Why is Brain Health Important?

The human brain is the command centre for the nervous system and enables thoughts, memory, movement, and emotions by a complex function that is the highest product of biological evolution.

Maintaining a healthy brain during one’s life is the goal in pursuing health as well as reducing risk factors, keeping your mind active and getting the very best out of your brain as you get older.

There are some chronic brain health illnesses determined by genetics, but although we can't change our genetic heritage, but we can make lifestyle changes that can reduce the risk of developing dementia and mild cognitive decline.

Do our decisions make a difference?

Doctors and scientific researchers have discovered that it's possible to improve brain health and reduce the risk of dementia and age-related cognitive decline by making lifestyle changes.

Regular physical exercise, cutting bad habits like cigarettes and alcohol, eating a balanced diet and staying socially active can all boost brain health. There are no guarantees, we've all seen people who have still been affected by Alzheimer's, despite being healthy and clean living. However, living well does make a real difference. Statistically, a healthy lifestyle will not just reduce your risk of dementia, it will also protect against other serious conditions like diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Brain changes

The brain changes throughout life, adapting to things we have learned and experienced. In a healthy brain, new connections continually develop and broken ones are repaired.

Mental decline is one of the most frightening aspects of aging, but it is not inevitable, by working to improve brain health you can help maintain your memory, understanding, communication and quality of life.

How to improve brain health?

You might be bored of all the talk about improving brain health, and you probably want to go directly on how to improve it, so I’m not going to keep you waiting. Here are our tips on how to actually improve your quality of life.

• Regular health checks - It will allow your doctor to identify any early signs of health issues. Finding problems early means that your chances for effective treatment are increased. Many factors, such as your age, health, family history and lifestyle choices, impact on how often you need check-ups.
• Brain training - Keeping the brain active is an important aspect of brain health. Challenging mental activities stimulate the formation of new nerve cells connections and may encourage new cell generation. Try crosswords, puzzles, crafts and books to keep your mind alert and ready for anything.
• Live an active life - Regular exercise doesn't just boost your muscles; it can also increase the network of blood vessels that supply the part of the brain responsible for thought. Exercise also helps you stay slimmer, protects against diabetes and lowers blood pressure
• Eat well - A balanced diet can nourish your mind and your body. Choose fresh, natural produce with lower levels of sugar, processed foods and saturated fats. Fruit, vegetables, lean protein and healthy oils from olives, fish, nuts and avocados will help protect the brain.

At Healthy Buzz we advocate for a natural and vegan diet that’s why we recommend Linwoods flaxseeds, almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts and CoQ10, a natural nut complex filled with magnesium and selenium, essential in maintaining a proper immune system function.

It also contains the Co-Enzyme Q10, an enzyme that occurs naturally in the body but declines with age, making dietary sources important in helping maintain adequate levels.

• Stay social - Friends and family can be good for your brain health. People with strong social connections tend to have lower blood pressure, a decreased risk of dementia, and a longer life expectancy. Having friends is important not just for your self-esteem, but also for providing support when you're not feeling too great.
• Ask for help - One of the most important ways to keep yourself mentally healthy is to recognise when you're not feeling good, and to know when to ask for help. There's no shame in asking someone for support if you're feeling low or stressed. Everyone goes through patches where they don't feel as good as they should. You can try speaking to your friends or family.
• Take supplements – Supplementation can help meet the higher nutritional needs of your more demanding lifestyle or medical condition. Stress, medical complications, and energetic living can all create a greater need in your specific body for very specific minerals or vitamins.

There are some cases in which the body cannot absorb certain minerals or vitamins through food, that’s why direct supplementation is needed.

We can find this example in curcumin, that’s why we recommend Coyne Healthcare’s Bio Curcumin, so you can get all its benefits, thanks to their patented, clinically proven and synergistic combination of curcumin and Ar-Turmerone, exclusively sourced from the turmeric plant, proven to deliver up to seven times more free and bioactive curcumin into the bloodstream than regular curcumin extracts and it remains active in the body for over eight hours. 

• Do things for others - Helping others isn't just good for the people you're helping; it's good for you too. Helping someone can help with your self-esteem and make you feel good about your place in the world. Feeling as though you're part of a community is a really important part of your mental health. You could try volunteering for a local charity, or just being neighbourly.
• Sleep well - Inadequate sleep is linked to slower thinking and can lead to the risk of dementia. Getting at least seven hours of sleep is required for your brain to get rest and rejuvenate for the next day. Getting a good night’s sleep and leaving all the stress behind will help in keeping your brain positive and will keep it healthy. One hour before sleeping switch off all your electronics and meditate. It really helps!
• Minimize Stress - Hormones produce when you are under stress have a stronger effect on your brain, which in direct challenges your ability to recover from emotional upset. Take time to complete tasks and learn ways to cope with anxiety and tension, At Healthy Buzz we recommend Wild Nutrition KSM-66 Ashwagandha Plus which is a powerful blend of organic Ashwagandha and magnesium. It is rejuvenating for the mind and body along with its ability to reduce stress and anxiety all while enhancing mental well-being, hormone balance, libido and physical endurance.

Challenge and activate your mind every day. Build a piece of furniture, complete a jigsaw puzzle or do something artistic. Challenging your mind can help with short term and long term benefits as it creates a backup system. The more intellectual stimulation you have for your brain, the more neural circuits are utilized.

You can also read our blog on healthy snack ideas that are full of nutrients and will keep your brain healthy. Click Here to Read More!