5 Ways to Stop Brain Shrink
Experts once thought the kind of brain shrinking that comes with age is inevitable. Starting in your early 20's and continuing slowly through middle age, you do lose about 2 grams of brain tissue every year. At age 80 that loss jumps to 5 grams per year.
Now there's increasing evidence that how you live your life can keep your brain healthy and plump, and your thinking sharp. Take these steps to help slow brain drain:
1. Feed your brain B's. Running short on vitamin B12 may give you trouble recalling certain words, and low levels of B9 (folate) may further sap the brain.
To guard against a shortfall, especially if you're a vegetarian, it's smart to take a B12 supplement (the RealAge daily recommendation of 25 micrograms of B12). Folate is found in many fortified foods, including cereals, breads, and pastas, so you may get plenty in your diet. Don't take a folate supplement unless your doctor tests your B12 levels first. High folate levels may mask a B12 deficiency.
2. Watch your waist. A study of more than 2,000 adults revealed that those who were most overweight had the greatest decline in their mental abilities over a 5-year period.
One theory faults leptin, a protein that stored fat secretes and that may affect learning and memory. Another theory is that cardiovascular disease, which is commonly associated with a high body mass index (BMI), harms the brain.
3. Walk a mile a day. In a 9-year study, people who walked just 6 to 9 miles a week preserved significantly more gray matter as they aged compared with their more sedentary peers. The walkers also had a twofold reduction in their risk for cognitive impairment.
The benefit may be due to the fact that physical activity zooms blood to your brain and unleashes brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a natural brain fertilizer that makes cells multiply and connect.
4. Have a purpose. Adults who have a strong sense of purpose in their lives are significantly less likely to develop cognitive impairment over the long haul, according to one survey.
Researchers think having personal experiences that give your life meaning may alter your immune system in a way that benefits your heart and blood vessels. And that's good for your noggin.
5. Be a bookworm. Researchers found that people who read regularly may develop a "cognitive reserve" that protects them from such harmful things as pollution and toxins.
The extra brainpower keeps their mind rolling when brain cells are under attack. In a study of factory workers, for instance, the brains of those who read regularly functioned just fine on cognitive tasks, despite on-the-job exposure to toxic substances, such as lead.
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