Brain Health: Prevent Dementia Naturally

Looking after your brain has never been more critical, according to Dr. Helena Popovic.

Key points:

Leading authority on neuroplasticity Dr Helena Popovic spoke to Hope Weekends about what you can do today, to look after your brain.

“For men and women combined, dementia is the second largest killer in Australia… but if you separate them out, it is the leading cause of death in Australian women,” she said.

“Brain changes leading to Alzheimer’s start 30 years before we get any symptoms.

“So you’re never too young to start making brain healthy choices, and equally so you’re never too late to take up healthy habits that will improve your brain function.”

“Brain changes leading to Alzheimer’s start 30 years before we get any symptoms.”

Nourishing your brain through diet

Avoiding processed foods is crucial because “our brain and body just were not designed to ingest all the chemicals, additives, colorings, and flavorings,” Dr Popovic advises.

“Cook at home from fresh whole ingredients as much as possible.”

To make it even simpler, she recommends following the BRAIN FOODS acronym.

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BRAIN FOODS (acronym)

B – Berries and broccoli

R – Rocket (or arugula)

A – Avocado and anchovies

I – Iodine-rich foods like seaweed and wild-caught fish

N – Nuts without additives

F – Fermented foods, sauerkraut, kimchi, plain unsweetened yoghurt

O – Olive oil

O – Onions and garlic

D – Vitamin D. The best source is 10 to 15 minutes of sunshine a day without sunscreen

S – Sardines and salmon, oily fish

“And I’d say above all, avoid sugary beverages, especially soft drinks, because every soft drink is literally a bullet to our brain,” she added.

You’re never too young, or too old to start making healthy brain choices.

Exercise: The unsung hero in brain health

According to Dr Popovic, “Movement is truly the best medicine.”

“It’s better than any available dementia drugs because physical exercise increases brain volume and… stimulates the creation of new brain cells and new connections.”

She encourages everyone to do moderate to intense exercise every day for 20-30 minutes, whether that be walking or something more vigorous.

“Moderate means you can just keep up a conversation, but you can’t sing along to a song,” Dr Popovic explained.

“If you can sing, you’re not working hard enough… and intense exercise means you can’t even keep up a conversation.”

If dancing is your choice of movement, she believes, “a dance a day keeps dementia away.”

Furthermore, there is a correlation between muscle strength and cognitive strength:

“When we lose muscle mass, we also lose brain mass…. The stronger your muscles, the stronger your memory.” she said.

Balance exercises are also helpful.

A practical challenge that can be done while waiting in a queue in the supermarket is balancing on one leg for 60 seconds with your eyes closed.

The power of social interaction

“People are more powerful than pills,” Dr Popovic said.

“Feelings of connection reduce stress-induced cortisol, lower inflammation, and give life meaning and purpose.

“Do what brings you the most joy… because positive emotions boost brain function, while chronic stress can kill brain cells,” she said.

Simple lifestyle changes offer substantial protection against cognitive decline.

Mental stimulation

Mental activity is important to keep the brain dynamic and agile.

“The most important thing is to give your brain a reason to stay sharp, and it will,” Dr Popovic explained.

“Stay curious… seek out new experiences… never stop learning and challenging yourself… take up a foreign language… play a musical instrument.”

Sleep

Sleep is when our brain detoxifies and research has shown that after decades of chronic sleep deprivation, a person is 30% more likely to get dementia.

“What did Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher have in common? They were leaders of their countries,” Dr Popovic said.

“They both got dementia and they both bragged about how little sleep they had… and that’s no coincidence.”

Smelling pure scents

Improving our sense of smell helps brain health – it also improves depression, mental health and Parkinson’s, because all those things are linked with worsening smell.

Smelling pure smells are key.

“It’s got to be pure rose, pure eucalyptus, peppermint, lemon… and you can either just spend 20 seconds on each of four different smells every morning and evening,” she said.

“Just make it a meditative thing… Don’t be listening to music, don’t be watching TV, don’t be distracted, just smell.”

Dr Helena Popovic’s new book Can Adventure Prevent Dementia? A Guide to Outwitting Alzheimer’s contains 80 strategies to help with cognitive resilience and is available now.

Listen to the full conversation in the player above.

Feature image: Photo supplied and used with permission, background by CanvaPro