Keeping the Mind Mentally Active

Just as exercise keeps your body strong, mental activity keeps the mind sharp and agile. Challenging the brain and continuous learning not only keeps the mind healthy, but they also impact our entire physical well-being. New dendrites (the connections between nerve ells that allow cells to communicate with each other) are produced throughout your entire life. These new connections help you store and retrieve information more easily.

At any age the brain continues to absorb information, make new connections, acquire new skills and enhance memory. Mental decline is NOT a part of normal aging and there are ways you can train your brain. 

Tips for maintaining a healthy mind:

• Stay physically active to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's stroke and osteoporosis.
• Exercise every day for 30 minutes to improve blood flow to the brain.
• Seek positive social interaction by staying involved with friends and family. Social interaction is key to keeping the mind sharp.
• Get Involved. It gets you out of the house and involved with others.
• Reduce stress. Normal aging can make the mind less efficient, but don't stress about it.
• Exercise and challenge your mind daily with puzzles games and mental exercises.
• Practice good nutrition and a balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, breads and cereals which contain folic acid, Vitamin B12 and thiamine to keep the memory healthy.
• Drink water. Water is an essential part of humans and needed for good memory. Lack of water leads to dehydration. Choose water over soda as it can lead to dehydration and fatigue.
• Try to have a a positive attitude, which leads to more focus, increased memory and alertness.
• Vary your activity to keep the mind strong and healthy. Creativity in everyday life provides excellent mental stimulation.

To learn more about cognition and memory, download our free educational book "Cognition: A Mind Guide to Parkinson’s Disease."