activity outside the home. You’ll stay smarter. It’s something to think about…
