A Sound Mind in a Sound Body
"To keep the body in good health is a duty; otherwise, we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” —Buddha
The last time I visited my 95-year-old mother before she died, I took two of my grandchildren along. She beamed when she saw them. “What are your names?” she asked.
Caleb and Phillip, they told her.
“And how old are you?” she asked.
Five and nine.
“I’m glad to see you,” she said. “What are your names, and how old are you?”
She asked the same two questions eleven times in our half-hour visit. Then we asked her to play “Jesus Loves Me,” on the piano. She obliged, and the boys sang along.
My mother suffered from Alzheimer’s. Her short-term memory had shrunk almost to zero. But she could still play the piano.
Like most older adults, I fear developing dementia. Yesterday I researched whether Alzheimer’s is hereditary. Some of the early onset Alzheimer’s has a genetic component, but late-onset Alzheimer’s, like my mother’s, does not appear to be transmitted to the next generation.
I was relieved, but during that research I also learned we can strengthen our minds and memories by our lifestyle choices. After a day of following up, I had overloaded my brain with the choices that could improve or maintain my brain health. Our physical, mental, and social activities all can impact our brains. (Today I have only space for physical activities. Mental and social activities will follow in the next two columns.)
Our brains benefit if we get regular exercise. Aerobic exercise increases the blood flow within our brain. The brain needs oxygen and nutrients, so better cardiovascular health is linked to better brain health.
In a study of one group of women, regular exercise was associated a 9.5 year later onset of Alzheimer’s compared to the group that did not exercise. Most experts recommend 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days per week. But they say even 15 minutes of exercise three times per week is better than nothing.
Exercises to maintain balance are also good. Better balance can help reduce the risk of falling and injuring our bodies or brains.
A healthy diet makes a contribution to brain health. The Mediterranean Diet combined with the DASH diet seems to have the most positive impact on our minds. The Mediterranean Diet includes eating lots of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, cereals, and olive oil. It avoids saturated fat, red meat, salt, sugar, and processed foods. The DASH diet is similar to the Mediterranean diet, except it also includes low-fat dairy products, fish, and poultry.
Drinking enough water is also important. As we age, our sensation of thirst declines, making us more vulnerable to dehydration—which can reduce cognitive function. We should drink six to eight glasses of liquid per day. Since our thirst shrinks as we age, we are wise to drink water even when we are not thirsty.
Drinking alcohol as part of our liquid intake, however, is questionable. Alcohol tends to affect us more as we age. U. S. Dietary Guidelines say the maximum alcoholic drinks per day should be one for women and two for men. And maximum recommended tobacco use is, of course, zero.
Maintaining a healthy weight is also wise. Studies have shown that obese people experience faster cognitive decline than people with an ideal weight. The recommended weight for a 5-foot person is 100-120 pounds. For someone 5 feet 6 inches tall, it is 120-150 pounds. For someone 6 feet tall, it is 140-180 pounds. (For the recommended weight for your exact height, you can Google “BMI Chart.”)
Getting the right amount of sleep, around seven to nine hours, is good for our minds as well. Lack of sleep can lead to difficulty remembering and concentrating, along with an increased risk of dementia. While the results of lack of sleep have long been known, sleeping too much has recently been shown to be associated with lower cognitive and reasoning ability. According to the studies, too much sleep is also associated with increased dementia risk.
An annual routine health screening from our health care provider is also wise. Our provider can screen for diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and depression. All of these have a negative long-term impact on how well our minds work as we age. If we are diagnosed with one of these conditions, we should manage that condition well, as recommended by our health care provider, to prevent unnecessary damage to our bodies and brains.
That’s a boatload of information and choices. This morning, as I put together these options, I felt overwhelmed.
While I was still at my computer, a friend telephoned, asking me to play pickleball in 15 minutes. I said yes. For lunch I chose peanut butter instead of ham for my sandwich—and I added a lettuce salad and fresh green beans.
I am feeling less overwhelmed. Maybe I just need to make small changes, one choice at a time.
Adapted from Creative Aging by Carol Van Klompenburg, published 2023, available from Amazon.