Tip of the week: How to keep your brain sharp
Keep learning; Exercise; Avoid pesticides; Talk more
Keep learning. Each time you try something new, you lay new connections between neurons and fend off neurological decline. Study a new language or just attempt a new recipe. If crosswords are old hat, time yourself; racing against the clock “forces your brain to think flexibly.”
Exercise. Aerobic workouts promote brain activity, but even “slow-and-steady” strength training seems to help, by boosting a neuron-nourishing protein.
Avoid pesticides. Heavy exposure to pesticides may increase the risk of dementia. To limit your pesticide intake, buy organic produce or visit ewg.org/foodnews/summary to learn which veggies are riskiest.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Talk more. There’s “a silver lining” to getting in political arguments. All conversation is brain exercise, and the most beneficial forces you to grasp another viewpoint.
Source: Martha Stewart Living
A free daily email with the day’s biggest news and analysis – and the best features from TheWeek.com