There is a saying which goes:  “There is no wiser man than an old man.”  Perhaps, but what we have observed with people who turn senile with age seems to contradict this saying.  The truth is that you can grow wiser and smarter as you age but only if you if you follow certain rules.

According to research, there is an increase in the likelihood of the brain to get older as one advances in age.The results showed that people aged between 26 and 40 had a low level of damage while those over 40 had different levels brain cell damage which was influenced by the lifestyle they had.

Unsurprisingly, those over 60 years of age showed the biggest level of damage among all the age categories.  Although the findings of this study are not very relevant, they must still be taken into consideration.  The amount of brain cell damage was not the same on all the participants because it is dependent on every individual’s brain functions, lifestyle, alimentation and brain repair mechanisms.

Scientists also grew brain cells which they subjected to simulated stress and ageing factors. However, preventing damage and restoring the functions of damaged brain cells by controlling the proteins that stimulate recovery of the brain is only at the experimental stage. Until such time that significant progress is achieved in this field of medical research, the best way we can take care of our brains is to follow what doctors recommend which include:

Do some form of physical activity on a regular basis.
Live a healthy life.  Take up a sport as it stimulates both your thinking and reflexes.  Physical exercise is a necessary drug for people above the age of 50.  Activities such as jogging and aerobics are ideal.  Exercise encourages the production of important substances needed in brain activity, stimulates the creation of new neural bonds, and strengthens the existing blood vessels that connect to our brain.

Stimulate your mind.
Intellectual activity helps to keep our brain in good condition.  Some of the activities include mind games, reading and math activities.  If you relax too much, your brain will get used to it and you will begin to have difficulty with simple tasks such as computing how much you have to pay when you buy things.  Get rid of stress factors as much as you can because negative emotions may lead to brain damage.

Eat a well-balanced diet.
Choose your food well.  Eat a lot of protein rich foods and be sure you take the vitamins you need.  Vitamin E is very good as it helps maintain brain activity.  Smokers and people who live in polluted areas really need it.  A switch to a healthy lifestyle can make a very big difference in how your senior years will be like.  If you want to live a happy and dignified life as an elderly person, make the necessary changes in your lifestyle and diet.  Do not allow yourself to fade away, live life to the full till the very end!