Brain health… sounds crazy to think of right? I am facing the ripe old age of 32 at the end of this month, and I am sure as you know: The older you get, the more you look back on the past year and where you have been. While that isn’t always a bad thing, I have to say this year has been full of changes — and more changes are to come next year. One thing that I loved last year was I was the healthiest I have ever been. This year, while I haven’t been horrible, I have let stress cause some old habits (and some of my old weight) creep up on me. I have some regrets about life, but I need move forward and not let my body or brain health suffer for it. This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of American Heart Association / American Stroke Association for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. As with anything health related be sure to consult a doctor for what is best for your preseason health. Information taken from Heart.org or StrokeAssociation.org.
The body really is an amazing thing and part of keeping it in tip top condition is making sure you remember to take care of your brain as well! I bet you didn’t realize that most of what we do to keep our bodies healthy can also help assure you have a healthy brain as well.
A couple years ago, we thought my dad had a stroke. Thankfully it wasn’t a stroke, but since then, my whole family has been aware of signs and what to do to be healthier. One thing I hadn’t realized before this was that 80% of strokes may be preventable with lifestyle changes. Not only that, the things you can do to prevent a stroke can also help prevent loss of memory and dementia. When those tip-top in the brain are clogged, it also affects memory and can slow down brain processing. You don’t want that, right?!?
So here are some tenets to follow. Its called Life’s Simple 7, how amazing is that?
7 Easy Steps To Better Brain Health:
1. Eat better – This is a given. Just like everything else about our body, our brain needs good nutrients to work off of.
2. Be physically active – Now I don’t know about you, but when I can workout 4 to 5 times a week, I feel amazing. Just imagine what all the blood circulation and movement simultaneously does for your brain. Plus it’s a great way to work through things on your mind.
3. Don’t smoke – This is just a given for me. It is amazing the harm you can do to your body with smoking.
4. Lose weight – Now if you are doing the first two, this may just happen for you. Just like your body, any extra weight will not do your brain any good.
5. Manage your blood pressure – Keeping this in check helps to make sure that your brain is receiving the proper blood flow.
6. Control your cholesterol – Again, if your body can’t get the right amount up to your brain because of blockages, it can’t be healthy.
7. Reduce your blood sugar – This is easy to do by eating better and making better food choices.
Did you know that the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association define a healthy brain as a brain that is functioning at its best is when it’s free from disease and is receiving a normal blood flow and oxygen levels. Years ago, I knew my lifestyle was unhealthy, but I never thought about how healthy living could affect my brain. Once those brain cells die, they can never be repaired. If you damage your brain, it starts to cause problems with memory, speaking, walking, and day to day function.
What are you doing to make sure you don’t live with any regrets regarding your Brain Health?
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