New Year, New You: 6 Resolutions for a Healthier Brain

Your body has many vital organs performing functions necessary for living, and few are as significant to that as the brain. The hub of the nervous system, this 3-pound organ regulates all critical bodily functions. It’s also responsible for thought, cognition, memory, emotion, movement, and making sense of what your senses tell you.

Conditions that affect your brain cause problems throughout the body, and to start the new year, we should reduce the risk of future illnesses that damage it. To accomplish this, let’s examine some brain conditions, the symptoms and complications of them, and what you can do to lower the chances of them.

Residents of Norwood, Anderson, and Westside, Ohio, and Crestview Hills, Kentucky, who are looking to improve and preserve brain health can rely on our medical staff at Riverhills Neuroscience for preventive tips and a wide range of treatment options.

Issues that affect the brain

Several problems can affect brain function, stemming from issues like:

• Injury: traumatic brain injury causes hematoma, blood clots, contusions, concussions, and stroke

• Tumors: can cause problems depending on size, location, and if they’re malignant

• Diseases: dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and Alzheimer's disease all impair cognition

• Mental health disorders: include depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and schizophrenia

Impacts from accidents or blunt force trauma from altercations can cause traumatic brain injuries, and the cause of tumors isn’t well understood, but they could happen to anyone.

Neurological diseases that affect the brain come from many causes, including environmental toxins, radiation, inherited traits, immune system dysfunction, infections, and unhealthy diets.

Dealing with these problems leads to many functional issues, including problems with balance, coordination, mood, memory, concentration, personality, physical sensation, vision, swallowing, and speech.

Ways to reduce the risks

To lower the risks of brain problems, here are some helpful tips:

1. Regular exercise

Physical activity improves your body and your mind, lowering the risk of several forms of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

2. Use head protection

When being physically active, whether biking, skating, or driving a motorcycle, wear a helmet to protect your head.

3. Managing medical conditions

Several chronic illnesses, like diabetes and high blood pressure (hypertension), can affect cognition by increasing the risk of a stroke. Keeping these problems under control prevents these complications.

4. Avoid social isolation

Isolating yourself from friends and family can increase depression and anxiety, which, over time, causes cognitive decline.

5. Challenge your brain

Staying mentally engaged in activity keeps you alert and sharp. Games, puzzles, learning to play an instrument, or finding a hobby keep you focused and using your brain.

6. A healthy diet

Lower the chances of diabetes and other chronic diseases by improving your diet. Eat more fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and reduce the amount of alcohol, high-sodium, and sugary foods and drinks.

Keeping your brain alert and high-functioning happens by taking better care of yourself. For more information on how to stay mentally healthy, contact the team at Riverhills Neuroscience online or by phone today.