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If you're in your forties or fifties, you may have started to notice some unwelcome changes in your ability to remember and even to think clearly.
Each time you have an episode of forgetfulness, you may worry if this is a sign that your brain has started to fail. You may wonder if aging will destroy your mind.
If you've ever heard that the brain shrinks as we grow older, it's not just a myth. It's literally true. Brain cells die steadily throughout life without being replaced, and the brain loses mass as we age.
It appears that our brain cells actually shrink, and our unused brain circuit pathways are trimmed back in favor of creating "super highways" to accommodate the type of thinking our brain does most. Men's brains seem to shrink somewhat faster than the brains of women.
The good news for all of us is that although we may lose millions of brain cells and synapses each year, this does not necessarily decrease our overall thinking capacity in most cases, although thinking and remembering will take longer.
Scientists have discovered that for most of us, our ability to think and remember is preserved unless we develop heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, or diabetes. The brain is able to keep creating new connections between the brain cells.
One way to keep producing new connections is to keep using your brain--keep on learning new skills and develop new interests throughout your life. If you treasure your brain, do yourself a favor and keep using it!
Maintaining an active mind in old age is not entirely a matter of luck. There are many things you can do to help safeguard your brain function. Because your brain is flesh and blood, the strategies that help keep your body healthy will also benefit your brain.
Researchers into aging have discovered that many of the same factors that can help keep our hearts healthy, also help to keep our brain healthy.
Make it a priority to eat well, exercise regularly, and get sufficient sleep. Your brain, as well as the rest of your body will benefit. In addition, this strategy will improve your mood and outlook.
Learn more about which fats are good and which fats are bad, and then increase your intake of good fats, and decrease your intake of bad fats. Most North Americans eat far too much of the bad fats--those that are saturated or hydrogenated, and they do not eat enough of the good fats their body needs, particularly the Omega-3's found in foods such as salmon and flax seed.
Include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet, especially those that are brightly colored such as tomatoes, spinach, and berries. These foods are high in antioxidants, which help protect your brain cells from free radical damage.
Take a good quality vitamin and mineral supplement daily. Be sure to include at least 500 mg of Vitamin C, 400 IU of Vitamin E, 400 mcg. of Folic acid, and a well balanced Vitamin B complex.