Aging and Life Enhancement
By Kathryn Kilpatrick, M.A.
Recent research continues to support diet modifications to enhance your brain health. There are an abundance of specific suggestions about the importance of adequate sleep, better stress management, varied exercise options, more socialization and how to best upgrade your cognitive engagement to challenge your brain.
What you choose to eat is also a very important component of this process. For most of us, that can be overwhelming as we try to break some of those less-healthy habits we have developed over decades.
Additional research expands beyond the value of each of these basics but it is important to make a small change then move on to another one once you are consistent in one area. Trying to change everything at once often creates an impossible scenario for many people to maintain.
Most of us could probably use an upgrade but there may be conflicting information, recommendations that may not be ones you can implement or perhaps it just seems too overwhelming. It is important to discuss the recommendations with your physician based on your medical history and before you explore some of the specific diet changes. In some cases, you may also want to seek out a healthcare professional that has extensive experience in the area of aging and brain health
Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better. ~Maya Angelou
Yes, habits are hard to break, but this process starts with awareness. With all the suggestions in recent years, I cringe to think of what we ate growing up and what my choices were raising a family in the ’70s and beyond. As I explore the most recent research on brain health and related topics in depth, I find myself making changes gradually, some which have become a definite part of my current choices.
Where to start? Baby steps will add up over time. You may find it easier to just totally switch over to the better habit, but not overnight. For example, while I may be fairly dedicated to little or no sugar, I have been known to cheat on occasion. Being with others who have a similar interest in trying to keep to a healthier routine leads to discussions on enjoyable options and even restaurant choices.
Experiencing brain fog and memory lapses? How you provide the fuel for your brain matters, as it is critical for how you think and feel during daily life. Research supports that the nutrients in better food choices and sometimes even certain supplements can make a difference.
Consider some of these options as you try to walk a healthier path to your brain fitness and overall health. Start here:
- Drink eight glasses of water a day unless you have to restrict your fluids. One of the best ways for me is to drink herbal teas, especially in the winter, or add some lemon slices. Avoid sugar-sweetened beverages.
- Remove trans fats, such as fried foods, margarine, shortening
- Remove ultra- processed foods from your diet.
- Avoid sugary foods, processed meats, deep-fried foods.
As I’ve walked this journey of creating healthier options, one of my friends was making significant changes in her kitchen, some of which I have gradually adopted to reduce my exposure to toxins.
Having been exposed to environmental toxins at work years ago, I had to dramatically reduce my exposure to certain toxic products; this included disposing of all the candles in my home.
The latest research on brain health has prompted me to increased reduction of my overall toxic load. Sharing this with a friend has been a very interesting and enlightening journey as we exchange what we have learned.
The secret of making progress is to get started. ~Mark Twain
Here are just a few suggested healthier changes the experts suggest to get you started, related to brain health and your kitchen. Doing it all at once can be expensive but those little changes will add up.
- Replace nonstick cookware with stainless steel, cast iron or ceramic.
- Purge as much plastic as you can and use glass storage containers instead.
- Use stainless steel water bottles instead of plastic.
Make those little changes. Observe what stands in the way and try again. If there is someone who may be interested in learning more about enhancing brain health as we age, share what you learn. In my brain health programs, it is always interesting to hear some of the things the attendees are doing or what they want to learn more about.
You will enrich your life immeasurably if you approach it with a sense of wonder and discovery and always challenge yourself to try new things. ~Nate Berkus
