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.
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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
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