Worried that your laugh lines make you look old? Or are you more
concerned by the ever-growing amount of gray hair on your head? For many
people, the outward signs of aging—wrinkles, silver hair, age spots—are the
most worrisome. But it's the internal changes you should be concerned with,
because your body grows from the inside out.
In fact, there's one in particular that you should deal with sooner rather than
later—brain shrinkage. Experts say some shrinkage is inevitable as you age. But
lifestyle factors play a role, too, and can actually increase—or
prevent—shrinkage.
Here are some things that can accelerate brain shrinkage:
Depression, Unmanaged
stress, Diabetes, Poor diet, High blood pressure, Alcohol with wine being worse
than beer, Smoking, Weight issues such as being obese or even overweight and Alzheimer's
disease
You can lose as much as 15 percent of your brain to these factors. That may not
seem like much, but your brain functions much, much better when it's all there.
You've probably heard the standard advice for keeping your brain healthy and
especially protecting it against the ravages of Alzheimer's disease.
Recommendations range from working crossword puzzles to socializing,
exercising, and learning a second language.
Those are solid ideas, backed by research. But are they enough? Remember, there
is very little available in conventional medicine for treating brain shrinkage
and related diseases, even though researchers all over the world are searching
for remedies. Considering how devastating Alzheimer's disease is, it is recommended
that everyone does everything they can to keep their brains fully functional.
New studies have shown that one simple nutrient can help prevent brain
shrinkage while providing huge benefits for the rest of your body. The first study, published in the
journal Neurology, found that older people who had high blood levels of
good fats known as omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) scored better on mental
function tests and had less brain shrinkage than people with low levels of
those nutrients. Omega-3 EFAs are nutrients your body cannot make and must
obtain from supplements or food. And research has shown that Alzheimer's
patients have lower than normal brain concentrations of DHA (docosahexaenoic
acid), a key omega-3.
Fish and fish oil supplements are one source of omega-3s but the preference has
been on people getting their EFAs from marine oil, like squid, that's
sustainable, distilled to remove toxins and heavy metals, and contains the
preferred ratio of DHA to EPA (2.5 to 1).
Considering that DHA makes up about 40 percent of your brain, this makes sense.
The EFAs, and DHA in particular, are building blocks for cell membranes, so
you'll want to provide your brain with plenty of the raw materials it needs to
function. Omega-3 supplements improve brain health, protect your heart and
eyes, reduce inflammation throughout your body, support healthy cholesterol and
triglyceride levels, and promote healthy circulation and blood pressure.
Brain shrinkage is an inevitable part of aging. But now you have the power to
do something about it. I hope you'll take advantage of that and give your brain
everything it needs.
Article courtesy of Thrive in Health and Wellness, Leigh Erin Connealy,
M.D.
