Brain Health: Having a dog (or cat) can help reduce your risk of dementia

As I traveled around the world looking for my new book, I realized something pretty extraordinary.

Almost everyone understands the importance of brain health, but few people have any idea how to make their brain healthier, or that achieving such a goal is even possible.

Most people seem to believe that this mysterious organ in bones is a kind of black box that is inviolable and incapable of being improved. Is not it!

The brain can be continuously and consistently enriched throughout your life, regardless of your age or access to resources.

Caring for a cat, dog, or bird can be a catalyst for social interaction. Dogs are particularly good social icebreakers because they act as conversation starters between strangers or casual acquaintances

Our everyday experiences, including what we eat, how much we exercise, who we socialize with, what challenges we face, how well we sleep, and what we do to reduce stress and learn, all affect our brain health and our general wellbeing far more than we can imagine.

Prevention is the most powerful antidote to disease, and this is especially true for degenerative diseases such as those in the brain and nervous system.

The risk of dementia increases exponentially after age 65, and by the age of 85, a third of people will have the disease. However, the studies show that putrefaction begins silently much earlier.

If you are diagnosed at 65, there is every chance your brain will begin to degenerate in your 30s. Symptoms that occur in your 80s have been brewing since your 50s.

Few of us think of dementia when we get into its prime, but maybe we should, because knowing that damage could be occurring in your brain provides a remarkable opportunity to step in and do something about it.

Once your brain is running clean and smooth, everything else follows. You will make better decisions, have improved resilience and optimism, and the physical part of your body will improve too.

Studies suggest that your pain tolerance increases, your need for medication decreases, and your ability to heal faster.

How to remember numbers

Most of us can only store about seven pieces of information in short-term memory at any one time

Most of us can only store about seven pieces of information in short-term memory at any given time, such as: For example, a list of seven shopping items or a seven-digit phone number.

You may be able to increase this capacity a bit by using different storage tricks or strategies.

For example, a ten-digit phone number like 6224751288 might be too long to store all at once.

But divided into ordered blocks, like a separate phone number (622-475-1288), will make it easier for you to remember and remember.

Putting your brain first will put everything else in order for your health. Your heart may be ticking, but it is your brain that makes it tick and determines your quality of life.

Without a healthy brain, you cannot make healthy decisions. And with a healthy brain comes not only a healthy body, weight, and heart, but also stronger self-confidence, a solid financial future thanks to smart choices, better relationships, and more love and happiness in your life.

FRIENDSHIPS ARE IDEAL MEDICINE

Some of the most influential and changeable factors associated with cognitive decline are lifestyle-related: physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, smoking, social isolation, poor sleep, lack of mentally stimulating activity, and alcohol abuse.

In the days when I could travel the world, I was struck by the fact that the most vivacious and joyful people I met, those who seemed to be having a great time despite their advanced age, were always the ones who got high maintained quality friendships and had loving families and an expansive, dynamic social network.

Social connections are really good for us and loneliness kills. People who are more socially connected with family, friends, and their community are happier, healthier physically, and live longer.

There is a lot of science to back up the fact that we need social connections to thrive, especially when it comes to brain health. Cultivating close relationships with friends and family and participating in meaningful social activities will keep your thoughts sharp and your memories strong.

Caring for a cat, dog, or bird can be a catalyst for social interaction. Dogs are especially good social icebreakers because they act as conversation starters between strangers or casual acquaintances.

Caring for pets gives a purpose and structure that benefits your brain health as well. Studies show that contact with a pet can reduce depression, anxiety, and social isolation, lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart attacks, and increase physical activity.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why maintaining social connections is such an important part of keeping the brain young. One reason could be that it provides a buffer against the harmful physical effects of stress.

Certainly, people with less social connections are more likely to report problems such as insomnia, weakened immune systems, increased inflammation, and higher levels of stress hormones.

Research from the Rush University Memory and Aging Project has shown that people with larger social networks are better protected from cognitive declines related to Alzheimer’s than people with a smaller group of friends.

My 12 week plan for increasing your brain power

All week long I’ve been teaching you strategies to keep your mind sharp.

To help you put these into practice on a daily basis, I have devised a plan for you that will increase your brain performance forever.

It is important to remember that the brain is exceptionally plastic.

It can rewire and reshape itself through your experiences and habits, and much of that reshaping can be accomplished in 12 weeks.

