Brain Health & Lifestyle
Whilst Nutritional Therapy primarily targets diet and nutrition, it is also within the remit of a Registered Nutritional Therapist to recommend lifestyle modifications to protect and uphold good health.
Our lifestyles are ever-evolving. We live in an increasingly complex, industrialised and un-switch-off-able World, which has bestowed many benefits on humankind but equally may have compromised our long-term cognitive healthspan. Research has suggested that cognitive decline may start to develop up to 20 years before the manifestation of any symptoms, and the youngest recorded age to have receive diagnosis of early-onset Dementia is just 19 years old! So we really do need to start paying attention to our diet and lifestyles years before symptoms manifest.
So, what simple modifications can we implement into our lifestyle to guard against cognitive decline? The suggestions below are decent places to start, however it is important to seek professional help from qualified experts. And as always, it is worth re-emphasising that Nutritional Therapy is highly personalised so please seek bespoke recommendations from a Registered Nutritional Therapist (and any lifestyle experts your Registered Nutritionist refer you to), to ensure you can pursue a diet and lifestyle programme which is appropriate, relevant, and tailored to you.
Keep learning. Education does not stop after you finish school or University. Even small activities such as choosing to physically go to a shop/supermarket (rather than having goods/food delivered to your doorstep) can serve as brain training, since retailers frequently reorganise their shelves so we have to ‘relearn’ where things are. More typical and fun forms of brain training include learning a new craft, language, musical instrument or skill. These activities help connect, challenge and stimulate your brain neurones which helps to stave-off or slow cognitive decline.
Exercise; be that going for a brisk daily walk, learning to dance, or signing up to an exercise class at your local Gym (a combination of cardiovascular, resistance/weights and flexibility exercise is most brain-beneficial). Exercise is crucial for promoting and increasing the expression of a protein called ‘Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor’ (BDNF) which is essential for brain neurone growth, survival, and neuroplasticity (which directly influences the Brains’ ability to learn and remember). If you choose to embark on a programme of exercise, be sure to consult with a qualified Personal Trainer so they can sculpt the most appropriate and targeted exercise programme for you.
Socialise and/or Volunteer with individuals or an organisation you empathise and/or identify with. Research indicates that brain health is closely associated with quantity & quality of social interaction a person participates in, so if you enjoying mixing with other people then do so in abundance. If you are of a more reserved character, spending time with animals or simply going for a walk in nature can also be brain-beneficial.
As I hope this post has highlighted, don’t forget Eat, Drink, Think Nutrition and spare a thought (no pun intended) for your brain health. Losing your brain power can be even more devastating to you, and those around you, than losing an aspect of your physical health, so why wouldn’t you start to look after your brain right away since diet and lifestyle modifications actioned NOW could save a lot of distress and heartbreak later in life.
REMEMBER: if you are taking any medications always consult a Registered Nutritional Therapist as well as your Doctor before making significant dietary or lifestyle changes. This blog post is written for educational purposes only and in reference to ‘food’. It is NOT advocating taking dietary supplements. It is very important to please always consult a Registered Nutritional Therapist or your Doctor before introducing any dietary supplements into your health regime as these qualified professionals will be able to offer personalised recommendations.
If you are struggling with skin and/or nutrient (im)balance issues and you want to discover the inspiring & sustainable diet & lifestyle programmes offered by Nutritional Therapy, get in touch via the Contact Me page on this website, or directly on info@eatdrinkthinknutrition.co.uk for more information about 1:2:1 Consultations with Eat Drink Think Nutrition®.
