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June is <\/em><\/em>Alzheimer\u2019s and Brain Awareness Month<\/em><\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n Did you know the human brain weighs 3 pounds? <\/p>\n If that seems a little light for everything your brain does \u2014 we feel you. Three pounds is a toaster or a bag of apples. But, every day, your 3-pound, zero-ounce brainy organ works to regulate senses, emotions, thoughts, memories, movement, behavior and more. <\/p>\n Your brain is home to a mind-boggling 86 billion <\/em><\/em>neurons that help make it all happen. These neurons also form connections with each other to increase storage in your brain, so you can learn and remember important things like the name of Taylor Swift\u2019s cat and what days of the week Love Island<\/em><\/em> is on. <\/p>\n But damaged neurons or neurons that don\u2019t work properly can lead to serious neurological conditions, such as dementia. And the risk for dementia increases with age. <\/p>\n The good news? Science says being proactive about your brain health can help lower the risk for dementia and keep your brain sharp.<\/p>\n When we say \u201cbrain health,\u201d we\u2019re not just talking about one thing.<\/p>\n \u201c[Brain health] really has to do with the preservation of brain integrities,\u201d said Jill M. Goldstein, Ph.D, MPH<\/a>, professor of psychiatry and medicine at Harvard Medical School and the founder and executive director of the Innovation Center on Sex Differences in Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. \u201cBrain health covers multiple domains \u2014 there’s cognition, there’s emotion, there’s behavior, there’s perception and sensory input, and then there’s neurobiologic and psychologic function and structure.\u201d<\/p>\n Of course, brain health has a lot to do with the brain itself, but it\u2019s more than just what\u2019s happening from the neck up. \u201cBrain health is part of your overall health because the brain systems drive your heart; they drive your gut. They’re all connected, and it’s really important to understand that kind of brain-body connection,\u201d Goldstein said. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Many of us don\u2019t think about our brains \u2014 or what it takes to keep our brains healthy \u2014 until problems like memory loss start.<\/p>\n But brain changes don\u2019t just happen overnight \u2014 they take years to develop. For example, Alzheimer\u2019s disease<\/a>, the most common form of dementia, can start as early as 20 years before symptoms appear. That means there\u2019s no time like the present to start making brain health top of mind. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Staying active is one of the best ways to keep your brain healthy because neurons need stimulation to work properly. \u201cYou can modify your risk of Alzheimer\u2019s with effortful cognitive activity as you age and effortful physical activity,\u201d Goldstein said. \u201cEven if you were sedentary in early life, you can still change your trajectory.\u201d<\/p>\n Goldstein said the hippocampus<\/a>, which is a key region for memory function, is one of two brain regions that continue to produce new neurons even as we age, and physical activity can facilitate that growth.<\/p>\n Another activity that\u2019s good for your brain health: socializing. \u201cThe emotional impact of loneliness<\/a> and isolation can have major implications for your brain,\u201d Goldstein said. \u201cBeing with other people forces you to think about other people’s perspectives and get new perspectives, and an active brain is a healthy brain.\u201d<\/p>\n What you eat can also affect your brain health. Research<\/a> shows that people who eat mainly ultraprocessed foods<\/a> (frozen meals, cereal, desserts, etc.) have an increased risk of cognitive decline. But eating plans such as the Mediterranean<\/a> or MIND diets, which are rich in anti-inflammatory foods, like leafy green, berries and fatty fish, have been shown to boost cognitive function and even slow the aging process in the brain. <\/p>\n\nWhat is brain health? <\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nThe importance of brain health <\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nBe proactive about brain health<\/strong><\/h3>\n