What can You Do for Your Most Vital Organ, Brain?

You will be surprised to know what people are worried about the most as they age. It’s not heart disease, stroke, diabetes or other such deadly disease. What they are most scared of is memory loss! And why won’t they? You can’t imagine living with many things lost from your memory, can you? So, along with maintaining a healthy weight, cutting down junk food, eating plenty of raw veggies, fruits, nuts and lean meat, and exercising, you also need to care for your brain, maybe by eating right and taking ample rest, or by choosing the best brain supplements. Let’s enlist what you can do for your most vital organ.

Eat Right

I think enough has been written about eating right. But that was regarding the health of our other organs, especially heart, but not brain (mostly). You can and should choose the right food for your brain. Fortunately, right food for heart is also right food for brain. A 2010 Columbia University research states that a high intake of good cholesterol (HDL) reduces the risk of dementia too. Foods to avoid for brain health are bad cholesterol, trans fats and saturated fats, while foods to choose are fruits, fish, vegetables and healthy fats like olive and canola oils. A multivitamin can also be taken, but please avoid overdoses, because they can be toxic. Nourishing meals if taken on a regular basis enhances alertness and helps maintain memory in a good shape.

Stay Active

Again fortunately, exercises which you might have started for the health of your heart keep the health your brain too. They reduce the risk of dementia and improve memory. A study done by the National Institute of Aging revealed that moderate amount of aerobic exercise can increase the memory area of brain. Another study done by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee states that the benefits of exercise are even greater for your brain if you have a genetic risk of Alzheimer’s disease than if you are not genetically prone to the disease.

Sleep Well

Sleep is extremely important to give rest to your brain which works almost all the time. Disturbed sleep reflects in lack of concentration and memory loss. If you are suffering from sleep disturbance due to any reason, get it treated by consulting your doctor, because sleep disturbances are treatable and should be treated for the health of your brain.

Avoid Stress

Depression and stress give rise to chemical changes which can be harmful to brain. If you are depressed or stressed you find it hard to concentrate and understand and remember things. Best ways to get rid of these two is meditation, counseling and relaxation methods.

Quit Addictions

Cigarette smoke has several substances that are harmful to brain and memory. The 2010 Kaiser Permanente study showed a shocking 172% increase in the risk of dementia in heavy smokers. About alcohol, while drinking is supposed to be beneficial if taken moderately, more than a drink or two every day can actually be toxic to brain.

Choose the Right Supplement

Natural foods containing antioxidants in form of vitamins A, C and E are best for brain health. These are available in berries, carrots, cruciferous veggies like cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts, citrus fruits, omega-3 fatty acids contained in fish like salmon, walnuts and wheat germ oil. Vitamin B (B6 and B12) de-stress cranium. This is available in legumes like chickpeas, dark green, leafy veggies, poultry and fish. Also vitamin D (cod liver oil, sun exposure, fish like mackerel, sardine and wild salmon) and choline (eggs, Brewer’s yeast and soybeans) are essential for brain health.

But if you decide to take brain supplements, choose the one with key brain nutrients mentioned above. Ensure that the nutrients come from an uncontaminated and sustainable source.

Moral of the story is you don’t have to do anything special for your most important organ, barring a few things. The regular things you do for your health added with a few more will offer you great brains regardless of your age!