I have just started doing home care in Bridport and am astonished by how many people are bed-ridden because of dementia. Unlike common belief, dementia is a lot more than just brain fog or loss of memory, many people become totally immobilised and they can't even communicate because of the loss of motor-neuron skills.
Simply put, if we lose our brain, we lose everything. We would eventually become stiff vegetables that can't move or speak. In order to maintain our autonomy and quality of life, we MUST look after our brain. We must not make a virtue out of trashing our brain by drinking and smoking excessively simply because it's socially acceptable, if not encouraged.
Your brain is your body's most vital organ, and just like any other part of your body, it requires care and attention to function at its best. Maintaining and enhancing brain health is essential for overall well-being, cognitive function, and a higher quality of life. In this blog, we'll explore ten strategies to help you protect and improve your brain health.
1. Stay Physically Active
Regular exercise isn't just good for your body; it's great for your brain too. Physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, helps in the formation of new neurons, and boosts the release of essential neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week to keep your brain in top shape.
2. Eat a Brain-Boosting Diet
What you eat can have a profound impact on your brain health. Focus on a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy omega-3 fats like those found in small fish that are less contaminated such as, sardines and anchovies, grass-fed meat and butter, walnuts, macadamia nuts, hemp seeds, chia seeds, coconut, avocado and olive oil.
Foods high in antioxidants, such as berries, herbs, spices, cruciferous vegetables and dark leafy greens, can help protect your brain from oxidative stress.
Avoid sugar, simple carbohydrates and omega-6 oils that can be found in processed food. Instead, take omega-3 supplements that are plant-based like, algae and hemp seeds. Fish oil would be too contaminated with heavy metals.
3. Get Adequate Sleep
Sleep is crucial for cognitive function and memory consolidation. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night. A regular sleep schedule, a comfortable sleep environment, and relaxation techniques can all contribute to better sleep quality.
4. Stay Mentally Active
Engage your brain with activities that challenge and stimulate it. Reading, puzzles, board games, learning a new language, or taking up a musical instrument are excellent ways to keep your mind active and promote cognitive health.
5. Manage Stress and Sunbathe
Chronic stress can be detrimental to your brain. Practice stress-reduction techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing, and yoga. Managing stress can help protect against cognitive decline and improve overall brain health. Sunbathing is healthy for the brain as well.
6. Socialise Regularly
Maintaining social connections is essential for brain health. Socializing stimulates your brain and can reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Spend time with friends and loved ones, join clubs, or volunteer to stay engaged with your community.
7. Protect Your Head
Prevent head injuries by wearing helmets during high-risk activities and adhering to safety guidelines. Head injuries can increase the risk of neurological disorders, so it's essential to protect your brain from physical harm.
8. Stay Hydrated
Dehydration can affect your cognitive function and mental clarity. Aim to drink enough water throughout the day to stay properly hydrated, as even mild dehydration can impact brain function. Lemon, watermelon and coconut water are rich in electrolytes. Add a pinch of Celtic or Himalayan salt to your water to enhance its mineral contents for better hydration.
9. Limit Alcohol and Avoid Smoking
Alcohol can induce early-onset Alzheimer's. Excessive alcohol consumption and smoking can harm your brain. Moderation is key when it comes to alcohol, and quitting smoking is the best choice for your overall health. Both can contribute to cognitive decline and increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Smoking drastically shrinks your brain.
10. Avoid and Detox Heavy Metals and Neurotoxins
Heavy metals cause brain damage and dementia. Protect yourselves from heavy metals and chlorine by filtering your water with a proper charcoal or reversed-osmosis filter, not just with a flimsy Britta jug.
Drink heavy metal detox smoothies to effectively get heavy metals out of our brain. (https://www.vickyvortex.com/post/stay-sharp-stay-calm-with-heavy-metal-detox-smoothies)
Far-infrared sauna is great to induce sweating; one per cent of your sweat contains heavy metals. Avoid large fish such as sword fish and tuna because they are high in mercury. Do not use antiperspirant because of its aluminium contents that get stored in our brain. Avoid using aluminium foil.
Avoid fluoride by getting organic toothpaste because fluoride is a neurotoxin that calcifies our pineal gland, blocking our intuition. Get rid of amalgam which is mercury that leeches into our brain.
Celery juice is another effective way to detoxify your brain of heavy metals as well as neurotoxins. Its antiviral properties help kill the pathogens that reside in the liver. (https://www.vickyvortex.com/post/worried-about-ageing-this-proven-technique-is-changing-millions-of-lives)
11. Challenge Yourself
Continuously push your boundaries and seek out new experiences. Learning new skills, traveling, and taking on new challenges can help create new neural pathways and keep your brain active and healthy.
12. Get a Flu Jab
Contrary to popular belief, a study in the Canadian Medical Journal found that a variety of vaccines actually protect us against Alzheimer's in the long run.
13. Intermittent Fasting Creates Neurons & Stem Cells
Fasting can boost your brain health by growing neurons. Thanks to our hunter-and-collector ancestors, we have evolved to become more intelligent so that we could be better hunters when we were starving. Stem cells and Human Growth Hormones (HGH) are also created in the process for preparing the brain and other parts of the body. Dead and cancer cells are also recycled so that we can use. up their protein for rejuvenating the body.
Conclusion Your brain is a remarkable organ, and caring for it should be a top priority. By adopting these 13 strategies, you can protect and improve your brain health, leading to a sharper mind, better memory, and an overall higher quality of life. Remember that it's never too late to start taking care of your brain, and the benefits are well worth the effort. So, take the first step today towards a healthier and happier brain.