By Robert Israel, M.D.
USA Health Integrative Health and Wellness
Let’s have a brain chat. At every stage of life, brain function is essential for surviving, thriving, living fully, remembering, and making important decisions. How we treat our brain matters, and taking good cognitive functions for granted is not a wise choice. Brain health begins with awareness, understanding the things we can do to support and improve function, as well as recognizing and avoiding those things that can be detrimental. The good news is that many of the things that support brain health are also fun and enjoyable.
Food for thought: Your brain makes up only about 2% of your body weight, yet it accounts for up to 20% of your daily energy expenditure. That means how you fuel it is critically important. Just as a high-octane engine performs best with the right fuel, your brain functions better with some foods compared to others. A multi-year trial examining nutrition and cognitive function led to the development of the MIND diet, which closely resembles the Mediterranean diet. It is simple, tasty, and easy to implement, focusing on 10 pro-brain foods and a small number of anti-brain foods.
On the “good” side — the things to enjoy — are green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, fruits and nuts (especially berries), fish, olive oil, whole grains, beans, poultry, and whole foods in general. Foods to reduce or avoid include added sugars, ultra-processed foods, excessive saturated fats, butter and margarine. An especially important fact about this way of eating is that it is beneficial at any stage of life and has been shown to make measurable cognitive differences in both younger and older individuals.
Let’s get the cobwebs out! How about a real brain boost? Movement and exercise are powerful short- and long-term cognitive amplifiers. For centuries, both Eastern and Western traditions have recognized that taking a walk can help clear the mind. This benefit occurs immediately and continues over time. Exercise increases blood flow to the brain and working muscles release exerkines (protein messenger molecules) that influence inflammation, immunity, brain growth, and overall health. Even a short walk can improve short-term brain function, and making walking a habit— around 7,500 steps per day — has been shown to have significant long-term benefits. In fact, men over 65 who walk more than 7,000 steps daily have been reported to have about a 50% lower risk of dementia compared with non-walkers. Walking also improves mood and reduces the risk of many other illnesses.
Restful sleep is equally important. Sleep is when the brain clears metabolic waste products, including amyloid proteins, consolidates memories, strengthens neural connections, and supports attention and focus. Poor sleep can lead to impaired cognition, slower thinking, and memory problems, and it increases the risk of dementia.
Loneliness has also been identified as a risk factor for cognitive decline, which means social connection truly matters. These connections can come from family, friends, work, church, or other social interactions. Perhaps the perfect plan is a 30-minute walk with friends, followed by a lunch of hummus with whole-grain pita chips, and berries and walnuts for dessert.
