With age to keep a clear mind all the more difficult.
Our everyday habits and routine actions can either harm or help the brain. Dr. Daniel Gregory Amen in the book “the Great brain at any age,” notes that one of the main obstacles to success — everyday behavior. He calls the 14 is bad for the brain habits applicable to all age groups.
1. Poor nutrition
You literally consist of what you eat. Every cell in your body, including the brain’s neurons are updated once in five months. Some cells, such as those that form skin, regenerate every 30 days. A healthy diet, a balanced diet supplies the necessary biologically significant substances and fuel for optimal brain function. Your health is very much dependent on your diet. However, many of us adhere to a catastrophic diet. Obesity and diabetes have become an epidemic. Both of these diseases are directly associated with diet and serve as risk factors for the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Your daily diet can help or harm the brain.
What are your food habits? You skip Breakfast? Grab in the morning on the way to work, a few cream doughnuts and a large coffee with flavored cream and sugar? Or do you think that will be smarter if you reduce the number of calories, replacing the sugar with aspartame? You drink soda and think that your body gets just sugar water with bubbles? So allow yourself to get hungry, then overeat at lunch or dinner? Keep on working the candy in your Desk or in a locker nearby? Plan when you eat or think about food only when you are hungry? Are you a lover of superparty? You overeat at night?
Optimum brain diet is based on the following principles.
A large amount of clean water.
A bit of calories. Excess weight is bad for the brain, since fat accumulates toxic substances and obesity doubles the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Lean protein helps build neurons. For example, fish, chicken, lean pork or beef.
Complex carbohydrates with a low glycemic index. They are contained in whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
Healthy fats. Fish, avocado and raw nuts support membrane of nerve cells and the myelin sheath.
Lots of fruits and vegetables containing antioxidants, for example blueberry. I often tell my patients that you need to eat fruits and greens all the colours of the rainbow: yellow, red, green, purple, etc.
2. Lack of physical activity
No matter how old you are, the lack of movement is harmful to your brain even if you spend all your time solving crossword puzzles. The brain needs exercise. Without them he suffers. Movement increases blood flow to the brain, improving its oxygen supply, glucose and biologically significant substances as well as excretion of toxic substances. All that impairs blood flow, leading to reduced flow of oxygen, lack of glucose and scarcity of nutrients. If deep areas of the brain will not receive sufficient blood supply, there will be problems with coordination and processing of complex thoughts. Exercise also increases the level of promoting neurogenesis neurotrophic factor in the brain. When we lose more cells than it creates, starts aging.
Studies conducted on laboratory rats showed that exercise promotes the synthesis of new neurons in the frontal cortex (judgment and thoughtfulness) and temporal lobes (memory). They live approximately four weeks, then die if not stimulated. If you stimulate these new neurons through mental activity and social interaction, they connect with other neurons and will enhance your ability to learn. That’s why people who train only in the gym, not as savvy as those who are after fitness go to the library.
At any age exercise helps to maintain brain health. Without them we become thick, blunt, and definitely less happy.
The most useful sports activities — the so-called aerobic exercise (or cardio). These are the ones that increase the heart rate through continuous rhythmical movements. Coordination activates the cerebellum, increases cognitive abilities, cognitive flexibility and information processing speed. Dancing is excellent physical exercise, especially when mastering new moves. But if you are dancing, taking alcohol, all good is destroyed.
Another great mind sport is table tennis. It is especially good for the cerebellum, because it forces to work in concert with your eyes, hands and feet and at the same time to figure out how to spin the ball.
3. The risk of traumatic brain injury
Traumatic brain injury can have a devastating effect on your life, no matter what age they happen. “I’ve had patients who fell off a ladder at the age of three years, fell from a second floor window when they were seven, and fell off the roof in middle age. There were those that suffered severe accidents on a skateboard in the early Teens, snowboard in his youth, and off-road — young. I had, of course, and older patients who experienced a severe fall. All of these injuries can lead to brain damage and jeopardize your ability and happiness,” notes Amen.
Rate your everyday behavior: it increases or lowers the risk of brain injury?
You drive a car at high speed; sending TEXT messages sitting at the wheel?
Hit her head a soccer ball? It is proved that the result of this damaged the front end of the temporal lobes (which potentially can affect memory, language abilities and emotional control).
You ride a bike, skateboard, skiing or snowboarding without helmets or loose-fitting helmets? (Helmet, fitting tightly on the head, provides much more protection than loose. Cycling — the first cause of traumatic brain injury in children and adolescents.)
