As you age, your brain function can change. Try to take control over this in 2010 with 25 simple changes you can make in your life:

1. Choose fruit – instead of chocolate bars, try blueberries and almonds

2. Dance – ballroom dancing can help prevent Alzheimer’s

3. Choose healthy crunch – in salads, instead of croutons try walnuts for texture

4. Walk daily – reduce blood sugar with a 20 minute walk daily

5. Try Chinese vitamins – use Chinese moss

6. Become a tour guide – at a hospital, museum or historical place guide tours to help you remember facts

7. Use video games – use brain teaser games and practice hand-eye coordination

8. Try new things – don’t stick to the same old logic puzzles you’re used to

9. Deal with stress – seeking support helps reduce the effects of shrinking to your brain’s memory center

10. Look around – take in your surroundings closely

11. Notice details – really look so you could recount your surroundings

12. Try special tea – gotu koala tea protects brain cells

13. Use other herbal teas – teas with ginseng and holy basic can protect from cortisol

14. Choose a calming word – focus on a word that calms you as a form of meditation

15. Stay focused on time – keep calendars in every room

16. Take a course – take a class at a college

17. Wear a helmet – if you ride your bike, protect your head

18. Drink red wine – drink 2 or 3 glasses of red wine per week

19. Have thyroid testing – thyroid problems can hamper the brain, receive testing and get it under control

20. Choose lean foods – skip the burger and fries

21. Choose healthy sweets – fruits can satisfy a sweet tooth like candy

22. Try oats and cinnamon for breakfast – oats prevent plaque in brain arteries and cinnamon improves blood sugar

23. Listen to music – turn off the TV, turn on the music

24. Try Indian food – ingredients in curry have great antioxidants for brain health

25. Eat regularly – break for food throughout the day

Via: AARP

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Home Instead Senior Care serving elders and seniors in San Jose, Los Gatos, Santa Clara and Saratoga home care - 408-370-6360.

If you ask most seniors, they will tell you that having a condition that affects their memories is one of their greatest fears. While it might not be possible to prevent conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia, there are steps that all seniors can take in order to keep their brains sharp at any point in life!

1. Eat with your brain in mind – it’s not just our bodies affected when we make bad food choices, are minds are affected as well. To boost your brain power, start the day with a meal that contains protein by including eggs, nuts (like peanut or almond butter), or lean protein from animals. For lunch and dinner, include protein that contains Omega 3 fatty acids like tuna, salmon or sardines. With meals, try organic foods and whole grains

2. Sleep well – sleep improves brain function greatly, it might be something taken for granted, but it’s crucial to overall health, both mind and body! Getting 8 hours of good sleep per night is crucial for seniors, no matter what it takes!

3. Use vitamins to your advantage – since our diets don’t always provide the essential number of vitamins and nutrients for optimal brain functioning, multi-vitamins can fill the void. Your multi-vitamin should have the following nutrients in these quantities provide the greatest benefit:  omega 3 fats (1,000 mg of fish oil), vitamin D3 (2,000 IU), calcium (600 mg), magnesium (400 mg) and B vitamins like folic acid, B6 and B12.

4. Learn how to turn off – whether you’re a senior or a caregiver, you lead a busy life; learn how to turn off to relax and rejuvenate, your brain will thank you and you’ll find yourself more productive

5. Think green – while green vegetables are of course beneficial to health, it’s green living we’re referring to here. Avoid environmental toxins and pollutions, which the brain is sensitive to.

Via: AOL Health

Home Instead Senior Care serving elders and seniors in San Jose, Los Gatos, Santa Clara and Saratoga home care - 408-370-6360.