Please Subscribe Below
Do you love yourself for how your brain works? You'd better start taking care of it long before you age.
Today we review two mind-blowing studies from Frontiers in Neuroscience that reveal practical ways to maintain cognitive function and promote brain health as we age through functional compensationm, language learning and improving brain plasticity.
Brain Functional Compensation
First study (click to open in a new window) shows that as we age our brains becomes more adept through functional compensation. Researchers studies how older individuals utilize brain regions to uphold intelligence, essential for problem solving and adjusting to new circumstances. They took a group of 223 individuals ranging from 19 to 87 years old and engaged them in mind stimulating puzzles while undergoing brain scans. As a result, they saw that our brains activates usually less involved areas, particularly the bilateral cuneal cortex in order to compensate for age related alterations. This prooves that despite some functions waning with age our brains put in effort to keep us mentally sharp.
Now lets talk solutions. Implementing stress management and relaxation techniques like mindfulness and herbal remedies can aid this compensation process. Take Valerian Root for instance. Well known for its ability to alleviate stress, anxiety and even help with insomnia management. It's advisable to select a trusted brand due, to products flooding the market. Gaia Herbs Valerian Root is a choice (not a plug, just friendly guidance).
Learning as the Key to Neuroplasticity
In another study (click to open in a new window) it was discovered and proven that learning (a new language specifically in this study) can reshape your brain, even if you're well into your 70s. In this study, 26 older adults (59-79 years old) spent 4-month learnin new language basics, meeting twice a week for 2-hour sessions. The results were absolutely amazing - significant improvements in global cognition and functional connectivity in the brain. Specifically, they saw increased activity in areas like the right inferior frontal gyrus and superior frontal gyrus, which are crucial for cognitive functions.
So, keep your brain busy with something newᅳit's a clearly helpful cognitive intervention for promoting healthy aging and combat cognitive decline.
What to Do?
Mindfulness Practices: Tons of other studies scientifically prove that meditation can enhance your cognitive functions and help with stress management. Implementing 5 minutes of silence meditation practice in the morning and 5 minutes in the eveningᅳjust take our word for itᅳwith just 10 minutes, you'll notice the difference.
Natural Support: Modern life and the environment make it challenging for your brain to function healthily, so it expects your help since you are the one. Stress management and good sleepᅳthis is the very foundation. There are powerful herbs and natural remedies also that have no adverse effects on your body and just get the job done. For example, Nerve Aid (click to open in a new window) ᅳ the iconic 100% herbal formulation from Naturopathic Doctor Marco Sikaffy. It has been proven by thousands of people for over 40 years to successfully support the nervous system for stress, anxiety, and sleep, blending the best of herbal medicine with modern science.
Mental Activity: Learn. Yes, it's that simple. The brain is like a muscle that degrades without training, and its training is learningᅳlanguage, playing music, surfing, it doesn't really matterᅳjust give your brain something new.
In Summary
Brain is doing whatever possible to help you age healthy. But its working only when its both ways - you should support it with brain exercises (learning), stress managing, good sleep and natural supplements.
Your brain is capable of amazing things, no matter your ageᅳincluding many we are still not aware of! 🌟 It just needs a hand from you.
