Overview
As we all know, our brain is the most complex organ and one of the most important ones. With brain, we can make sense of this world and do whatever we can do in our daily life, such as thinking, feeling and imagining. Moreover, it helps our organs function. For example, our breath and heart activity are both controlled by the brain. In a word, brain is the basic of our life. This makes its health quite important for us. Brain health refers to making the most of your brain and helping reduce some risks to it as you age.
What can affect your brain health?
The following six factors are thought to have the most significant impact on your brain health:
- Your diet
Brain is like a vehicle that needs gasoline to keep running. Gasoline for your brain is food you eat. Brain needs amino acids, b vitamins, minerals and many other nutrients that can be absorbed from food to function properly. However, intake of wrong types of food, such as sugar, alcohol, caffeine, food additives, will do harm to your brain health.
- Nutritional deficiencies
As mentioned above, right nutrients from food are necessary for our brain. Deficiencies of nutrients will undoubtedly affect the brain health.
- Environmental Toxins
Nowadays, air pollution, car exhaust, perfume and colognes, air fresheners and many of the chemicals are very common in our life. Exposure to these kinds of environmental toxins will lead to impairment to brain chemistry.
- Chronic stress
Persistent stress is not good for brain health as well. Neurotransmitters that modulate the stress response system are needed in large numbers when you are under pressure. Therefore, neurotransmitter levels will be drained if there are high levels of stress on a consistent basis. In the same way, the levels of some nutrients producing neurotransmitter will also be drained.
- Your gut
Brain health has association with your gut. Communication between the gut and the brain can be affected and production of function of neurons and neurotransmitters may be disrupted if these cases exist, including insufficient levels of healthy bacteria, too much of healthy bacteria or the presence of an unfriendly organism like yeast, parasites, or unfriendly bacteria in the gut.
- Sleep
Adequate sleep plays an important role in brain health. Lack of sleep may cause neurons to lose responsiveness to neurotransmitters. What’s more, sleep deprivation is also a form of stress, and thus may drain neurotransmitter levels.
- Your thoughts
In addition to the foregoing factors, the thoughts you consciously choose to focus on have impact on your brain chemistry. If you always focus on negative things, that will reinforce the bad influence caused by the factors above.
How to keep the brain healthy?
Considering those negative factors, you can keep your brain healthy by:
- Getting some shuteye
Have a regular sleep schedule. Seven to eight hours is a good night’s rest.
- Eating up
Feed your brain with right food that is healthy and nutritious.
- Stay connected
Get out and have regular engagement in social activities.
- Get moving
Be active and take part in some activity.
- Mind your meds
Clearly know the benefits and risks of medicines you take.
- Discover a new talent
Try something new to challenge your brain on a regular basis.
- Drink moderately
Drink moderate amount of alcohol or even skip the wine.
- Talk to your doctor
Consult your doctor if you have any problems.
- Maintain your balance
Avoid accidental brain injury by improving your balance.
- Know your blood pressure
Keep it under control to reduce risks.
Best brain foods
There are some foods that are often recommended to have for your brain health, involving:
- Blueberries, strawberries and other berries
- Wild salmon
- Nuts and seeds
- Olives and avocados
- Eggs
- Whole grains
- Beans
- Pomegranate juice
- Grass-fed Beef
- Freshly brewed tea
Keywords: brain health
