Research suggests that 4 in 10 cases of dementia may be preventable by adopting specific habits. Because Alzheimer’s can begin to develop 20-30 years before the onset of symptoms, there is no better time than NOW to start building a more dementia-resistant brain.

Here at HFC, we’re committed to teaching you how to better care for your brain and reduce your risk of cognitive decline. Your brain healthy journey starts HERE!

Sleep allows our bodies and minds to heal and organize themselves in preparation for another day. Think of sleep as the night crew that cleans an office building, so the work of the next day is unimpeded by yesterday’s paperwork, those muddy footprints the mailman tracked in, or the leftovers Kevin always forgets in the break room. A clean office is a productive office, and a rested brain is a productive – and healthy – brain.

Remember, when it comes to sleep, quality is just as important as quantity! 

Here are some tips for a great night’s sleep and a well-rested brain:

• ❌ Avoid bright and blue light before bed. And if you wake up in the middle of the night, don’t check your phone!
• ❌ Avoid heavy meals and exercise 1-2 hours before bed.
• ❌ Avoid sleeping pills and other over-the-counter sleep remedies unless instructed by your doctor.
• ❌ Avoid alcohol in excess and caffeine late in the day.

We know we need to eat well. But did you know that, of all our organs, our brains are most easily damaged by poor diet?

Enter the MIND diet.

MIND stands for “Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay.” DASH stands for “dietary approaches to stop hypertension.” This is less important and far more complicated than the diet itself.

To put it simply, the MIND diet is a blend of two diets proven to support brain health.

Here’s a day’s worth of brain healthy recipes from HFC’s Chief Executive Foodie, Dr. Annie Fenn of Brain Health Kitchen:

Okay, we know this, but it warrants a reminder: stress is bad for us! A short daily practice of mind-body therapy can help us build dementia-resistant brains.

• ✅ Meditate
• ✅ Get outside in nature
• ✅ Be social
• ✅Declutter your space
• ✅Talk about your feelings with people who will listen without judgment

We knowwwww. Exercise can be daunting. There’s the lifting of heavy things, the putting them down… but trust us, it’s worth it. Exercise is GREAT for your brain!

The key to creating and sticking to an exercise plan is finding what works for YOU. It’s all about:

• ✅ Moving your body
• ✅ Raising your heart rate
• ✅ Sticking to it

The list of things improved by exercise is LONG. Here are just a few:

• ✅ Mood
• ✅ Long-term memory
• ✅ Sleep
• ✅ Stress and anxiety
• ✅ Growth of new brain cells

There’s a lot of science behind what kind of exercise to do for max brain health benefits. Every individual is different and your healthcare provider can help you determine what’s best for you. Here are two types of exercise to consider:

It’s like exercise, but for your brain.

One of the best ways to work out your brain is by teaching it new things. Active learning improves memory, creativity, mood, and self-esteem. Incorporating learning into your daily routine, such as reading, taking courses, or trying new hobbies, keeps your brain active and engaged.

Keeping your mind active is one of the most impactful ways to delay the onset of cognitive decline.

🚨Myth-buster! We hate to break this to you but… crossword puzzles are not the best exercise for your brain. They are great for improving vocabulary, but they are too passive and repetitive to stimulate your brain the way you would if you were learning something new. Remember neuroplasticity? Crossword puzzles may help maintain existing neural connections, but they are not likely to create new ones. To promote neuroplasticity, it’s important to engage in activities that challenge the brain in new and different ways.

Examples of CogFit exercises: (any activity that challenges and stimulates the brain)