When it comes to aging, many people believe it is all about physical health. That could not be further from the truth.
Your physical health is important, however, your mental and even your emotional health play huge roles as well.
The reality is, even if you are currently physically healthy, but your mind is not in a good place, this low-frequency attitude will certainly come back to hinder you at some point.
The loss of memory and cognitive processing speed is something many suffer from as they age if they are not paying attention. Just as we must give the body the nutrients needed to stay physically strong and resilient along with proper exercise to keep our muscles strong, our minds require similar attention to stay young and sharp.
Don’t wait for the first symptoms of mental challenge to appear. There are a number of steps you can adopt right now that can help prevent things like cognitive and memory loss.
Continued Learning:
One of the biggest causes of age-related cognitive decline is because many adults imply stop learning. Don’t be satisfied with the status quo. Make “never stop learning” your daily mantra. Just because you’re out of school and settled into your career doesn’t mean the learning stops. If you really want to stay mentally young, you must continually be looking for ways to learn new things. This creates new pathways and associations in the brain that in turn, help keep the brain healthier and more akin to what is was in its youth. Find something that interests you and set out to learn more about it. This will keep your mind mentally engaged and psychologically sound as you grow older.
Reading:
Reading is fundamental. It is an exercise-like activity for your brain that helps keep you mentally sharp. And, you don’t have to be learning when you read. You can be reading fiction for pure enjoyment and leisure. Spend at least 15-20 minutes daily reading whatever material you find interesting. If you learn something new…all the better!
Meditation:
It’s hard to improve on something you do not understand. Learning to regulate the mind and stay free from all thought processes is empowering and meditation is the key to your inner world. Get your inner world healthy and your outer world follows suit. Meditation helps to improve memory, focus and attention span. It is empowered to reduce age-related cognitive decline and combat psychological related issues such as Alzheimer’s disease and depression. Meditation is a true from of medication for your brain, offers a wealth of benefits, and can be done by anyone of any age.
Walking meditation:
Traditional meditation is done in a quiet play where you can sit or lay down and focus on clearing your mind. Walking meditation on the other hand, is meditation in action. While walking, we keep our mind focused and involved with the experience of walking – we use the physical, mental and emotional experiences of walking as the basis of developing greater awareness. Walking meditation is a highly pleasurable experience that can be fitted into the gaps in our lives quite easily. It’s the perfect way to tune into your own body and listen to what it’s revealing to you. Practice meditation for 10-15 minutes 3-4 times weekly or as often as time allows.
Sufficient intake of Omega-3 Fatty Acids:
Omega-3 fatty acids provide key nutrients that the brain requires in order to function optimally and they are also vital for keeping inflammation levels down. Those consuming adequate omega-3 fatty acids on a regular basis are less likely to develop conditions like Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, depression, as well as bipolar disorder. Make sure you are consuming enough omega-3 fatty acids from foods like fish, flax-seed and walnuts. Decrease your intake of omega-6 fatty acids (harmful to psychological health) found in processed food and vegetable oils.
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