You participate in races on four-wheel drive vehicles, SUVs, ATVs, jet skis or boats?
You drink alcohol? This increases the risk of brain injury in a car accident, a fall or bring anyone to madness, enough to inflict a traumatic brain injury.
Do you take medication or drugs, under the influence of which you hesitantly stand up or slows down your reaction (causing increased risk of injury)?
You drive a car, not buckling seat belts or talking on a mobile phone?
You do Boxing or extreme sports that put you at increased risk?
There are many daily habits that increase the risk of injury. Remember that your brain is soft, and the skull is solid. Respect and protect your brain.
4. Chronic stress
Chronic or severe stress that stems from family conflict, financial difficulties, health problems or environmental problems, has a negative effect on all age groups. When stress becomes continuous, it damages the brain. In a series of studies have shown the effect of prolonged exposure to stress hormones, particularly cortisol, on brain function in older people, the young and children.
High cortisol levels leads not only to shrinking of the hippocampus, it also makes you gain weight because it destroys a number of hormones that control appetite. In addition, daily stress increases blood pressure, disturbs sleep and contributes to thinking of the negative type — all of it disrupts the brain. Use techniques for countering stress, in particular daily relaxation, meditation, prayer, or physical activity, can have a positive effect on your mind.
5. Negative thinking, chronic worry or anger
Thinking style is a habit. And negative, troubled or embittered thinking — a bad habit. It is the result of a lack of “thinking” education. Most people believe that the thoughts just come. We are not taught to question or correct negative words or images that randomly arise in our minds. And this is in essence the symptoms of anxiety and depression, problems in family relations or at work, and they have a real, negative biological effect on brain function.
The brain and the body react to our every thought. At any age, including childhood, the nature of our thoughts is either helping or hurting us. Positive, joyful, hopeful thoughts cause the release of hormones and neurotransmitters that promote good health. Negative, anxious or angry thoughts generate products of very different substances, corresponding to poor health, and slowly destroying the function of your brain.
Depression, flow unrestrained, unquestioned negative thoughts — doubles the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, increases susceptibility to substance abuse in the process of coping with painful feelings and alienates you from other people, thereby increasing isolation and loneliness.
6. Lack of sleep
You went to bed late and get up early? You toss and turn, casting a glance at the clock and impatiently waiting for the morning, experiencing self-loathing for what you have not the strength to turn off your own mind? Sleep is essential for the normal functioning of the brain. People who sleep less than 7 hours per night, reduced blood flow in the brain, and it is difficult to think clearly throughout the day.
Sleep problems are in USA threatening. According to the National institutes of health, 30% of the population are observed with chronic sleep problems and 10 % have symptoms of chronic sleep deprivation during the day. The number of prescriptions issued for sleeping pills in the last decade have soared incredibly. We have an epidemic of insomnia.
Replacement workers, people suffering from violation of the regime because of frequent travel between time zones, teenagers with their eccentric sleeping patterns and people suffering from sleep apnea risk significantly degrade the performance of your brain. Lack of sleep directly affects the performance of memory tests and math tests, grades in school and likely to get into a car accident. According to the National Department of road safety, sleepiness and fatigue cause more than hundreds of thousands of traffic accidents a year, and more than half of these accidents behind the wheel are young drivers. Lack of sleep has also been linked to depression and attention deficit disorder. And was recently the connection of sleep apnea (loud snoring, stop breathing during sleep, and tiredness during the day) with Alzheimer’s disease.
In addition, sleep is involved in the rejuvenation of the brain. Sleep-deprived people are starting to suffer from psychosis.
Try to find the opportunity to sleep 7-8 hours per night. Children and adolescents should sleep longer. Develop habits that ensure a good night’s sleep. For example, avoid high consumption of caffeine or nicotine. Also, don’t use alcohol as a sleep aid because it will cease, that will lead to the resumption of symptoms, and you’ll Wake up in the night. Avoid strenuous exercise before bedtime. And learn relaxation techniques to calm your mind.
7. Tobacco smoke
Nicotine prematurely ages the brain. Located in cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, nicotine patches, tablets and gum nicotine constricts blood vessels, reducing blood flow to vital organs. Smokers often suffer from impotence due to poor blood supply to genital organs.
Nicotine restricts blood flow to the skin, so smokers look older than their years. Restricting blood flow to the brain, nicotine deprives it of essential nutrients, which leads eventually to a General reduction of activity. If this substance is so harmful, why people use it?
