According to the World Health Organization, brain health attracts attention from society for
many reasons. If our brains are challenged by disease, a person’s health and well-being are
affected. There is no doubt that neurological disorders are the leading cause of disability and deaths in this country.
Risk of increase in Dementia
In the current era, more than 55 million people live with dementia. This will rise to 78 million people by 2030. Dr John den Boer refers to these facts in his book in the chapter entitled ”Silver Tsunami.” Dementia robs people of their dignity and independence. The National Institute On Aging states that many factors influence healthy ageing. Further, genetics are part of what we can control, but there are small changes in your daily life that you can work on to live a higher quality of life.
Factors of Brain Health
These factors determine your brain health:
- Physical health
- Safety
- Social Connections
- Quality services
- Living environments.
Improve brain health
A person’s quality of life improves by understanding what factors will promote their best
brain health. According to Dr. John W. den Boer in his book, This Is Dementia: Disrupting The Decline, there are many ways to maintain the quality of your life. Check out this list:
- Be physically active
- Eat healthily
- Stop smoking and drinking alcohol
- Get regular checkups
- Try new things…keep the brain engaged
- Spend time with family and friends
- Talk to people who can help you
- Watch your weight
- Be involved in social activities
- Maintain a healthy blood pressure
Food to improve brain health
Lately, there have been many articles about diet. They show that what a person eats can affect the brain’s ability to think and remember. The Mediterranean diet has been shown in studies to benefit a person’s cognitive health. Much research shows a relationship between gut microbes and age-related processes. The Mediterranean diet(MIND) consists of plant-based foods as follows:
- Leafy green vegetables(6 per week)
- Other vegetables(1per day)
- Berries(2 per week)
- Grains(3 per day)
- Fish(1 per week)
- Poultry(2 per week)
- Beans(3 per week)
- Nuts(5 per week)
Effects of intaking the right food
A Western-style diet contains more red meat, fats, and sugar. However, in observational studies, 900 people without dementia showed a slower rate of cognitive decline than those with dementia. Many clinical trials by the National Institute On Aging are being conducted now.
Moreover, some recent studies say eating fish may be the strongest factor. This diet may also protect the brain through antioxidant properties. Additionally, it also inhibits beta-amyloid deposits found in the brain of people with a form of Dementia.
Furthermore, some of the evidence through observational studies was that people who followed this diet had thicker cortical brain regions. Also, they have lower levels of beta-amyloid protein and higher glucose metabolism. Similarly, according to the analysis of this diet and other factors, after 4.5 years of following the diet that 53% of people had a reduced rate of Alzheimer’s disease.
Conclusion
In conclusion, more studies showed that eating spinach, kale, fish, and less salt were very helpful. Currently, no vitamins or supplements have been proven to help maintain brain health. The results of consuming this diet showed a substantial decline for an average of 5 years. Thus, the prevalence of cognitive problems was lower in studies related to age-related eye conditions.