10 Ways to Maintain Your Brain®
- Head First: Good health starts with your brain so don't take it for granted. It's one of the most important body organs and needs care and maintenance.
- Take Brain Health To Heart: Heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke can increase your risk of Alzheimer's.
- Your Numbers Count: Keep your body weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels within recommended ranges.
- Feed Your Brain: Eat a low-fat, low cholesterol diet that features dark-skinned vegetables and fruits, foods rich in antioxidants. Vitamins E and C, B12, foliate and Omega-3 fatty acids.
- Work Your Body: Physical exercise keeps the blood flowing and encourages new brain cells. It's doesn't have to be a strenuous activity. Do what you can - walking 30 minutes a day - to keep both body and mind active.
- Jog Your Mind: Keeping you brain active and engaged increases it vitality and builds reserves of brain cells and connections. Read, write, play games, do crossword puzzles.
- Connect With Others: Leisure activities that combine physical, mental and social elements are most likely to prevent dementia. Be social, converse, volunteer, join.
- Heads Up! Protect Your Brain: Take precautions against injuries. Use your car seat belts, unclutter your house to avoid falls, and wear a helmet when cycling.
- Use Your Head: Avoid unhealthy habits. Don't smoke, drink excessive alcohol or use street drugs.
- Think Ahead - Start Today!: You can do something today to protect your tomorrow.
Return to main page of the November is National Alzheimer's Awareness Month article.
Updated: October 20, 2005
