Chapter 4: Perks of Improved Brain Health
There are several benefits you stand to enjoy when you are deliberate about improving your brain health and brain power. Some of them are direct advantages while some are products of others. Below are some of the benefits you stand to enjoy when you work towards improving your brain health and brain power.
There’s no way you’ll be functioning at the peak of your powers mentally that it won’t affect the performance of the other parts of your body. Your brain has been active since when you were in the womb. It controls your body functions and helps you to understand and interpret the world around you. It’s responsible for how you work, play, and rest. So, when it’s working well, every other part of your body will definitely be functioning as expected. Your muscles and other tissues in the body will start malfunctioning when your brain is incapacitated to perform its role effectively.
One of the biggest proofs that your brain takes center stage regarding how your body functions is what happens during a stroke. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bursts due to one reason or the other. The result of this terrible incident is a partial or total paralysis of a part of the body. If something goes wrong in the brain and it affects a part of the body, what happens when the brain is in perfect conditions? It’s evident that the product of improved brain health is enhanced body functioning.
What happens in your brain can decide whether you’ll be alert or dizzy. The effects of Ginkgo biloba and caffeine show that activities in the brain decide whether you’ll be in a relaxed or stimulated state. Caffeine, which is found in coffee and cocoa products, stimulates the brain to make you more alert and focused. On the other hand, taking Ginkgo biloba supplements can put you in a relaxed state. It has this impact by altering what goes on in the brain. If a part of the brain is responsible for controlling our level of alertness, then we’ll lose it if the brain function deteriorates.
Therefore, we must do all we can to ensure that our brain remains in a healthy condition. We are at risk of feeling unnecessarily tired and dizzy when the brain isn’t functioning as expected. Supplements such as caffeine help to boost our alertness. However, it’s because the brain is in good condition that it was able to have this impact. If the brain is malfunctioning due to a neurological condition, no amount of stimulation can make it become active. So, it’s crucial that you are deliberate about protecting your brain and preserving its health.
Reduction in the Risk of Dementia
It’s no news that your brain is the memory center of the body. If anything goes wrong with your brain, it puts you at risk of suffering a mental condition known as dementia. Dementia is used to describe a neurological condition that involves symptoms such as forgetfulness, impaired problem-solving ability, difficulties with thinking, impaired communication, and disturbed changes. Dementia happens gradually. It’s often very mild in the early days but gets worse if not treated. At its peak, it’ll prevent an individual from being able to live independently. This condition is common, especially among older adults.
It’s estimated that at least one out of three people above the age of 65 are battling dementia. If you have had loved ones or the people you know fighting this condition, you’ll have a better understanding of how devastating it can be. The good news is that you can prevent it by preserving your brain health. Research suggests that more than 75% of brain damage associated with dementia is a result of lifestyle. So, you can reduce the chances of battling this condition and other neurological conditions by adopting healthy habits. A healthy lifestyle reduces the risk of this disease by a third.
Reduction of Age-Related Cognitive Decline
One of the worst kept secrets in the world is that brain function reduces as you grow older. There is nothing you can do about it because your body will grow weaker as you get closer to the end of your life. Your brain power will also share in this inevitable deterioration of the body. Still, you can slow down the process by making necessary changes to the way you live. There are habits that can help you slow down the aging process and also reduce age- related cognitive decline that is associated with the latter period of life, which is common among seniors.
Some of them include exercise and healthy eating habits. Research has shown that these two habits can delay the aging process and also preserve your brain health. Apart from genetic factors, one of the key reasons some people look and act older than their age is that they have unhealthy habits that take their toll on their mental and physical health. So, you don’t have to wait until you are advanced in age before you start making the necessary lifestyle changes that can help you to preserve your brain health. Invest in your overall health now and enjoy the benefits later.
Since your brain is in charge of activities such as memory, problem-solving, thinking, decision making, and other crucial functions, you can be sure that it determines your performance. So, by preserving its health, you are inadvertently ensuring that you are able to sustain your best performance. The brain isn’t only vital in carrying out highly-cerebral activities. It’s also important in basic daily activities. When an individual suffers from neurological disorders such as stroke and dementia, it affects their ability to carry out basic daily tasks, making them lose their ability to live alone without the support of others.
Therefore, it is non-negotiable to do all within your power to ensure that you keep your brain healthy. If you lose it, what you will lose is more than your ability to carry out activities involving a high level of intelligence. You might also lose your reflexes and other basic functions that you need to be self- independent. No one wants to be incapable of taking care of themselves. However, this is the situation some people find themselves in because some parts of their brains are not working. Don’t just wish you’ll not find yourself in the same condition. Be deliberate about preserving your brain health.