In the timeless tale of love and loss depicted in the 2004 film "The Notebook," we witness the heart-wrenching journey of Noah and Allie. Theirs is a story of undying passion and profound connection, but it's also one marked by the devastating effects of Alzheimer's disease.
Allie's diagnosis casts a shadow over their once vibrant life together. She becomes a stranger to her own memories, unable to recognize the love of her life sitting right beside her. It's a poignant reminder of the fragility of our most cherished faculties and the importance of safeguarding them.
So, what can we do to protect our minds and preserve our memories? Often, we focus solely on physical health, neglecting the vital role our brains play in our overall well-being. But just as we nourish our bodies, we must also nourish our minds.
Give your brain the food it likes the best
First on the menu for a brain-boosting feast are foods rich in healthy fats, like fish, avocados, and nuts. These omega-3 powerhouses are essential for optimal brain function and can even help stave off conditions like dry eyes. And if fish isn't on your daily menu, fear not—supplements like Coromega Orange Squeeze offer a tasty alternative. Coromega Orange Squeeze is 300% more absorbable than fish oil pills and tastes good. (Coromega.com use discount code: KIMBERLEY12279 for 20% off)
Leafy greens like spinach, collard greens and kale also deserve a prime spot on your plate, alongside antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables. Whether blended into smoothies or tossed into salads, these nutrient-packed foods are a banquet for your brain. Spinach and other greens can be added to many of the dishes you are already eating. I put spinach in my smoothies and in my spaghetti sauce. I put them in soups and cook them in my eggs and, of course, I eat them in salads.
But beware the villains of the culinary world—highly processed foods and sugar can wreak havoc on your cognitive health. Instead, opt for natural sweeteners like xylitol or stevia to satisfy your cravings without harming your brain. Avoid all foods that have Splenda, sucralose, or aspartame as they cause damage to the brain and other parts of your body.
Let your brain rest
Next up on the brain-boosting agenda: rest and relaxation. Quality sleep is essential for both body and mind, allowing for crucial repair and rejuvenation. Without it, our cognitive abilities suffer, leaving us vulnerable to conditions like dementia.
From 10pm-2am the physical body is repaired and during the 2am-6am time zone your psychological body is healing. This includes emotions, thoughts, memories, and the new things we learned that day.
Sleep gives the body and brain time to recover. Without sleep we cannot process information or think clearly. We may lose coordination and function of our muscles and movement patterns. Sleep deprivation is highly correlated with dementia and cognitive deficits later in life.
During the day, be sure to give your brain regular breaks with activities like meditation or deep breathing. These moments of tranquility provide much-needed respite from the hustle and bustle of daily life, allowing your brain to recharge and refocus.
Pump that body
Of course, no brain-boosting regimen would be complete without exercise. Physical activity not only enhances mood and reduces anxiety but also promotes the growth of new brain cells—a phenomenon known as neurogenesis.
When you do physical exercise neurotransmitters like dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and acetylcholine travel up to your brain. These neurotransmitters calm the brain reducing anxiety and depression and elevating your mood and feelings of wellbeing.
Exercise aids in preventing diseases that can harm the brain such cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Cardiovascular disease has to do with your heart and circulation (blood vessels). When the openings in a person’s arteries are thickened or hardened, called atherosclerosis, the brain does not receive sufficient nutrients and oxygen and it begins to die. This thickening and hardening is caused by a buildup of plaque in the inner lining of an artery. Atherosclerosis happens when a person has high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, high blood pressure, diabetes or they are a smoker.
Exercise improves your focus and concentration. Think about how good you feel when you finish your workout. You feel energized and renewed. Those endorphins that are released not only make you feel good, but they also help you stay alert and focused.
Exercise promotes neurogenesis (the growth of new brains cells). This means that not only do you get bigger muscles when you exercise, you are growing a bigger brain, too!
But it's not just about pumping iron or hitting the treadmill. Activities that engage both body and mind, like dancing or learning a new skill, are especially potent in preserving cognitive function. After all, a healthy brain is one that's constantly challenged and stimulated.