Nicotine (like alcohol and other drugs) for a short time improves health. It stimulates the release of several brain neurotransmitters, particularly acetylcholine, which yields a positive reaction and alertness.
Nicotine stimulates the production of dopamine — the pleasure neurotransmitter, and glutamate, involved in functions of learning and memory (although high levels of glutamate generates programmed cell death and has a relationship with the causes of Alzheimer’s disease). It is not surprising that nicotine starts to attract people and they can’t get rid of the addiction. But if you want to have a healthy brain, do your best to stay away from nicotine.
Passive Smoking harms anyone, especially a developing psyche. Have smoked during pregnancy mothers more often give birth to children, then experiencing problems with learning and behavior. In addition, passive Smoking increases the risk of asthma, infectious diseases and cancer. Smoking is very harmful for the brain habit.
8. Excess caffeine
The caffeine in coffee, tea, dark carbonated beverages, chocolate and stimulating tablets restricts blood flow to the brain and many other organs. A bit of caffeine per day is not harmful, but if you drink more than two cups of coffee a day, it can lead to problems. Caffeine produces in the brain four negative effect. First, it dehydrates the brain, and anything that dehydrates the brain, causing problems of thinking. Second, it prevents sleep. Caffeine blocks adenosine, a substance that gives the body the command to sleep. And no wonder then that a man needed a Cup of coffee in the morning to get moving. It treats the symptoms of lack of sleep. But, as we have seen, restful sleep necessary for healthy brain function. Third, caffeine disrupts cerebral blood flow, which causes premature aging. One last thing: caffeine is addictive. Many people suffer from noticeable withdrawal symptoms, particularly headaches and fatigue when they try to abandon it. The less caffeine the better.
9. Aspartame and monosodium glutamate
Many people drink carbonated beverages in liters. “I had my share of such beverages in this life, but after reading about the negative effects of aspartame, I’m concerned about. In 30 years I had signs of arthritis in hands and knees. When I stopped using products with sweetener aspartame, my joints stopped hurting,” notes Amen.
“I also had many patients who reported that they began to feel better after abandoned the artificial sweeteners. They were having headaches, clear thinking, were joint pain, improved memory and, surprisingly, some weight. In my opinion, all this also depends on our genetic structure. It seems that some people have no problems with artificial sweeteners, while others are developing a terrible reaction to them. The less artificial sweeteners the better,” says Amen.
MSG is another problem for many. If possible, do not use MSG at all.
10. The impact of environmental toxins
Most people don’t want to think about what their daily poison or they poisoned themselves, but, alas, it is. Working with paint in a poorly ventilated room, too frequent visits to hairdressers and nail salons, inhalation of gasoline vapors when refueling the car, the use of pesticides and even repair in your own home — all have the potential to damage the brain. The sources of knowledge of toxins, poisons the brain, will help you avoid their impact.
Inhalation of paint or other solvents (for example, products for the care of hair and nails) has on the brain toxic effects and requires caution.
Painters working in the premises, have the highest level of brain lesions.
Ensure adequate ventilation of the workplace – one of the key factors in his recovery. A recent study showed that hairdressers have an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. When you go to the hairdresser or nail technician, you often find yourself in the atmosphere of suffocating vapors of acetone, ammonia, dyes and varnishes. If you need a haircut or a manicure, choose a salon with good ventilation.
11. Long sitting in front of TV
Regardless of age, your brain hurts the pastime in front of the TV, prolonged video games and sitting at the computer. Our brains were not designed (and not be so quick to adapt) to rapid technological changes occurring today.
Extra hours spent watching TV in childhood increases the risk of appearance of problems with the brain in adulthood.
All of these factors are related to diseases of the brain, in particular, stroke and Alzheimer’s disease. In one study, it was found that adults who watch TV two or more hours a day have a significantly greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Besides, watching TV is usually “mindless” time, and than it is less, the better.
12. Excessive video games
“As a father of four children and a child psychiatrist, in the last 20 years I’ve thought a lot about video games. At first I found them great fun. But soon I began to worry. The impact of video games has been studied using imaging technology of the brain that monitor blood flow and the pattern of activity. It turned out that video games operate on a region of the brain called the basal ganglia — the pleasure centers in the brain. In fact, it’s the same part of the brain that “lights up” on the scan, when the researchers doing the man an injection of cocaine,” writes Amen.
“My experience with patients and one of my own children has demonstrated that children and adults “hooked” on games and play so much that time for school, doing their work and communication. This is reminiscent of the effect of drugs. And some become a real addiction,” he said.
