I’ve always had a bad memory as long as I can remember, which isn’t very long! I blame a big knock on the head in my first year at university. It’s not looking good for me knowing that as we age, it’s natural for our memory to decline.
However, it has been discovered that there are things you can do to slow down this deterioration. A recent study has found a link between a healthy lifestyle and slower memory decline in older adults. I don’t expect many people are surprised, but it’s nice for scientific research to back up what we instinctively feel once in a while.
The study, published online January 25 in The BMJ evaluated the lifestyles of thousands of participants over a 10-year period. The lifestyle factors considered were: physical exercise, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, diet, cognitive activity, and social contact.
It turns out, those who scored high in these healthy lifestyle factors showed slower memory decline compared to those who didn’t. The strongest deterrent to memory decline was a healthy diet, followed by cognitive activity and physical exercise. In fact, those with a favorable or average lifestyle were 90% and 30% less likely to develop dementia or mild cognitive impairment, respectively.
What exactly constitutes a healthy lifestyle?
The study defined it as engaging in 4 to 6 of the following factors:
- Physical exercise (frequency and total time)
- Not smoking
- Abstaining from alcohol
- A healthy diet (fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, dairy, etc.)
- Cognitive activity (reading, writing, playing games, etc.)
- Social contact (visiting friends and family, attending parties, etc.)
It’s important to note that the study took into account health and socioeconomic factors as well as genetic risk.
Whilst it is not surprising that a healthy lifestyle can have an impact on our memory, it’s great to see solid evidence supporting this. The findings of this study are incredibly valuable for public health, as it provides older adults with a practical and actionable way to maintain their cognitive health.
The overall message on fighting memory decline
My own takeaway is that while memory decline is a natural part of ageing, it doesn’t have to be an inevitable outcome. By following a healthy lifestyle and engaging in physical exercise, maintaining a healthy diet, avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol, and participating in cognitive and social activities, you can significantly slow down memory decline and keep your brain sharp for years to come.
Further tips on eating for brain health can be found in the book by Max Lugavere – Genius Foods: Become Smarter, Happier, and More Productive While Protecting Your Brain for Life and podcast episode Prevent Dementia and Eat Like a Genius. There are also other great, relevant episodes at The Jordan Harbinger Show
I also wrote a blog series on jump-starting a healthy life a few years back. It covers a number of areas outside the nutritional angle.
Why not start now and give yourself the best chance of staying mentally fit in your golden years?
