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For my plan to work, however, I need to invest in my brain now to make sure it stays sharp into old age, even if my body starts to betray me. Accomplishing this is within my grasp and begins with a basic truth: unlike most other organs in the body, our brains are not predestined to wither, lose potency, dull their edge, or, worst of all, to wither. become forgetful.
Memories make us feel alive, capable and precious. They help us feel comfortable with our surroundings, connect the past with the present, and provide a framework for the future. The truth is, this past year has resulted in a decade of memories for me. In addition to continuing to operate in the hospital, I have reported around the clock from the basement of my windowless home on all aspects of the novel coronavirus – how it moves, the molecular keys it uses to enter and what havoc it causes after entering the cells of the human body. And, when it became clear that Covid-19 was causing neurological deficits, from the minor ones like temporary loss of smell and brain fog to more severe symptoms of a stroke, my brain surgeon and correspondent worlds medical collisions.
Over the past year or so, I have seen a movement gain momentum unlike anything I have ever seen before. A few months after the identification of this new virus, a global consortium of scientific researchers was created to study the relationship between Covid-19 and the brain. Among other things, these scientists are also re-examining a provocative idea: the possibility that certain infections increase the risk of cognitive decline and even the most common and feared form of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease. It’s a frightening prospect that should also motivate us to redouble our efforts to control the overall risk factors for dementia and make our brains as resilient and sharp as possible. And the good news is, we have the tools to do it.
In my role as a doctor and public educator, I have noticed that people tend to have limited vision of what their brains are capable of doing as they age and the power they have to become better, faster, fitter and, yes. , sharper. I think because the brain is enclosed in a shell of hard bone, many assume that it is a black box, measured only by its inputs and outputs. Immutable, impenetrable, indecipherable and impossible to change or improve. Until recently, we thought that the brain was largely attached with a number of brain cells, and as the years go by, neurons die, networks darken, and things like memory and speed go by. treatment take a hit.
But what if I told you that most of what we thought about the brain at the start of this century has already turned out to be wrong or incomplete? And that memory loss and brain atrophy aren’t inevitable?
A lot has happened in brain medicine since I started in this field over 20 years ago. At the time, the idea of improving my own brain seemed like a misguided quest. Most people between the ages of 34 and 75 understand the vital importance of brain health, but they also don’t know how to make their brains healthier or even realize that it is possible. They believe their fate is embedded in their DNA and that nothing can be done to change that. They would have a hard time accepting what countless studies have shown: that the brain simply prefers a moving body and that it doesn’t take much to reap huge benefits from it. They would think I was Pollyannish for suggesting that just 2 minutes of activity per hour can improve brain health more than anything they could do right now. Their whole state of mind would change. Exercise would not necessarily be seen as the cure, but rather inactivity like illness. Just move. Whenever you are about to sit down, ask yourself: could I stay standing instead?
While we enjoy lower rates of cardiovascular disease and some cancers than a generation ago, the numbers go the other way when it comes to brain impairment. A new case of dementia will soon be diagnosed every 4 seconds, and it will be the most common neurodegenerative disorder in the country. It’s time to change this trend. In recent years, I have traveled the world and relied on my training in neuroscience and my journalistic mindset to figure out how to get there.
As it stands, 47 million Americans have evidence of preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, which means their brains are showing signs of dementia, but they’re feeling and thinking well. It is like an approaching storm which is still far away, which takes decades before memory, thinking and behavior are affected. This preclinical period, however, is a golden window during which we can significantly optimize our brain to improve its functionality, boost its neural networks, stimulate the growth of new neurons and help ward off age-related brain diseases.
Dementia is not a normal part of aging, and older people are not doomed to forget things. Typical changes in the brain associated with age are not the same as changes caused by disease. The first can be slowed down and the second can be avoided. According to the best available evidence, significant improvements can be made to the brain in just 12 weeks. There are habits that you should develop and create your own, while also learning what to avoid.
A quarter of Americans over 50 take “brain-boosting” supplements, but after two years of investigation I could find little evidence that they improve memory, focus attention and focus. , or prevent cognitive decline or dementia, no matter what the manufacturers claim. It is true that the absence of proof does not necessarily mean proof of absence. However, even in well-constructed trials, the same result came back repeatedly. A large study conducted in 2020 by Harvard further showed that multivitamin or mineral supplements do not improve overall health, and the perceived benefits “may all be on the mind.” Unless you are lacking in a particular nutrient, vitamins are not a substitute for real foods and some can even be harmful. I tell patients to follow the SHARP diet protocol: Slash sugar; Hydrate (even being dehydrated, a few ounces can affect cognition); Add more omega-3 fatty acids from foods like cold water fish, nuts and seeds; Reduce the portion; and plan ahead. I also tell them to spend their money on something that has been proven to help the brain, like a comfortable pair of shoes for walking or a new pillow for a good night’s sleep.
After years of losing sleep because of my reporting on natural disasters and wars around the world, I prioritize sleep now and sweat regularly because I know what the science says. Restful sleep and exercise are antidotes to mental decline. These are incomparable drugs that we cannot find elsewhere. Sleep cleanses memory while physical activity pumps substances into the brain that act as a fertilizer on brain cells for their growth and survival. It allows us to continuously learn new skills and explore new hobbies that are stimulating, stress-relieving and rewarding – all good things to stay alert.
Surprisingly, leisure activities like gardening, playing cards, attending cultural events, and using a computer are not as protective against dementia as we once thought. A 2020 study found no association between active participation in leisure activities at age 56 and the incidence of dementia over the next 18 years. And completing crosswords may not keep your brain young, either. Unfortunately, crossword puzzles only flex part of your brain, which is word search (also known as fluency). They might help you to be good at it, but they won’t necessarily keep your brain sharp in a general sense.
If you put it all together, one of the best things you can do for your brain is take a brisk walk with a close friend and discuss your issues.
These strategies may seem extraordinarily simple and perhaps original, but they work. As someone who has had a love affair with the brain since I was a teenager, I admit that I am biased, but I wholeheartedly believe that all paths to health and happiness begin with the brain. Your brain is the command center for itself and the body, and it’s possible to make your brain sharper than it has ever been in the past. Don’t accept the misconception that brain decline is inevitable.
While many organs wither and decline with age, the brain is different and it is well within your grasp to remain cognitively intact into old age. I have seen it time and time again in patients I have treated and people I have met in my work as a journalist.
Like you, I will not forget this last year. The combination of a public health crisis and a tumultuous election has pushed many boundaries in our mental well-being. It’s times like these, however, when the anxieties and uncertainties are rife, that I take comfort in knowing that there are things I can control. No one can predict the future, but each of us can do our part to plan for a long, mentally lively and resilient one.
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