Released April 11, 2008

MURFREESBORO, Ark. -- Staying healthy as you age includes keeping a sharp mind as well as a strong body.

"Just as physical activity keeps your body strong, mental activity keeps your mind sharp and agile," says Robbie McKinnon, Pike County extension agent with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

"One way to do this," she says, "is to continually challenge yourself by learning new skills. If you continue to learn and challenge yourself, your brain continues to grow."

McKinnon offers these ideas to keep your mind active:

• Interact with others
• Learn a foreign language
• Learn to play a musical instrument
• Play Scrabble or another mind-challenging game
• Read, read, read!
• Start a new hobby
• Stay informed about world matters
• Volunteer
• Work crossword puzzles
• Get plenty of sleep.

McKinnon explains that an active brain produces new connections between nerve cells. These connections allow cells to communicate with one another and help the brain store and retrieve information more easily.

Another way to keep your mind healthy is to keep your heart healthy.

"Research confirms that maintaining good heart health protects your brain," says McKinnon. "It keeps your brain mentally and physically fit and protects it from cognitive deterioration as you age."

Exercise increases blood flow to all parts of your body, including your brain. It can help you think clearer, feel better and lower your risk of many diseases.

McKinnon offers some ways to work toward a goal of at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week:

• Park your car farther away and walk the extra distance
• Ride a stationary bike while you watch TV
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Walk your dog
• Work in your yard.

Of course, regular exercise goes hand-in-hand with a healthy diet.

"Not surprisingly, diet and exercise are the twin pillars of any plan to get your heart and brain in line," she says. "Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Many of these contain antioxidants - substances that protect and nourish brain cells."

Antioxidants may help prevent cholesterol from damaging the lining of your arteries and slowing blood flow to your brain, says McKinnon.

Her list of colorful, antioxidant-rich foods includes oranges, berries, broccoli, spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes and tomatoes.

In most cases, you’re far more likely to gain health benefits from eating whole foods than by taking supplements in pill, capsule or other forms.

McKinnon cautions that you should make healthy lifestyle choices such as these:

• Drink alcohol in moderation if at all. People who drink heavily for years are at higher risk for memory problems, dementia and even brain damage.
• Keep stress to a minimum. When you’re stressed, your brain releases hormones that can damage your brain if you are exposed to them for days at a time.
• Simplify your life. This may include cutting out certain activities.
• Stop smoking or never start. Smokers have twice the risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease compared to people who have never smoked.
• Take a break. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and relax.

Talk to your doctor about your memory loss concerns, says McKinnon. The doctor can look at your overall health and come up with strategies for preventing memory loss as you age.

For more information about brain health, contact your county extension agent or go to http://www.uaex.edu and select Health and Nutrition. The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the U of A Division of Agriculture.

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http://www.uaex.edu/news/april2008/0418sharpmind.htm

Contact: Lamar James, (501) 671-2187 or (501) 753-0207, ljames@uaex.edu