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How To Keep
Mentally Fit As You Age
When you are young and mentally fit, you will perhaps never be
able to comprehend that your memory, intelligence and overall mental
fitness can actually decline as you age. However, as we grow older,
our mental sharpness will gradually decline (and at an increasing
rate) if we fail to keep on top of things.
Memory decline starts to accelerate when we are in our 50's, and
the immediate result will be a reduction in short term memory. For
example, you may go to do something important, but then
completely forget what it was you were going to do.
After this, we can experience an absence of mental health
through the rapid destruction of brain cells.
The best way to protect your brain as you grow old is to always
remain mentally active throughout your life. Below you will find
some specific guidelines:
1. Keep
a consistent level of physical exercise throughout your
life.
This can include even the most basic
exercises such as walking from one end of the room to the other. It
does not need to be strenous exercise, but just 15-20 minutes worth
every 2-3 days to make sure your body stays in shape. Also, what is
good for your cardiovascular system and body will be good for
your brain, because the level of nutrients which can be supplied to
the brain through wider arteries will produce a substantial
cumulative effect throughout your life.
2. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables
throughout your life.
This has been said
time and again, but it's amazing how many people fail to realise or
appreciate the value of fruit and veg. You do not have to substitute
your whole diet for the green stuff, but merely make it
as an addition to it. For example, if you are going to have
fish and chips, have some peas with it and a few slices of tomato
for example. The value of this would be to provide your body with
much needed cell protecting anti-oxidants. Over many years, the
absence of anti-oxidants can have a seriously drastic effect on your
intelligence, IQ and mental sharpness. It will also lead to
increased aging. Fruit and veg is therefore to be treated with the
utmost respect and reverence as a valid way to improve our
lives.
3. Consume more fish. In particular
oily fish.
This will provide your brain with
Omega 3 fatty acids, which will balance with the more abundant Omega
6. The effect of this would be that your brain will become much more
flexible and adaptable to mental change. This is because the brain
as a whole is a complex piece of fat, and the more balanced the fats
in the brain become, the quicker it can change its
composition.
4. Consume no
alcohol.
Alcohol kills brain cells. Enough
said. Even a mild drink here and there can make you lose brain
cells. This is because alcohol is a mild poison which infects the
body. The brain cells can actually be lost in vital areas of
our memory. For example, something which we have learned
and have known inside out for years, might become hazy in our minds
after a few binge drinking sessions. Whatsmore, is that the
effect over several years is very noticeable through the decline in
mental performance.
5. Strive to become educated, and
continue to learn new things in your life.
This basically goes down to the phrase: "use it or lose it".
Use your brain and strive to learn and understand new things, and
you will find that your brain will stay in tip top shape. Don't
just read books and expect to increase your IQ and mental
sharpness back to its peak. Do things like mental puzzles and
crosswords. Incorporate this into your life. For example, do the
maths on the price of your shopping in your head, and see if it is
right when you go to the checkout counter.
6. Always have a good night's
sleep.
Lack of sleep by even an hour or two
over a few years, will lead to a decrease in intelligence and mental
sharpness over the years. We tend to think that a lapse of sleep
here and there doesn't have a long term implication, but we
fail to see the bigger picture and the situation that could arise
from years of sleep abuse.
What To
Expect
It is natural for the mind to remain
sharp throughout our lives, so long as we are living a natural life.
This natural life is through following the 6 steps above. The
suggestions are both easy to implement, and will help to protect the
integrity of your brain into old age.
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