Your brain is complex. I’m sure that statement doesn’t come as a surprise to you. But there are steps you can take to protect your brain’s health that are easy to follow.
As a neurologist, I focus on treating disorders of the brain, spinal cord, nerves and muscles. These disorders are very common; a recently published analysis found half of all Americans are affected by a neurological disease or disorder. Dementia is now the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Other neurological disorders include everything from headaches, migraines, muscle weakness, numbness and neuropathy (damage to the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord) to memory concerns, seizures, tremors and strokes.
And it all starts with your brain. Like anything concerning your health, it’s much better to protect your brain than to wait for it to develop a problem. Let’s start with the good news: it’s never too late to improve your brain health. Make a commitment, no matter how small and build on it.
So where do you start? I always talk to my patients about the four well-studied approaches to brain health that don’t require medication. First, get adequate sleep, at least seven hours. The latest study shows that seven hours of overnight sleep is associated with peak cognitive performance. The largest study to date found getting between six and eight hours of sleep is associated with greater grey matter volume distributed through the brain.
These next two should sound familiar if you’ve spoken to any type of doctor or healthcare professional: eat healthy and exercise. They are just as important for your brain as the rest of your body. For your diet, there is great evidence that a Mediterranean-style diet or a MIND diet, which is a combination of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, are great for your brain. The MIND diet specifies eating berries and green leafy vegetables while limiting meat and high saturated fat foods. If you need to learn more about these healthy diet options, speak with a dietician.
The fourth approach is to develop strong social networks. No, I’m not talking about online social media networks; I’m talking about real social interactions with conversations and relationships. The reason: multiple studies have found that feeling lonely increases your risk for dementia by 31 percent. So, get out there and spend time with your friends and family. I’m not saying you need to avoid social media completely because that social media interaction can help support those real, in-person relationships.
Preventative steps will help. But eventually, our genetics and/or our environment will put our health at risk. Neurological conditions are treatable, including Alzheimer’s disease, which we can now treat with a new class of medications to slow its progress. Whatever your condition, we can develop an individual treatment plan – but we’d prefer to keep you healthy and out of our clinic.
Dr. Marshall Kirsch is a neurologist with Mercy Jefferson. He sees patients at Mercy Neurology - Jefferson Suite N2400 and Mercy Clinic Neurology-Farmington.