It's unfortunate that once a person is old enough and wise enough to really begin appreciating and enjoying life, so many physical and mental ailments rear their ugly heads.  The "golden years" should be a time when a person enjoys their family, their hobbies, and life in general but unfortunately on top of their physical aches and pains, senility typically sets in and robs them of their abilities to not only enjoy their life but even sometimes to accomplish everyday tasks.  Whether it's Alzheimer's disease or other degenerative brain disorders, senility is something that virtually everyone fears as old age approaches.

There is a bit of good news from the medical community.  As doctors do more research into how the brain works and functions and what causes it to break down, they also get a better understanding of how to prevent many cases of senility.  While it may not be possible to always have the strong mind that one did during the younger years, warding off true senility is actually possible if you begin early and are proactive in doing so.

For one thing, it's important to remember that the brain is like any other muscle we have.  You need to exercise it in order to keep it strong.  Thinking abilities and memories are formed and strengthened the more one makes neural connections in the brain; this means the more you think, the stronger your brain will be.  Warding off senility means being mentally active throughout your entire life.  Both mental and emotional connections seem to keep the brain healthiest.  It's all too easy to turn off the mind every night as we turn on the television, but enjoying stimulating mental activities can keep your brain healthy.  This means opting for crossword or other types of puzzles, reading magazines and books that are challenging, and always trying to learn something new.  These things may not completely avoid senility but they will keep the brain active and healthy.

Emotional connections also seem to be important when it comes to avoiding senility.  This means staying close to family and friends and maintaining other important connections.  Older ones can be active in their church or community in order to maintain emotional connections and ward off senility.

Certain herbs also seem to help in keeping senility at bay by helping to reinforce those brain tissue connections.  These include gingko biloba, hawthorn, rosemary, and ginseng.  A good multi-vitamin may also help in keeping cells healthy, and the antioxidants in green tea and fruits, especially berries, seem to help destroy free radicals which are the elements that attack healthy cells in the body.

Ginkgo is also called the duck foot tree and was found in China during the late 18th century.  A French study conducted in the 1980s showed that women taking 600 mg of Ginkgo a day showed short-term memory improvement.  It is also believed to improve circulation, and helps with sight and hearing loss.  Ginkgo is also a blood thinner and anyone taking blood thinners or aspirin should consult with their doctor prior to starting any treatment that uses Ginkgo.

There are of course no guarantees as to how the mind will continue to function on into old age, just as one cannot guarantee their physical health.  But by keeping active and working hard you may be able to keep senility at bay for as long and as much as possible.

Always consult your doctor before using this information.

This Article is nutritional in nature and not to be construed as medical advice.