person doing crossword puzzle/Adobe stock

We lift weights, jog, swim, participate in marathons and triathlons — all kinds of ways to exercise our bodies and keep them strong and healthy. But what do we do to keep our brains physically fit? The daily crossword puzzle? It’s not enough.

Learn new things

Doing the same type of puzzle every day is like going to the gym and only doing pushups, says Portland neurologist Dr. Eric Dinnerstein. You don’t want to get stuck in a rut.

Learning something new is very healthy for the brain at any age and creates new pathways. The idea is to utilize a variety of activities and challenges. When I talk about learning something, I’m talking about some ability, learning to dance, to swim, to play a new instrument. Learn a new language or read a book in a genre you’re not familiar with. Basically, this newness is cognitively stimulating.

Dr. Eric Dinnerstein, Neurologist

Be social

MENTAL STIMULATION is just one way to keep your brain sharp. Another is social stimulation. Having a SOCIAL LIFE is good for your brain. Humans are social creatures. Even if you are introverted you need social contact.

Scientific studies show we will degenerate faster if we are left idle and alone. We are social animals and that stimulates the mind. When we meet people we try to be at our best – we force ourselves. When we are alone, we degenerate.

Dr. Dinnerstein

So, get out there and party or at least have lunch with some friends.

Get physical

A third way to work the brain is to be physically active. Studies show that PHYSICAL EXERCISE speeds up how we process information. It also helps get more oxygen to the brain and stimulates growth factors. Dr. Dinnerstein recommends 30 minutes of some kind of aerobic activity, five times a week.

BRAIN BOOSTING FOODS

What about brain food? Are there certain things we can eat to boost brainpower? I did some quick research and here’s what I found:

Blueberries – animal studies showed that a diet rich in blueberries significantly improved the learning capacity of aging rats. OK … that’s promising. A study published in the Annals of Neurology found that a diet high in blueberries and strawberries was linked to a “slower mental decline in areas like memory and focus.

Salmon, mackerel, anchovies, herring, and sardines – rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which has been linked to a lower risk of dementia, improved focus, and memory.

Healthy fats – Avocados, olive oil, nuts – monounsaturated fats that contribute to healthy blood flow, which our brains need so they’ll get plenty of oxygen.

Dark chocolate – it has powerful antioxidant properties and contains several natural stimulants that enhance focus and concentration.

Water – studies have shown that if you become dehydrated, it can affect your cognitive function. Also, your brain tissue shrinks if you become dehydrated.

Beets – a good source of naturally-occurring nitrates, which contribute to a healthy blood flow to the brain. Here’s to Dwight Schrute and the family beet farm!

Turmeric – animal studies suggest that the active chemical in turmeric, curcumin, can enhance the birth of new brain cells. There are several ongoing studies that are looking at turmeric (it’s a spice) and its possible effect on the brain.

Some foods to stay away from

Sugar – It may not say sugar on the label, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any. There are more than 50 synonyms for sugar. Here are a few from the Thesaurus.

  • Sucrose, cane sugar, corn sugar, brown sugar, confectioner’s sugar, beet sugar, grape sugar, dextrose, fruit sugar, fructose, levulose, maltose, malt sugar, lactose, milk sugar, invert sugar, maple sugar, saccharose.

Food that may contain mercury or other heavy metals, such as arsenic, lead, cadmium, copper, or zinc. Be wary of tuna, swordfish, orange roughy, and shark. If you have a private well, have it tested for arsenic.

USE IT OR LOSE IT

There are lots of myths and bright ideas on the subject of brain fitness. Dr. Dinnerstein says he tries his best to present patients with scientific evidence, but even then, things change and the advice we get today may not be good tomorrow.

Without a brain, we would be nothing. It controls what we do and who we are, and the more we use it, the better it should work. Have you heard about the research that was done on London taxi drivers? They have very large hippocampi — that’s the part of the brain associated with spatial mapping and navigation — which apparently helped them store a detailed map of the city in their brains.

Just like our bodies get tired after a workout, so do our brains — brain scans have shown that thinking uses up a lot of energy.  To restore and repair our hard-worked brains, it’s important that we get a GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP. 

During sleep, the brain also decides what information it took in during the day should be forgotten and what should be remembered. I hope your brain will decide all the information I shared about keeping it fit is worth remembering!