There is also scientific evidence that video games can cause seizures in people who are predisposed to them. You may remember the panic associated with the events of 16 December 1997, when the Japanese cartoon Pocket Monster (Pokémon) was shown a flash of red, white and yellow light triggered at 730 Japanese children seizures, forced to admit them in the hospital. The syndrome is called photosensitive seizures (seizures provoked by light).
In summarizing the review of research again and again found that aggressive video games have a significant relationship with aggressive behavior, aggressive thoughts, aggressive feelings, and cardiovascular arousal, and reduce friendly behavior. Anything good in all this for brain health no.
13. Prolonged use of computer or cell phone
Computers, email, Internet, instant messengers and cell phones capture our lives, and not always with positive effect. Some people, like me, can easily cope with hundreds of emails per day. Some Teens talking in the messenger with 15 people at a time. According to recent studies, the distractibility that is associated with the constant emails and check text messages and voice mail, a threat to intelligence and powers of concentration more than Smoking marijuana.
During one trial, which was attended by 1100 of the subjects, their lethargy, fatigue, and increasing inability to focus reached a staggering level. In addition, the study demonstrated that electronic communication also occurs addictive as drugs. The mind of the participants had become disorganized in the face of new questions and problems whenever a new email fell into the electronic mailbox. Performance decreased.
Moreover, the impact on the employee is not able to reconcile the new message with the current work, was equivalent to the deprivation of night sleep (if you consider these unsettling effects for the whole day).
“This is absolutely real and very common phenomenon,” says Glenn Wilson, a psychologist from king’s College, University of London, who on behalf of the company TNS, which specializes in market research, conducted 80 clinical trials for the company Hewlett-Packard. The average loss of IQ (intelligence quotient) was 10 points, which is more than twice the average fall of IQ (4 points) identified in the study of marijuana smokers. According to these data, the greatest damage from the e-mail is applied due to the almost complete loss of discipline and inner balance.
Dr. Wilson and his colleagues found compulsive urge to respond to each new message, leading to a constant change of direction of thinking, which inevitably leads to fatigue and slow down your brain.
Constant checking of email, instant messengers, voice mail, and the Internet is stressful. To cause dependency, as the person waiting for the next emails, messages or voice messages, similar to waiting for the next blackjack in the card game “21”. The anticipation of something good makes us a routine to check to see if it is. This expectation is also distracting us from concentration on what we are busy at the moment. Of course, checking these messaging systems is an important method of communication, but it is better to allocate a special time during the day and not be distracted by electronic communicators the rest of the time.
14. Alcohol
Contrary to popular belief red wine, unless talking about very small amounts, is not healthy. The experience of visualizing functions of the brain toxic effects of alcohol directly affects the brain. Tomography people consuming more than three units of alcohol a week, look intoxicatingly. Alcohol reduces the General blood circulation and the activity of the brain, which is why it relieves anxiety and restorative the people, but over time it begins to negatively affect memory and the ability to judgment.
Alcohol affects the brain, inhibiting the excitation of nerve cells. It blocks the flow of oxygen to the energy centers of cells. In addition, it lowers the effectiveness of different types of neurotransmitters, especially those involved in learning and memory.
Alcohol is a double — edged sword, depending on the consumed dose. Large amounts of alcohol — four or more glasses of wine daily (or as much glasses of spirits) increased the risk of dementia. However, it was discovered that small amounts of alcohol — a glass of wine once a week or month (but not every day!) — can reduce this risk. The fall risk, apparently, is connected with the fact that alcohol and cholesterol compete with each other and sometimes it is better that alcohol won.
Small amounts of alcohol raise “good” cholesterol (high-density lipoproteins — HDL), and it replaces the harmful type of cholesterol (low density lipoproteins — LDL). If a person drinks a little alcohol, HDL is unable to communicate with the cell membranes, so it is displaced back into the bloodstream, where it reduces the amount of LDL and other harmful types of cholesterol. This reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis and stroke — factors contributing to the development of dementia.
On the other hand, researchers from Johns Hopkins University found that even the average consumption of alcohol (about 14 servings per week) shows the relation with a decrease (atrophy) of the brain. When it comes to the brain, size matters! In my opinion, alcohol in a small amount for people over the age of 25 are not harmful, but should not get involved. Why is it necessary to wait until 25 before you can afford alcohol? As mentioned above, the brain, especially the prefrontal cortex continues to develop until this age. Why start to poison him, not giving them a chance to form completely?
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