Cognitive decline is a challenging thing to contend with as we age. It begins with not being able to remember the word for things like “microwave” (food-hotter-maker?) and slowly shifts into scenarios where we forget our family members’ names or how to use a seatbelt.
Fortunately, there are ways of keeping our brains as healthy and resilient as we possibly can, for as long as we possibly can.
Let’s take a look at some of the most important things for you to start feeding your mind on a regular basis for optimal health and capability.
Feed your mind these 7 things to make sure it stays healthy and resilient:
1. Fresh experiences that you can immerse yourself in deeply.
Most people have gotten accustomed to short snippets of information that they can scan through quickly, such as tweets and summaries.
While scrolling on social media or reading short-form bits of information can create exciting, quick dopamine hits, it’s also linked to weaker focus, cognitive fatigue, and a general sense of ennui.
In contrast, deep immersion and intense focus on things like labor-intensive crafts or reading books are linked to greater attention span, long-term memory, and a general sense of calm.
As such, make a list of topics that you’ve always been interested in learning about, and set aside time to research them thoroughly. It’s even better if these subjects involve hands-on work.
For example, have you always been interested in foraging for wild foods? If so, this is a great opportunity to study wild edible plants intensely while also getting out into the woods and examining the plants for yourself.
2. Puzzles, games, and creativity.
My partner had a moderately serious stroke a little over a year ago, and one of the ways that she has regained brain health and strength by promoting neuroplasticity is by doing a wide variety of puzzles.
Some have been physical ones, such as jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzle books, and coloring pages, while others have been digital. By engaging her mind in this fashion, she has been creating new neural pathways and regaining what she thought she had lost.
For example, the aphasia she suffered from initially — namely difficulty with writing and speaking — has improved exponentially. Similarly, she had limited function in her left side for several months, which has improved significantly via puzzles, word games, and crafts such as knitting.
It’s amazing to see hand-eye coordination and motor function improve in real time thanks to the power of play and creativity, and you don’t need to be recovering from an illness to reap the benefits.
3. Silence and space.
Sometimes, magic occurs in the spaces between things rather than the things themselves.
A perfect example of this is silence and solitude.
“Feeding your mind” implies addition rather than subtraction, but you’re actually nourishing it with an incredibly important gift: the opportunity to reset.
Giving your mind an absence of things regularly is immensely beneficial because we’re often absolutely hammered by stimuli from the moment we wake up.
Blaring alarms, artificial lighting, and other intrusions can cause intense anxiety and overwhelm, even if we don’t realize it at the time.
In contrast, if we can learn to embrace silence, it can calm our nerves, restore inner peace, and heal us.
According to scientific studies, just a few minutes of silence can lower stress and blood pressure, and two hours of silence every day may even stimulate the hippocampus to grow new brain cells.
As such, try to make a point of having silent, unstimulating time several times a week if you can. If it’s something you find challenging for whatever reason, build it in very slowly and gradually, so as not to overwhelm your already frayed nervous system.
4. New information in fields you’re unfamiliar with.
Many of us have favorite topics that we immerse ourselves in on a regular basis, but there are countless other subjects for us to explore.
It can be immensely comforting to re-tread familiar territory, but delving into new subject matter doesn’t just create new brain cell connections and improve neuroplasticity — it also releases dopamine, which makes you feel happy and excited.
To get the full cognitive benefits, read books and watch videos in subjects and genres that are completely new and fresh to you.
Learning a new language — especially one that’s in a different family from the one(s) you’re currently conversant in — falls into this category as well.
You can make it a pleasurable pursuit towards a particular goal if that makes it more appealing: for example, if you’ve always wanted to take a trip to Spain or Greece, make a point of learning enough that you’ll be comfortable with basic conversations there.
5. Flow-like physical movement.
Working out regularly is ideal for full-body health and wellbeing, but standard exercise routines can become quite dull after a while.
Sure, slapping in earbuds and doing reps and elliptical training at the gym will keep your blood flowing well, but it isn’t challenging your mind, too.
In contrast, flowing physical movement engages you because you’re moving your entire body, often in new types of choreographed movement.
Choose a form that you find exciting and engaging so you’ll be keen to do it often.
For example, in addition to things like Tibetan yoga and martial arts katas, I also do staff training and Rope Flow. My partner does restorative Hatha flow yoga and poi spinning, and a friend of hers does silk acrobatics.
Anything that can put you into a flow state is hugely beneficial for body and mind alike.
6. Navigate different areas.
Did you know that a study published in the BMJ found that taxi and ambulance drivers have the lowest proportion of deaths attributed to Alzheimer’s disease of all occupations?
Apparently, the constant real-time navigation and problem-solving combined with the physical movement involved in driving significantly lowers Alzheimer’s potential effects on the hippocampus.
And while you might not be able to replicate this exactly, you can challenge your brain in a similar manner by altering your routes as you navigate around where you live and find your way around via different methods.
For example, you could alternate between driving, taking buses, walking, cycling, etc., and take different roads and paths than you’re accustomed to.
I recommend being as analog as possible in these endeavors by using maps and compasses rather than relying on GPS apps on your phone. This makes the knowledge intrinsic to you rather than something passive.
You’re aiming to remember details, routes, and landmarks instead of letting your phone do all the thinking for you.
This grounds your experience with first-hand knowledge rather than letting the entire affair become the abstract click of a button.
7. Brain-boosting nutrition that suits your individual needs.
While you’re in the process of feeding your mind wholesome mental content, be sure to take care of your brain’s physical aspect as well.
You can do this by eating nutrient-dense, brain-nourishing foods. Just remember that no two people have the same nutritional needs. As a result, there’s no one-size-fits-all diet plan that you should adhere to.
Do some personal digging to determine what foods actually suit you best, possibly with the help of a nutritionist or dietitian, and then create an interesting and varied food diet that is within your means.
A lot of the time there are fads regarding what foods you should be eating, but “popular” doesn’t necessarily mean “healthy.” For example, some people thrive on a ketogenic diet, but others do better with Mediterranean veganism.
In general, good brain foods include healthy fats (like from salmon, sardines, and avocado), walnuts, kale, dark chocolate, blueberries, dark leafy greens, eggs, olive oil, pumpkin seeds, and strawberries.
Of course, not everyone can eat all of these things due to allergies and sensitivities, so work to your individual needs and nourish your brain well.
Final thoughts…
The recommendations listed here are just suggestions, of course. When it comes to pursuing different interests and physical pursuits, it’s important to explore different things to determine what you feel will work the best for your own body and mind.
But prioritize nutritious food, fluid movement, and immersive concentration, and you may be surprised to see how quickly your mental faculties begin to sharpen.
By keeping up the regimen, the cumulative benefits over time may keep your brain even healthier and more resilient than you anticipated.
