by Dr. Laura A. Swingen | in Uncategorized | 0 comments
Brain health has been in the news a lot lately. Concussions, autism, PTSD, attention-deficit disorder, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Lewy-body dementia are just a few of the issues that have prompted recent news articles and headlines. So, how can we best take care of that thing between our ears? Here are some of the tips I’ve picked up on in the 450 hours of seminars on the subject that I’ve been taking over the last few years:
- Optimize your weight and blood sugar. Obesity and diabetes are terrible for your brain!
- Make sure your thyroid and other hormone levels are within normal limits
- Stop smoking
- Stop abusing drugs and/or alcohol
- Get at least 7 hours of sleep per night
- Treat sleep apnea – a CPAP machine and/or losing weight are the best choices
- Avoid excessive stress
- Exercise at least twice per week – exercising in bursts is most effective
- Learn new things – a musical instrument, a language, new dance steps, ping-pong
- Eat more fish and vegetables. Restrict simple carbs and grains.
- Don’t be addicted to your gadgets! See if you can find a new restaurant without your GPS guiding your every turn. Try to remember someone’s phone number.
- Avoid concussions! If you have EVER played football in your lifetime, your risk of getting Alzheimer’s increases over 70%. Recent steps are being taken nationally to limit headers in children’s soccer. Think about these things when you encourage your kids to try a sport. Think about yourself if you like to participate in sports where there is a risk of hitting your head.
- Avoid chronic pain. Being chronically in pain causes your brain to atrophy (i.e. get smaller – not good!). Don’t assume that your aches and pains are just because you’re “getting old” or that there is no cure. Many neck, back, shoulder, elbow, knee, and other joint pains are easily and quickly improved with chiropractic care. If chiropractic care can’t help, we can refer you to another health professional who may have the answer. Don’t suffer…at least not for very long! It’s bad for your brain!
If this list looks daunting to you, just try to improve on one of the items listed here. I often say, “The greatest wealth is your health”, but really, the very most important thing to keep healthy is your brain!