I went into the hospital room. Lay on the bed with tubes running from her arms and tape electrodes to his chest. Equipment side of the room recorded her heartbeat and blood pressure.
She looked at me and said: "I know you." I smiled. He studied my face for a moment. Finally he said: "Yes, I know you. You are my son, Billy!"
What my mother was about a month before he died. Was 85 years. He had Alzheimer's disease, the most common wereCause of dementia.
The possibility of dementia rises with age to receive. 85 years, more than 35 100 people it1. After my mother, I hoped I could figure out how to Sixty-five percent that are old with a strong, active brain.
The functions of the brain
The brain is the center of his body. It controls the autonomic nervous system, the automatic activities such as breathing, digestion, and heartbeat. It controls the somatic nervous systemactivates the sensory organs and muscles. It also controls conscious activities such as thinking, abstraction, decision making and after-thought. It defines your characteristics and personality. The brain controls all activities in your body.
Such as age, the brain starts to work at a slower pace. It still needs more time to rejuvenate themselves. Their way of life, as well as other external factors affect the aging of the brain. The good news is that there are ways to improve the performance ofReaches your brain, as the time that you take. The following four ways to slow down the aging processes of the brain.
1. Live a healthy life
The second most common cause of dementia is atherosclerosis, or in simple terms, hardening of the arteries of the brain. This is called vascular dementia, known for not less than 40% of cases accounts. Vascular dementia has been linked to high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and related conditions. MostExperts believe that treating these conditions, the probability of developing vascular dementia or, if a person already has can progress may be slow decrease. These disorders are often caused by smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and accelerates both prescribing and use of drugs.
Smoking is bad for your health. And "bad for your brain. A study conducted in the Netherlands followed 7000 people aged 55 years for an average of seven years. During this period, 706 ofParticipants developed dementia. Smokers were more than fifty percent of dementia than people who never smoked or develop, who left before participating in the study.
Alcohol abuse has been linked to 15 to 25 percent of all dementias cases2. Alcohol affects the brain directly as a neurotoxin and is the cause of serious long-term adverse effects on the central nervous system. Alcohol abuse can lead to malnutrition, vitamin deficiencies and can also lead to liver damage.Studies show that the brain is shrinking and this can cause brain damage.
Illegal drugs can also lead to dementia. Cocaine affects circulation and has been shown to cause small strokes. Of heroin, if taken for long periods or in the elderly, in a position to block acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that is involved with learning and memory.
2. To eat healthy foods.
As a rule, good nutrition for the body is also good for the brain.
A healthy diet has been shown to reduce thethe risk of many chronic diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer and heart disease. It also increases the chance of a full, live longer lives.
To function properly your brain needs to fuel quality. A diet with five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, carbohydrates such as wholemeal bread, pasta and cereals, fats and proteins and can provide that for you.
Sometimes, brain food, fish is a rich source of unsaturated fats and proteins. A studypublished in the Archives of Neurology3 discovered that eating fish at least once a week to delays in the development of dementia in older men and women. Overall mental function declined at a rate ten percent slower in these fish eaters when compared with peers who do not eat fish as often. Mental function in elderly men and women who had eaten the fish twice or more a week at a rate declined thirteen percent slower than those who do not eat fish.
A final part of a healthy diet, which manyOverlook the people who drink too much. A dehydrated brain does not think clearly. Remember the old tap water is the liquid you can drink more healthy.
3. Exercise Your Body
A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association published, consisting of 2257 Japanese-American men 71 to 93 years reported that regular physical activity can combat the development of Alzheimer's disease protected. Research by a number of organizations, including the Department ofVeterans Affairs and the Pacific Health Research Institute, also suggests that it is better to try to exercise throughout life rather than to recover an unhealthy lifestyle in later years.
Exercise helps us feel better both physically and emotionally. It can help to improve our self-image. It also improves our strength and endurance. It reduces body fat, improves blood flow to the muscles and joints and increases the body's ability to process oxygen. Regular exercisehelps reduce depression, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
What kind of exercise program you should get involved? It depends on your particular preferences and physical condition of your body. If you have more than forty five and have not be exercised for a while, you should consult your physician before starting a training program.
Your training program should include both cardiovascular and strength building exercises are. Cardiovascular exercises are good for the heart.This includes running, swimming and cycling and for best results should be made for at least thirty minutes a day, every day. Building Strength exercises build your muscles and helps keep your bones dense, reducing the risk of osteoporosis. This can be anything from gymnastics to weight training.
An exercise of my favorites is Tai Chi, a combination of slow movements and circular. A study by Harvard Medical School showed that older women who regularly practice Tai Chiexperienced a better fitness will push vigorously for three hours per week. The study found that this was due to a better use of oxygen.
Tai Chi helps people who suffer from arthritis and even osteoporosis. There is some evidence that the enhanced mind and body connection resulting from the practice of Tai Chi may help protect against dementia and Alzheimer's.
Whether it's Tai Chi or any other type of exercise the most important thing is tojust do it.
4. Reduce stress
Stress increases the heart rate and blood pressure and can lead to stroke. There are two types of stress. The first type is known as the acute stress of the flight or fight reaction where the brain known to produce chemicals that tell the body to speed so that they work more efficiently. This is the kind of stress you experience when a car pulls in front of you cause on the brakes suddenly. This kind of stress isnormal and of short duration.
The second type of stress is known as a chronic or long-term exposure. This stress is abnormal and long lasting. There is strong evidence that this type of stress actually damages the brain. It occurs when we rid ourselves of stress. Chronic stress increases the secretion of stress hormones. Studies have shown that these stress hormones can actually kill nerve cells of animals, and they can "do the same in humans.
A method of reducing chronic stress is throughexercise. Stress can be reduced through meditation. Another method is demonstrated through hypnosis. With the visualization process hypnosis can help a person learn to remain calm and relaxed experience, even if an event that was stressful for them in the past.
Regardless of the method of stress reduction in mind that the measures taken will reduce chronic stress to improve your overall health. There is also support for your mentalSkills.
In Conclusion
How to reduce your brain age, his mental faculties. But you can slow down or even stop this process, the avoidance of unhealthy habits, foods that are rich in fuel, a regular exercise and keep your stress under control.
Taking care of your brain. Will not be able to live your life to the fullest, when the brain is not functioning properly. A brain that may well work better for a longer period, is so cherished and cared foran active and fulfilling lives.
1. Beers MH, et al., Eds. (2004). Merck Manual of Health and Aging. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck Research Laboratories
2. Smith, DM & Atkinson, RM (1995). Alcoholism and dementia. International Journal of Addiction, 30 (13-14), 1843-1869.
3. Martha Clara Morris, a el, Archives of Neurology (vol 62, 1-5), December 2005