Although the brain isn’t a muscle, the old ‘use it or lose it’ adage still applies. Brain scans show that
when
people use their brains in unaccustomed ways, more blood flows into
different areas of the brain, and new neural pathways form. In a study in the journal
Nature
in 2004, young people were taught how to juggle. After three months,
MRI scans showed enlargement of the grey matter in their brains — the
part responsible for higher mental functions. When the participants in
the study stopped juggling, their brains shrank again, suggesting that
we need to keep our brains engaged to maintain mental agility and
function. So, whether it’s a crossword puzzle, Sudoku or a university
degree,
trying giving your brain a challenge every day and you’ll be more likely to keep your marbles! Also, another study published in the
Journal of the American Medical Association showed that more frequent participation in mentally stimulating activities can lead to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Anti-aging tip 2: Be sociable
According to US government research, social isolation is a predictor
of declining mental function in older age. Experts believe this may be
down to not using a wide variety of communication skills. Research shows
that
people who are part of a group —
whether it's a church or a book club —
are healthier than solitary people when they are older,
and that the wider the range of relationships (family, friends, work
and so on) a person has, the less cognitive decline they will experience
with aging. So, as well as tackling the crossword puzzle on your
lonesome,
make time in your life for shared activities —
and ensure you spend time with as wide a range of people as possible.
Anti-aging tip 3: Exercise more
Many of the depressing
changes once attributed to chronological aging —
such as fat gain, loss of muscle, and poor posture —
are now believed to be due to plain old inactivity. For example, a Fels Longitudinal Study — which investigated aging, body composition and lifestyle — found that
women
who do vigorous physical activity such as running, cycling or swimming
several times a week weigh up to 11.8kg (26lb) less than sedentary women,
and have significantly less body fat. If you are more concerned about
your heart health than your dress size, though, then doing less intense
activities such as walking will help to protect your vital organ.
Maintaining as active a lifestyle as you can is good advice for anyone
trying to hold back the years.
Anti-aging tip 4: Eat oily fish
Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring and tuna are the best
source of omega-3 essential fatty acids, which have been found to
protect against cardiovascular disease (particularly in combination with
statins), type II diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. Also,
Omega-3 is believed to help the skin stay elastic and hydrated, which means wrinkles are less likely to appear
— and which is why salmon is the base of the famous
anti-aging food
Perricone Plan. But the benefits of omega-3 aren’t just skin deep!
Research by Rush University in Chicago in 2005 found that eating oily
fish can slow the mental decline associated with aging. The results
showed that
eating oily fish at least once a week can slow the rate of cognitive decline by 10 to 13 per cent per year.