As we age our brains undergo natural changes, for example it’s quite normal to experience mild memory loss. We can proactively work towards better brain health to slow down the aging process.
Regular exercise and a healthy diet are really important for your overall health but also for your brain. Exercise not just your body, but your brain too. Reading, doing puzzles, playing music and other mentally stimulating exercises will help keep your brain functioning well.
Our nutrition is also really important. B vitamins support brain function as we age.In our diets we get B vitamins from protein, green leafy vegetables and some peas and beans. To be sure that you are getting enough from your diet you can supplement with a good quality B complex. Terranova’s B Complex with Vitamin C and Biocare’s Methyl B Complex are “Methylated” B complexes. Methylated vitamin B supplements are more bioavailable and easy for the body to absorb.
Fish oils are great for brain health but very few of us eat the recommended amount of oily fish in our diets. There are omega oils for vegetarians which are seed based like Testa. For those who eat fish the Wild Atlantic Omega 3, from anchovies, is a great option. It has added D3 and Astaxanthin, a super-antioxidant and lecithin, which helps get DHA into the brain.
If you are concerned about your cognitive function then adding MCT oil into your diet has been shown in studies to help to slow the decline. One Nutrition Pure MCT oil can be added to coffee, shakes, dressings and smoothies.
The Irish Company, FabU, has a great supplement called Brain Focus which has 7 active ingredients tailored for your brain, focus and mental performance. Its main ingredient is the edible mushroom, Lions Mane. Many studies have found that Lions Mane improves memory and cognitive function, provided it’s taken consistently. Research specifically with Alzheimer patients has suggested that it improved their brain function.