12 - Brain Health across the Lifespan

Summary

Throughout our lives, our brains undergo a process of gradual, ongoing, and highly variable modifications. It is perfectly normal for people to notice slight cognitive changes by their 50s. This chapter explains how our brain changes throughout our life span. New research on dementia has good news. Just like incidence of heart disease is going down, the incidence of dementia going down! Prevalence, however, or total number of cases, is going up, because there are more older adults in the population than ever before. Research shows life-long healthy habits may cut dementia risk by at least 1/3. Employing healthy habits at age 50 reduces our risk for dementia for at least 24 years. People in Blue Zones develop dementia at a 75% lower rate. Chapter explains the top ten practices to keep brain healthy and high functioning throughout life. Pushing yourself to learn something new helps you develop new neurons and new neural connections. Actions to take explained: Exercise, Mediterranean Diet, participate in Cognitive Training/Stimulation. Engage in creative pursuits. Sleep. Be mindful of medications. Higher education. Wear hearing aids. Watch heath. Avoid social isolation. Celebrate a healthy aging brain.