Three Ways to Protect the Brain from Memory Loss and Senility
People fear the loss of mental acuity as much as a diagnosis of cancer according to researchers in the field. Alzheimer’s disease is a compelling and threatening reason to take steps to avoid this debilitating condition. Pick’s disease is similar in some regards to Alzheimer’s disease, but the two can be distinguished by diagnostic criteria. Memory loss due to aging, depression, or other environmental factors is a more benign occurrence without a change in personality and may be responsive to behavioral intervention. All of them will be benefit from preventative measures to lessen symptoms and postpone onset as long as possible.
The first factor in protecting the brain is to protect the whole system. The brain responds to the same stimuli as the rest of the body. Good nutrition is as essential for the brain as for the heart and lungs and muscles. The brain is only 2% of the body’s weight, but it consumes 20% of the calories. For this reason it is not good to try to diet so that you exclude carbohydrates. Fruits, vegetables, and grains are the power source for the brain. Moderate exercise is important to maintain good blood flow to the brain. Walking, gardening, or stretching is good even if your mobility is impaired. One thing we neglect in physical activity is the enjoyment factor. When choosing an activity, select one that is enjoyable. The benefits of exercise are reduced when the subject is negative or feels unhappy in doing it.
The second factor relates to other health conditions. A person with arteriosclerosis, who experiences slow blood delivery to muscles, heart, and lungs, will also experience the clogged arteries in the brain. Medication to lessen this buildup of cholesterol will benefit the brain as well as the heart. People who have diabetes will need to control blood sugar as closely as possible because either extreme of blood sugar numbers will damage brain cells. If the blood sugar level is too high, the cells absorb too much fluid and rupture. If the blood sugar level is too low, the cell starves for lack of nutrition. Brain cells do not regenerate. When they are dead, they are lost forever.
The third protective measure for the brain is learning. The brain is almost complete in regard to number of neurons when a person is born. There are many refinements in the brain as the person grows, but the main changes occur as the neurons are myelinated, that is, coated with myelin, a substance made from cholesterol. Myelin acts as an insulator in the nerve cell to make transmission of information from one neuron to another accurate and efficient. By the age of twenty people are losing brain cells daily as a normal result of living. Some things cause more loss that is necessary or desirable: drug use, alcohol use, inhaling toxins in the environment, consuming neurotoxins, etc. Loss of neurons is inevitable, and we cannot replace them. What we can do to improve the brain is make new connections between the neurons. Learning does that. When a person learns something new a new connection is made. It stimulates the brain and it is reinforcing—it makes you feel good.
Taking care of your brain is a lifelong responsibility. It deserves the same attention as the rest of the body, and its importance never diminishes.
Sources
- https://healthblog.uofmhealth.org/brain-health/5-ways-to-protect-your-memory-from-dementia
- https://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/news/20150807/alzheimers-aging-brain-exercise#1
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/healthy-aging/in-depth/memory-loss/art-20046518
- https://www.helpguide.org/articles/alzheimers-dementia-aging/preventing-alzheimers-disease.htm
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