Feed your brain to stay fit and healthy in older age
Many of us share the desire to age healthily. With only 30% of the ageing process being determined by our genes, the key factors governing whether or not this desire becomes reality are therefore how we live and what we eat. The brain also plays a major role in the ageing process. But what proactive steps can we take to ensure that our brain continues to perform well as we get older? Find out how you can keep your mind fit for longer through the correct diet and conscious lifestyle choices.
You can also order the free magazine "gesund&smart" (available in German and French only), which contains lots of useful information about ageing. Plus, you will find a collection of recipes for delicious menus designed to optimise your mental and physical fitness. The Felix Platter-Stiftung für Forschung und Innovation (Felix Platter Foundation for Research and Innovation) has published the magazine in cooperation with Betty Bossi and other partners. It explains a large number of scientific findings relating to the ageing process, and contains recipes for simple yet tasty dishes, empowering you to age in a healthy and satisfying way.
The brain is one of the most complex organs in the human body. It controls our thoughts and feelings, coordinates our motor skills and stores our memories. Absolutely everything we do and experience goes through this complex organ. Unfortunately, however, the brain does not remain in top form forever. As we get older, our brains perform less well. This is noticeable in many areas, be it concentration, memory or just general mental fitness.
Studies show that certain diets and lifestyles can help slow down or even prevent the brain's ageing process. For example, a healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of diseases such as Alzheimer's, other forms of dementia and other cognitive impairments. Brain food helps the brain stay fit. Certain lifestyles can also help ensure that our brains continue to perform well as we get older.
"We are able to influence our own biological clock to a much greater extent than was previously assumed. Our chosen lifestyle, which also includes our diet, plays a key role here, as it gives us the opportunity to influence or 'override' our own 'bad genes' on an epigenetic level."
Prof. Reto W. Kressig, Medical Director University Geriatric Medicine FELIX PLATTER
Brain food: the correct diet for everyday life
Our diet determines how fit and healthy our brain is. Making sure it's balanced and using fresh
ingredients is a good start. In addition, certain nutrients actually have a natural doping effect on the brain: these so-called brain foods can even boost brain function.
1. Omega-3 fatty acids – key elements
The brain is largely made up of unsaturated fatty acids, the group to which omega-3 fatty acids also belong. As a major element, they are involved in brain function: there is actually a link between the absorption of omega-3 fatty acids and improved brain function. The body cannot produce these fatty acids itself, however, so you need to add them via your diet. Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include oily sea fish (salmon, herring), linseed oil, flaxseed, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds or rapeseed oil.
2. Apples, pears and carrots – boost your defences
Fresh fruit and vegetables contain antioxidants. These protect us against attacks from free radicals, which are also involved in the ageing process. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that are generated in the body through normal metabolic processes but also ingested or inhaled from external sources such as environmental pollution, UV radiation, smoking or certain chemicals. The most important antioxidants include vitamin E (almonds and flaxseed), vitamin C (citrus fruits, berries, vegetables) and vitamin A (carrots, sweet potatoes). Green tea is also good for the body's defences.
3. Green vegetables – best for rejuvenation
Numerous green vegetables such as lettuce, kale, spinach, chard or white cabbage have anti-ageing properties – and taste good to boot. The reason is their high levels of micronutrients, which protect blood vessels and nerve cells.
Kale, for example, with its high levels of vitamin C, beta-carotene, antioxidants and minerals, is a prominent component of the MIND diet and thus actively supports cognitive fitness.
The MIND diet is a combination of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet. They are both known for preventing cardiovascular disease and promoting cognitive performance. What we eat keeps not only our bodies but also our minds fit. Scientists at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago developed a diet plan that keeps us mentally young and at the same time can protect us against dementia. The right diet can slow the brain's ageing process considerably. This varied diet, which is based on Mediterranean foods and eating habits, features lots of fresh vegetables, pulses, nuts and cold-pressed olive oil. Researchers at the University of British Columbia obtained similar results, establishing a strong correlation between people who largely followed a Mediterranean-type diet and significantly later onset of Parkinson's disease.
Strengthen the brain through exercise, social contact and sleep
The brain will continue to perform well if we train it regularly. So the more we challenge the brain, the better it functions. This calls for exercises that include exercise elements alongside purely cognitive ones. Playing an instrument, dancing, doing rhythmic gymnastics, tai chi or yoga, but also maintaining social contacts or looking after children strengthen both body and mind.
1. Exercise: fitness for body and mind
Regular exercise is good not just for the body but also for the brain. Exercise improves circulation, boosting the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the brain. Physical activity also improves coordination and motor skills, helping to create new neuronal connections in the brain.
