When your brain is healthy, your body is usually healthy too, and vice versa. At the same time, there are specific lifestyle choices we can make to optimize conditions for the brain and all its functions. Here are 6 things that are very important for brain health.
1. More physical exercise
Exercise is the closest our modern science has come to a miracle medicine. Regular exercise helps keep us in shape, increases energy levels, contributes to mental and emotional balance, and improves your chances of staying healthy long-term, even in old age. In the book "Hjärnstark" (Brain Power), Swedish psychiatrist Anders Hansen writes about how physical exercise may be the single most important lifestyle choice we can make for a healthy and well-functioning brain.
2. Increase intake of antioxidants, healthy fatty acids & anti-inflammatory foods
Close behind exercise comes nutrition for brain function. Here we have the opportunity to either help or hinder our brain's balance depending on our habits. Limiting sugar and flour, while increasing healthy fats, vegetables, and antioxidant-rich foods such as berries, olives, turmeric, and sprouts is something most experts recommend. It can also be very helpful to take supplements that provide these nutrients in concentrated form.
Our most popular supplements for the brain
Opti3 plant-based Omega 3 – A very important fatty acid for nerve cell health.
AFA algae – See also BrainOn.
Astaxanthin – Helps protect nerve cells from oxidative stress.
MCT oil – Contributes energy.
Other essential vitamins and minerals for a strong brain
Antioxidants – Especially vitamin C.
B-complex – B vitamins are involved in energy production and cell metabolism, which is incredibly important for brain cells. Sufficient vitamin B12 provides energy, improves memory, and makes it easier to learn new things.
Vitamin D – Vitamin D helps the brain stay in shape throughout life; especially after age 50.
Magnesium – Helps regulate nerve impulses in the brain and the entire nervous system.
Vitamin E – Vitamin E is an important antioxidant that primarily protects cells against damage from oxidative stress caused by free radicals. The brain is very sensitive to oxidative stress.
Zinc – Zinc can help the body fight and prevent inflammation, which can alleviate symptoms of brain fog.
Nootropics: Nutrients that support the brain
The term nootropic comes from the Greek words for "mind." Nootropic substances and supplements improve the brain's executive functions. You can read more about them in this article.
3. Optimize your microflora
That the gut has a major impact on our brain health may not be obvious to everyone, but more and more research points to this being the case. Thinking about what you eat that nourishes gut bacteria can be the key to a strong brain. Some examples of foods rich in prebiotics (i.e., "food" for the good gut bacteria) are bananas, Jerusalem artichokes, onions of all kinds, asparagus, and apples. It can also be very helpful to take a supplement with healthy gut bacteria.Then it's important that you choose one of high quality with a large number of strong bacteria that really have a chance to remain and do good in the stomach.
4. Use your brain
"Use it or lose it" applies well to both body and brain. Using your brain throughout life, learning new things such as languages, playing an instrument, playing challenging games, or studying something you've always wanted to know more about are examples of hobbies that have proven to strengthen brain health and lay the foundation for lifelong mental capacity. In this blog article, you can read more about this and get tips.
5. Turn off your phone and socialize
In a long-term study published by the American Journal of Public Health, a large social network is linked to reduced risk of dementia later in life. Other studies have pointed to connections between social bonds and risk of Alzheimer's. It seems, therefore, that our brains are designed for and function best when we socialize with each other. Studies have also been conducted on stress-related conditions where it can be seen that social breaks in workplaces reduce the secretion of stress hormones and increase "feel-good hormones".Another way to give your brain the opportunity for recovery and "mental nourishment" is to spend time in nature, for example by taking regular walks in the forest or by the sea. Why not do this together?
Something that seems to have the opposite effect on brain health is being constantly connected and looking at a computer or phone screen. Perhaps a good strategy to break this welfare problem would be to turn off your mobile when spending time with friends, or to play a board game with your family instead of turning on the TV?
6. Get regular sleep
Did you know that good sleep habits lay the foundation for both your mental and physical health, in both the short and long term? Perhaps sleep should be called "Vitamin S" and classified as one of the most important "supplements" we can give our body? Poor sleep habits are linked not only to unstable mood and poorer social ability, but also as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, dementia, and Alzheimer's.
6 important things you can do to support your sleep
Sleep in a dark, cool, and quiet environment as much as possible.
Try to ensure you get at least 7-8 hours of sleep.
Exercise in the morning rather than late in the evening.
Avoid drinking coffee after 2:00-4:00 PM depending on your sensitivity.
Use dimmed lighting for the hour before bedtime.
Use a blue light filter, e.g., flux on your computer and mobile phone during the evening.
Please tell us what you do to strengthen your brain!
