Back when my dear mother was still in a nursing home (prior to her passing in 2015 at age 94), every time I would visit her, I would pop my head into the doorway of her room and say, “Hi Mom!  How are you?”

She would always respond, “Well, Sher, I hurt from head to toe (with arthritis), but I still know who you are!”

Ah yes, age-related cognitive decline is a very real and scary thing, and my mother was always thankful (as was I) that it did not affect her.

But the important thing to realize is that “brain slipping” as we age is not necessarily a given—because there’s a whole lot you can do to help keep yours sharp for years to come. 

Here are some of the best ways to help:

6 strategies for tip-top brain health

 

Brain strategy #1- Get enough Omega-3 fatty acids

Sixty percent of your brain is made up of fat, and these fats must constantly be replenished.

Deficiencies in essential fats have been linked to depression, dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, fatigue, memory problems, Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia. 

Plus, optimal amounts of fats are essential if you want to maximize your intelligence!

Your brain and nervous system are especially dependent on Omega-3 fatty acids—specifically EPA and DHA…but they are also a very common deficiency.  The primary source of these fats is fresh fish, and that’s simply not something the average person eats every day.

That’s why supplementing with a fish oil formula like VitalMega-3 can help ensure you have optimal levels of this crucial brain nutrient!

VitalMega-3 provides an impressive 1,200 mg of Omega-3s in every daily two-capsule serving, including 600 mg of EPA and 400 mg of DHA—to support sharp brain functioning.

 

Brain strategy #2- Getcher fiber

Studies have shown that eating fiber-rich foods can help delay brain aging by triggering the production of a short-chain fatty acid (butyrate) that has anti-inflammatory properties.

So, make sure you’re eating plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes—your brain will thank you (and so will your bowels!). 

Brain strategy #3- Engage in regular exercise

Here’s yet another impressive benefit of regular exercise—it can help keep your BRAIN healthy!

Exercise has repeatedly been shown to help improve cognitive function, especially in elderly people.

So, get your doctor’s OK and get moving.  You don’t have to get fancy—even brisk walking is helpful and just about anyone can do that. 

Brain strategy #4- Get enough vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is essential for your nervous system and brain health.

It helps your brain use carbohydrates and proteins, it's needed to make up the myelin sheath that protects your nerve cells, and it works with folic acid to make your brain’s neurotransmitters. 

Unfortunately, B12 is also a common deficiency due to things like antacid use, excessive alcohol intake, gastric surgery, inflammatory bowel disease, taking certain diabetes drugs or having a vegan diet.

The best way to ensure you have health-supporting levels of this crucial nutrient is through supplementation.

Hydroxaden 2.5 is an easy-to-use oral spray that gives you a therapeutic dose of Vitamin B12, plus the added bonus of Vitamins B2, B3 and B6—for a complete, well-rounded nutrient boost for your brain!

Brain strategy #5- Nourish both your microbiomes

Researchers have discovered that, similar to your gut, your brain also has its own microbiome!  High-res images have been produced that clearly show bacteria inside brain cells supporting the neurons.    

Plus there’s also the gut-brain axis, which is a network of chemical and electrical signals that continuously pass between your brain and your gut.  What affects one directly affects the other.

So maintaining a healthy population of beneficial bacteria is more important than we ever realized!

That’s why supplementation with a top-notch, full-spectrum probiotic like Super Shield multi-strain probiotic formula to nourish and support both your microbiomes is more crucial than ever.

Brain strategy #6- Challenge it

As the old saying goes, “If you don’t use, you’ll lose it.”

And nowhere is this truer than with your brain! 

So it’s important to challenge your brain with books, crossword puzzles, word scrambles, and other mental exercises.

Here is a quiz of 15 brainteasers that you can challenge your gray matter with (answers are down below):

Questions:

1. Billy’s mother had three children. The first child was named April. The second child was named May. What was the third child’s name?
2. A butcher stands five feet ten inches tall and wears size 13 sneakers. What does he weigh?
3. Before Mt. Everest was discovered, what was the highest mountain in the world?
4. How much dirt is there in a hole that measures two feet by three feet by four feet?
5. What word in the English language is always spelled incorrectly?
6. Susan was born on December 28th, yet her birthday always falls in the summer. How is this possible?
7. In England you cannot take a picture of a man with a wooden leg. Why not?
8. If you were running a race and you passed the person in 2nd place, what place would you be in now?
9. Which is correct to say: “The yolk of the egg is white” or “The yolk of the egg are white”?
10. A farmer has five haystacks in one field and four haystacks in another. How many haystacks would he have if he combined them all in one field?
11. Why can’t a military man living in Wisconsin be buried in Arlington National Cemetery?
12. How many months have 28 days?
13. Using only addition, how can you add eight 8’s and get the number 1,000?
14. First I threw away the outside and cooked the inside. Then I ate the outside and threw away the inside. What did I have?
15. I am the beginning of sorrow and the end of sickness. You cannot express happiness without me, but I am in the midst of crosses.  I am always in risk but never in danger.  You may find me in the sun but I am never out of darkness.  What am I?

Answers:

To your sharp brain health,

Sherry Brescia