At 63, I am constantly looking for ways for keeping my mind sharp. It is a vital topic to me since I spend a lot of time teaching and writing. Here are eight tips that have served me well.
1.Keep on learning
My main role model for keeping intellectually fit - apart from Dr. Fred Horowitz, my business partner - is my friend Sigy, 88 years young. Whenever I speak to him, he tells me about his latest acquisition from The Teaching Company, a storehouse of great university-level courses available to download. Sigy is constantly challenging himself with something new.
2.Take a multivitamin supplement
One of my favorite health-related websites is Mercola.com. Dr. Mercola recommends that older people take a multivitamin daily to promote optimal health and a strong immune system. It helps maintain and boost good health and wellness. On the other hand, Live Science.com reports that so-called "brain pills," such as ginkgo biloba and melatonin, offer no beneficial effect. In fact, they might have negative side effects such as high blood pressure and digestion problems.
3.Live a "balanced" lifestyle
Research shows that leading a balanced life - however you define it - can reduce stress and retard memory impairment. David Corbett takes a long-term view of a balanced life in his bookPortfolio Life. He recommends the following:
- having a satisfying vocation a profession,
- being a lifelong learner,
- making time for personal pursuits and recreation,
- enjoying family and friends, and
- getting back to society.
4.Watch what you eat
- Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid that is critical to brain function. It can reduce the risk of macular degeneration, protect against Alzheimer's disease, and fight arthritis. What are good foods to eat? Try salmon, trout, mackerel, herring and sardines. Learn more form Dr. Joe Schwarcz, who has written extensively on proper nutrition. See his interview with Dr. Fred Horowitz and myself.
- Recent studies have shown that two to four cups of coffee a day may increase your cognitive capacity and help you fight Alzheimer's disease. Scientists are not sure whether it is due to the caffeine or the antioxidants found in coffee and tea.
- Do not want to overeat or under eat. Either one can have harmful consequences for brain functioning. The Food and Nutrition information Center at the National Agricultural Library of the US Department of Agriculture has some great resources on healthy eating. Check out the Tufts University Food Guide Pyramid for Older Adults aged 54 for tips on a healthful diet. Here are two suggestions that you can easily remember: eat, bright colored vegetables (carrots and spinach for example) and deep colored fruit (berries and sliced melon are two).
5.Get enough sleep
If you do not sleep enough, you are likely to pay the price in having attention and memory problems. You also run the risk of making it harder for yourself to learn new things and think. And what does sleeping enough mean? According to the US National Institute of Health, older adults need as much sleep as younger adults: 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Check the NIH website for some helpful tips on sleeping well.
6.Exercise your memory
Here are some tips from Helpguide.org for improving your memory:
- pay attention to what you need to learn.
- process information according to your learning style.
- use as many of your senses as possible.
- connect information to knowledge you have already learned.
- organize information through words or mind maps.
7.Have the right amount of energy
My business partner, Dr. Fred Horowitz, and I are advocates of the rising-energy model of aging as presented in our webinar . We do not believe that it is inevitable that your energy will decline as you age.
Harvard produced a special health report calledBoosting your Energythat proposed a seven-step plan for increasing your natural energy. Here are the first three steps from Julie K. Silver, M.D. of the Harvard Medical School:
- set goals and write them down; it is a great way to motivate yourself.
- keep your stress in check by discussing it with others using relaxation techniques and writing your feelings down on paper.
- do not overwork yourself; use smart techniques that allow you to work better by working less.
8.Get enough exercise
According to Live Science.com, "scientists are starting to think that regular exercise may be the single most important thing you can do for the long-term health of your brain." The American College of Sports Medicine urges older adults to work out strenuously at least 15 to 60 minutes three to five days per week. That means getting your heart rate up to 60% to 90% of your maximal heart rate (220 minus current age). I often go running with my heart monitor strapped around my chest. In a recent 50-minute run up and down small hills, my average heart rate was 127, which was 80% of my maximal heart rate. I was right on target!