You know that your body needs Exercise, but did you know it’s CRUCIAL for your brain as well? I recently interviewed Ron Nevelow, with Enlighten Senior Care on my podcast, and he shared the 5 things we all should be doing to work toward (and keep) a healthier brain.

1. Exercise – 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, enough to keep your heart at an elevated rate. Walking is the #1 way to do this, especially for older adults, followed by swimming.
2. Social Interaction – when you interact with people socially you use different parts of your brain. Note having a conversation with a new person will challenge your brain even more.
3. Brain Foods – #1 food is fresh blueberries. Fresh strawberries are excellent too. Salmon, broccoli, dark chocolate (small amounts), walnuts. The general rule is if it’s good for the heart, it’s good for the brain.
4. Physical & Mental Health – taking care of your health by getting enough REM Sleep, staying hydrated, keeping blood pressure in check, cholesterol levels in healthy range, managing Diabetes, maintaining a healthy weight and staying mentally healthy by treating Depression and Anxiety.
5. Challenging Cognitive Activities – these are activities that utilize and push the brain. Learn or relearn a language, take up knitting, learn Technology. Check out www.DuoLingo.com. It’s a free site for learning a language.

Learn more about Brain Fitness by listening to Episode #75 of the podcast Aging in Style. You can find it on my website www.loriwilliams-seniorsservices.com.

Originally Published on https://www.loriwilliams-seniorservices.com/

Lori Williams Senior Living Expert & Host of the Podcast, Aging in Style

Owner/Founder of Lori Williams - Senior Services. I’ve worked in senior living for over 16 years. My passion for learning all I could about aging, dementia and resources for older adults was inspired by my grandmother who was diagnosed with dementia in 1994. I am also the creator and host of the podcast, Aging in Style. The purpose of the podcast is to educate on all things senior related and to share stories of inspirational seniors.

I have a degree in Marketing from LSU, and I am a Certified Senior Advisor and a Certified Dementia Practitioner.