2. Enough sleep: regeneration for the brain
While we are sleeping, the brain regenerates itself. During this phase it is tidied up and waste products are removed. Astrocytes play a key role here. They act as a sort of waste disposal service for the brain, cleansing it of toxic substances.
Albert Einstein, by the way, had neither an especially big brain nor a conspicuously large number of brain folds. However, researchers did find that his brain contained a particularly high number of astrocytes. Einstein is said to have had around ten hours' sleep per night, plus a siesta. The process of sleep can be likened to the nightly cleaning of a large office. The longer the cleaning team (sleep) has to do its job, the more thoroughly the office (the brain) is cleaned.
3. Mental stimulation: learning keeps you young
The human brain is very plastic and can adapt to new situations throughout an entire lifetime. This plasticity makes it possible to create new neuronal connections and strengthen existing ones through targeted cognitive stimulation. Activities that take us out of our comfort zone, like learning a new language, trying an unfamiliar sport or taking part in improvisational theatre, are particularly effective.
4. Reducing stress: the key to mental wellbeing
Conscious management of stress is essential for long-term brain health. Chronic stress damages the hippocampus, which is responsible for learning and memory. The amygdala, an area of the brain that is responsible for anxiety and emotional responses, increases in volume under prolonged stress. This constant activation by chronic stress strengthens the neuronal connections in the amygdala and activates more neurons, causing it to grow in size. This means that while short-term, moderate stress can boost performance, long-lasting stress has a negative impact on the brain. Ongoing stress also results in impaired sleep, which can further reduce cognitive performance. You will find some helpful tips on the mindful way of dealing with stress here.
"Making music together keep us mentally fit, whether that's in a choir, music society, orchestra or ensemble. The combination of reading music, singing or playing an instrument and listening to each other is a wonderful workout for the brain."
Dr Evelyn Mauch, neurologist and senior doctor at santé24
5. Encounters: social contact strengthens the brain
Interpersonal relationships promote not only wellbeing, but also mental health. Social interaction activates many areas of the brain, because our brain is perceiving and responding to facial expressions, body language and words all at the same time. This helps the brain stay active and flexible.
6. Digital dementia: too much screen time damages the brain
Modern technology offers many benefits, but it also holds dangers for one's mental health. Too much screen time and the constant distraction of smartphones, computers and televisions impair our ability to concentrate and weaken the memory. To keep the brain fit, we should reduce our screen time and build in regular breaks.
7. Humour: like a natural massage for the brain
Humour is not just good for the soul, but also acts like a massage for the brain. Laughter relaxes you, reduces stress and encourages the release of happiness hormones. By understanding and telling jokes, we are training our brain, as this requires mental flexibility and creativity. As a result, humour has positive effects not only on our wellbeing, but also on our brain function. People with dementia-related illnesses often lose the ability to tell jokes, because certain areas of the brain are affected by the shrinkage of body tissue. Read about the other effects humour has on health here.
8. Curiosity: new experiences keep the brain young and flexible
Staying curious and discovering the world keeps the brain young and flexible, because new information and experiences encourage the formation of new synapses. Talking to people and learning about different perspectives also gives the brain a workout.
9. Music: the real all-rounder for mental health
Music challenges the brain in a variety of ways and is an excellent brain trainer, whether you're singing in a choir, playing an instrument or reading music. The combination of listening, singing and making music encourages cognitive, social and emotional skills. At the same time, music activates the vagus nerve, which helps reduce stress and achieve emotional balance.
gesund&smart – the magazine for mental fitness and enjoyment
The Felix Platter-Stiftung für Forschung und Innovation (Felix Platter Foundation for Research and Innovation) has developed the "gesund&smart" magazine in cooperation with Betty Bossi. It features 31 Betty Bossi recipes you can use to make the next phase of your life both healthy and enjoyable. The suggested menus contain the exact nutrients you need to optimise your mental and physical fitness. You can look forward to a collection of delicious recipes and lots of interesting and useful information about the ageing process.
The magazine is available in German and French.
Order your print copy of "gesund&smart" from the Felix Platter Stiftung or download the electronic version now.
Order now
Note: The magazine is only available in German and French.
A holistic approach to mental health in old age
To help us age healthily and keep the brain fit, we should actively incorporate a health-promoting diet, exercise and mental stimulation into our everyday life.
We should make sure we consume nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and B vitamins, as they support the brain and offer protection against age-related illnesses.
Regular exercise not only encourages physical fitness but also keeps the brain active and strengthens it.
Getting enough good-quality sleep helps the brain recover and regenerate. At the same time, we need to learn how to consciously manage stress in order to ease the pressure on the brain.
Maintaining social contacts and setting oneself mental challenges keeps the brain fit and promotes mental health.
By adopting conscious lifestyle choices, we can maintain our mental fitness and significantly reduce the risk of cognitive impairment.
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