想改善您的大脑健康吗？这是您7天的Kickstart计划

与填字游戏相比，要保持大脑敏锐的更多。长期保留您的认知能力意味着要采取健康的生活方式 - 不必很复杂（真的！）。

"There are a number of healthy lifestyle habits that can help enhance cognitive function, optimize long-term brain health and greatly decrease the odds of developing dementia," says医学博士Scott Kaiser, director of Geriatric Cognitive Health for the Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California. (And because many of these behaviors also support your overall health, you'll reap the benefits from head to toe.)

This seven-day kickstart plan can help. By dedicating one day each week to incorporating a new brain-friendly behavior, you'll make positive changes quickly without getting overwhelmed. Give it a try — and by the end of the week, you'll be well on your way to living the gray matter good life.

搅拌少量blueberries到您的早晨燕麦片或在午餐时交易一袋薯条，供侧面沙拉。每一项帮助生产都为您的大脑提供了一定剂量的保护。Kaiser博士说，水果和蔬菜充满了保护性植物营养素，这些植物化学物质“实际上可以减轻我们的大脑中的炎症，保护脑细胞免受损伤并支持学习和记忆力。”

In fact, one September 2021 study in神经病学发现类黄酮摄入量最高的成年人是一种类型的植物化合物，与获得最少的类黄酮的成年人相比，健忘或混乱少19％。据认为，绿叶蔬菜和浆果之类的精选被认为是最大的脑部保护拳头。梅奥诊所。

Once you've incorporated that extra serving of produce, try adding another — and even another — until you're regularly getting the recommended five or more helpings of fruit and vegetables daily.

未选中高血压或糖尿病会损害大脑中的血管。而且由于两种情况都可能潜在潜在地潜伏，因此筛查可以帮助您确切地确定自己的立场 - 并在需要时采取行动。

"High blood pressure and diabetes, as well as obesity and smoking, when uncontrolled, increase one's risk of developing strokes, which can impair cognition," explains医学博士丹尼尔·李（Daniel Lee），俄亥俄州立大学韦克斯纳医学中心精神病学和行为健康系的神经精神科医生。

根据该研究美国预防服务工作队（USPSTF）。

Those ages 35 to 70 who have overweight or obesity should be screened for diabetes every 3 years, per theUSPSTF。如果您不确定是要进行血压还是糖尿病筛查，请与您的医生交谈。

常规活动对于大脑健康至关重要。Cognitive decline is twice as likely to occur in inactive adults compared to those who are active, according to a December 2020 study in预防医学。

TheCenters for Disease Control and Prevention（CDC）建议每周或一周中大部分时间大约30分钟进行150分钟的适度体育锻炼。如果您当前不活跃，请尝试合并10分钟的运动进入您的一天，从那里开始积累。在街区周围简单的步行是一个不错的起点。然后打算明天再去一点！

Regular exercise keeps your body and brain healthy, but it can also lift your mood and help you sleep better, per the CDC. And that's a beneficial cycle for your brain: People who report feeling anxious, depressed or sleep-deprived tend to perform worse on cognitive tests, according toHarvard Health Publishing。

说到睡眠，开始努力获得建议的每晚7到9个小时的闭嘴。如果这意味着要大大增加就寝时间，请尝试在每天晚上15分钟前转动，直到您记录健康的睡眠。

根据2021年4月4月发行的研究，与获得7小时或更长时间相比，与获得7小时或更长时间相比，中期的每晚少于6个小时，与获得7小时或更长时间相比，患痴呆症的机会更高30％。Nature Communications。

Kaiser博士说：“睡眠的数量和质量具有影响我们日常思维，记忆力和情绪以及我们长期认知能力下降和痴呆症的长期风险的深刻生理作用。”

由于危及了这些因素，只观看又一次的一集就开始失去吸引力，不是吗？

Getting plenty ofomega-3 fatty acids— especially DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid — is tied to better memory and learning and lower rates of cognitive decline, according to theAcademy of Nutrition and Dietetics(AND). And fatty fish like salmon, herring, mackerel, tuna and trout are a top source.

旨在通过每周吃两份4盎司的脂肪鱼来填补DHA。如果您以零开始，则应在菜单上每周吃一次晚餐，然后从那里搬走。（尝试这些好吃salmon recipes under 500 calories）

更好的是：用牛肉或家禽换成一顿饭，换一种由鱼类的餐点。李博士说：“关于血管结局的研究有利于饮食，这些饮食将鱼类和豆类作为蛋白质来源而不是其他形式的非鱼类，包括红肉。”

A glass of wine with dinner or the occasional special occasion cocktail probably won't hurt your brain. But if you're drinking heavily on a regular basis, come up with a plan for slowly cutting back. Depending on your habits, that might mean cutting out one drink per day or per week.

Drinking more than 14 boozy beverages per week is linked to an increased risk for dementia, according to a January 2020 review in神经精神病和治疗。Alcohol in high concentrations "may have direct toxic effects on the blood vessels and brain cells, [causing] oxidative stress and a broad cascade of other negative metabolic effects," Dr. Kaiser says.

That's not to say you need to abstain altogether—it's about striking a healthy balance. "Light to moderate alcohol consumption can actually have an anti-inflammatory effect and support a broad range of neuroprotective physiologic events," Kaiser explains.

Doing good for others can do good for your brain. While more research is needed, in preliminary studies, volunteering appears to be associated with better brain function, likely because it helps participants stay physically active, maintain social ties and engage in activities that are stimulating and enriching, according to a November 2017 analysis in老年学期刊：B系列。

没有一种类型的志愿工作对大脑比其他人更好，因此专注于寻找您喜欢的活动。李博士说：“我们通常鼓励个人喜欢参与的人，希望这些人能够促进参与，刺激，喜悦和幸福感。”