Get Social
And let's not forget the power of social connections. Interacting with others isn't just good for the soul—it's also a key factor in maintaining cognitive sharpness. Social connections give us a sense of safety, belonging and security and reduces our chances of cognitive decline.
So, whether it's joining a club or simply spending time with loved ones, make socializing a priority in your life.
Enhance Your Brain Power
And let's not overlook the transformative power of mental stimulation. Engaging in activities that challenge the mind, such as puzzles, games, or lifelong learning pursuits, can help preserve cognitive function and ward off age-related decline.
As complex as our brains are, there are simple things we can do to expand our brain power. Whenever you learn something new you increase your brain capacity. When you learn new skills that involve movement new brain pathways are created. This is an important distinction.
To keep your brain active and working you can do things that require thinking and strategy. Examples are doing puzzles, playing cards, building your vocabulary, playing chess, and trying anything new. The brain loves novelty and will gravitate towards new stimulating experiences. Using only mind games, but not involving the body and other senses is limited in its effectiveness. When a person begins to lose cognitive abilities the memory and these “thinking” mental skills are lost first. That is because they are not integrated into the deep neurology of the person using these techniques. It is still important to practice these mental activities every day. Integrating learning by incorporating your body and all your senses will give lasting results.
Music is magical. Every culture has music. Music is communication and integrates into our very souls. Music reminds us of pleasant times, and we remember events from the past where we shared emotions, experiences, we sang together in groups and enjoyed concerts, sports and time with family and friends. Depending on the occasion, music stimulates all or some of our senses. We listen through our ears, feel it in our body and sometimes have sights, smells, tastes, and feelings that go along with the music we are listening to.
Music is powerful and carries with it subliminal messages and feelings that can remind us of something in the past. It has an immediate effect on our emotional state depending on the music we choose to listen to. Because music creates new brain pathways and is fully integrated into the body it is one of the things that can be used to sustain your brain and it can also be used to rehabilitate people who have dementia.
When you combine learning with body movement new brain pathways are created. It concerns me when I see children sitting still staring at screens and virtually playing, but not moving their bodies. Children should be playing outside, practicing a sport or martial arts, dancing and riding their bikes. This learning through body movement is needed to develop the brain capacity to make complex decisions later in life. In addition, as a doctor, I am prescribing glasses to more children at an earlier and earlier age because they are staring at phones and screens for hours. Sitting and staring at a screen rather than learning through movement and experiencing things through their senses affects their development and ability to learn.
Learning to dance or learning a new skill that requires memory and movement will slow the onset of cognitive degeneration. When you integrate your vision, mind and proprioception (your body's ability to sense movement, action, and location) you create learning that lasts, because even when the mind fails, the body remembers. Any skill that involves movement that you practice over and over until it is automatic will also remain even when a person is experiencing the later stages of Alzheimer’s.
Country Music Hall of Fame singer Glen Campbell was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s later in life, but that did not keep him from performing. Although he suffered severe cognitive deficits, when he sat down on the stage to play his guitar and sing, he did not miss a beat. He could play and sing his songs perfectly. His mind was lost, but the body never forgets!
Is there anything on your bucket list that you have not experienced yet, like playing pickle ball or dancing the tango, that you could enjoy on a regular basis to keep your brain healthy? Think about it and take action. Move that body and super charge your brain power.
Conclusion
So, as we reflect on the timeless tale of Noah and Allie, let us heed the lessons it imparts—the importance of love, resilience, and the indomitable human spirit. And let us forge ahead with renewed determination, embarking on a journey to preserve our most precious gift—the gift of memory, identity, and the boundless potential of the human mind.
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Meet the author:
Dr. Kimberley Linert stands as a beacon of expertise and compassion in the realm of behavioral optometry, boasting over three decades of unwavering dedication to helping individuals achieve their vision and goals. Her illustrious career has spanned the spectrum of human experience, from guiding children with special needs to empowering C-suite executives and elite athletes to reach new heights of performance.
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