To help you put these into practice on a daily basis, I have devised a plan for you that will increase your brain performance forever

It’s like building another muscle in your body.

Change is a challenge, and changing long-standing habits takes effort.

But you can do that.

Dive in and experience the first effects.

I expect that within a few weeks you will have fewer anxious thoughts, better sleep, and more energy.

You feel clearer, less moody, and more resilient to your daily stressors.

Over time, you will likely experience weight loss and tremendous improvements in many areas of your biochemistry – from what goes on in your brain to how your metabolism and immune system work.

It may take a little longer to fully establish and sustain these healthy behaviors for a lifetime. However, if you follow this for three months, you are good to go.

It’s your launch pad.

You don’t have to do anything to prepare; You can start today.

WEEK ONE AND TWO

Time to move!

If you’ve been completely sedentary, begin with a five- to ten-minute burst of exercise divided into intervals of 30 seconds of maximum exertion (e.g., walking fast) and then 90 seconds of recovery (slowing walking).

Work for up to 20 minutes at least three times a week.

Mix up your exercise and try something different to surprise your body and take advantage of new muscles.

If you’re a jogger, try cycling or an online class.

Increase your workout to at least 30 minutes a day, at least five days a week.

When you have a day that you don’t have time to devote to formal exercise, think about ways to get more exercise.

Zoom in as you go outside, or do a series of yoga poses before the news, for example.

Try to limit the minutes you spend sitting.

The more you move during the day, the more your body and brain will feel the benefits.

If your doctor gives you the green light to fast intermittently once or twice a week, you can stop eating between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. the next morning.

This is a 14 hour fast that you will get plenty of sleep from.

WEEK THREE AND FOUR

Add more to your routine by choosing at least TWO of the following options each day:

• Do a 20-minute power walk after lunch most days of the week.
• Get in touch with a neighbor and suggest going for a walk together.
• Make sure that at least two of the meals you eat each week contain salmon or trout.
• Download a meditation app if you haven’t already and use it daily.
• Try to remove soft drinks from your life and switch to water (still or carbonated). In the morning coffee and tea are fine.

WEEK FIVE AND SIX

Try a yoga or pilates class, or go for a walk with a friend. Add a relaxing activity to your bedtime, such as B. a warm bath or mindful meditation

Select at least THREE of the following options to add them to your routine:

• If you haven’t tried keeping a gratitude journal before, start now. Take five minutes each morning to make a list of at least five people or situations that you are grateful for. If the weather permits, do so outside in the fresh air and in the morning sunlight. It’s okay to repeat items from the previous day’s list, but think about everything that happened the day before that could be added. Your notes could be as small as if you were grateful for feeling pretty good about yourself and achieving your daily goals.
• Add an additional 15 minutes to your exercise routine.
• Try a yoga or pilates class, or go for a walk with a friend.
• Avoid eating processed foods.
• Add a relaxing activity to your bedtime, such as B. a warm bath or mindful meditation. While you meditate, just sit in a comfortable, quiet place and take note of your thoughts and feelings. That’s it! No judging, no problem solving, no making lists – just a few quiet moments of quiet while you focus on your breath.

WEEK SEVEN AND EIGHT

If you haven’t had one in the past 12 months, arrange a check-up with your GP. Ask about your current medications and be open about your risk factors for cognitive decline. Is there a family history of dementia?

The opportunities to socialize and get around are currently more limited. So you have to be creative:

• Look for opportunities to volunteer in your community. Find the time. It will be worth it.
• Buy fresh groceries whenever you can, in a rainbow of colors.
• If you haven’t had one in the past 12 months, arrange a check-up with your GP. Ask about your current medications and be open about your risk factors for cognitive decline. Is there a family history of dementia?
• Write a handwritten letter to a younger member of the family describing something you have learned in your life that you can share as an important lesson.
• Read a book on a subject or genre that interests you but is unfamiliar with it.

Nine and ten weeks

Ask yourself the following questions and adjust your lifestyle based on the answers you give:

• Do I get at least 30 minutes of exercise at least five days a week and strength or strength training at least two days a week?
• Am I learning something new that challenges my mind and requires me to develop various skills?
• Do I get restful sleep on a regular basis? Do I give my brain a quiet time?
• Did I go to the S.H.A.R.P. Nutritional log?
• Do I often connect with friends and family?

WEEK ELF

Think about how your family members should deal with a diagnosis of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease