Last time we discussed the myths, and the realities, of keeping your brain healthy and boosting memory. Now let’s look at some more examples. Myth: You can’t stop Alzheimer’s disease. While there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, research suggests that eating well, staying engaged with others, reducing stress and stimulating your brain with new activities can slow the onset of symptoms by several years. In a study by Rush University in Chicago, making just one change—eating plenty of fruits and vegetables while consuming less meat and sweets—can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia by as much as 53 percent. Myth: Brain games make you smarter. 70 of the world’s leading brain scientists released a statement in 2014 rejecting the idea that computerized brain training can improve cognitive powers. Until we know more, you are better off using proven bran boosters such as meditation and
Continue Reading... →Posts Tagged Brain Health
You’ve no doubt heard plenty of stories about how to keep your brain healthy and boost memory. A recent article on AARP’s website explored this subject and distinguished between myth and fact. Here are some the highlights. Myth: Brain aging is inevitable. Although the brain does shrink with age, exercise has been shown to increase brain mass. Researchers at the University of Pittsburg and the University of Illinois asked 120 older, relatively inactive people to either walk or stretch three times a week. The researchers then took MRIs of the subjects’ brains. It took one year for the walkers to increase the size of their hippocampus by two percent, in essence reversing the shrinkage associated with one to two years of aging. In addition, people who exercise regularly may also have less amyloid (plaques found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease). Myth: Supplements can boost your memory. Substances
Continue Reading... →