I’m going to guess that you probably know someone personally who is or was living with dementia. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), dementia “is one of the current major causes of disability and dependency among older people globally.” I don’t know about you, but that concerns me, especially since both of my parents have been affected by it.

I remember when I was in my early 50’s, I would joke about forgetting things. I was quick to say, “don’t mind me…I have CRS.” (Can’t Remember Shit) Now that I’m in my 60’s, it can be scary when I forget stuff. I even had an evaluation by a neurologist to make sure I wasn’t experiencing early stages of dementia.

I’ve learned that information can at times be the best medicine. So here’s some information that can be helpful in keeping your mind as healthy as possible.

Studies show that mental decline is not an inevitable part of aging. Thank goodness for that. It is possible to keep your brain in shape. Simple forgetfulness can be experienced by anyone but is likely to increase with the aging process, which can also affect your concentration, attention span, and your ability to adapt to new situations. Like anything else, using your brain will make it work best. The more active your brain is, the better your memory is likely to be. The more you use your brain in a variety of ways, the easier time you’ll have holding on to your memory.

It’s important to keep your brain physically and mentally active. Following are suggestions that will help you to get your daily mental workout in.

1. Instead of reaching for the calculator, pull out your old simple arithmetic for a change. Challenge your brain to do the work.
2. Don’t let your smartphone make you dumb. Put your smartphone to work by mastering some of the mind puzzles and games offered, including chess, bingo, Mahjong, and bridge. Wordscapes, Elevate, and Woodoku are a few that I enjoy. You can play solo or with other players virtually.
3. Stay socially active. Don’t let COVID take that away from you. Have dinner with a friend. Join a social club that meets virtually. Create a weekly Zoom call with your friends.
4. Learn something new. Take a class in something that interests you – painting, gardening, dancing.
5. Read more. Reading is a great mental stimulator. And you get the added benefit of auditory stimulation if you read out loud.

A few other ways to strengthen your brain are:

• Exercise your body at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes. If you’re not exercising now, don’t fret, you can start with a few minutes of walking or stretching.
• Maintaining a healthy diet. An anti-inflammation diet can be very helpful and offer lots of variety.
• Get 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. This is really challenging for me. Sleep is one of the key components of maintaining a healthy brain. This falls under the “do as I say, not as I do” category.

The key takeaway I want you to get here is that YOU have the power and the tools to maintain a healthy brain. Just be sure to turn off your F.E.A.R. factor and keep your LIGHT on.

Love & Light to you,
Renee