Macrine(my spouse of 56 years) and I relaxing at the balcony of the Chateau Du Mer Beach House in Boac, Marinduque, Philippines last year.In my article the other day, I wrote the difference between my chronological and psychological( mental) ages. I am in my late 70's but I feel my mental age is of a 40 year-old man. However, in a few rare moments my mind goes to a blank state, I called senior moments. However, most of the time (99.9%) my mind is clear and sharp, in spite of some aches and pains in my joints and other body parts.
Here's my ten tips to all senior citizens or senior citizens to be reading this article. I believe if you follow these ten items rigorously, you will remain healthy and maintain a sharp memory and perhaps even delay or prevent the dreaded Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases.
1. Quit smoking if you are a smoker. The earlier you quit, the longer your life and hopefully dementia and Alzheimer's disease will not be in your future. I have never smoked in my life, but I know nicotine addiction is hard to break.
2. Join clubs or organizations that need volunteers. If you start volunteering now, you won't feel lost and unneeded even after you retire. In my case I do volunteer work as a medical mission volunteer sponsored my Marinduque International, Inc. in the Philippines.
3. Develop a hobby or two. Hobbies help you develop a robust brain because you're trying something new and complex. In my case I play bridge and other computer games on-line.
4. Take dance lessons, yuga or tai chi. In a recent study of nearly 500 people, dancing was the only regular physical activity associated with a significant decrease in the incidence of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. The people who danced three or four times a week showed 76 percent less incidence of dementia than those who danced only once a week or not at all. My wife and I were dance champions in the 1980s.
5. Start gardening or have daily walks for at least 30 minutes per day. Researchers in New Zealand found that of 1,000 people, those who gardened regularly were less likely to suffer from dementia Not only does gardening reduce stress, but gardeners use their brains to plan gardens; they use visual and spatial reasoning to lay out a garden. I have a big garden at Chateau Du Mer in Boac, Marinduque and I did all the landscaping plans and plantings in the beach resort. I walk for at least 30 minutes daily here in California or in Marinduque.
6. Read and write daily. Reading stimulates a wide variety of brain areas that process and store information. Likewise, writing stimulates many areas of the brain as well. I have ten blogs that I maintain daily and I read about 3 hours per day. I also write articles for http://pu.blish.us and I have a page in www.squidoo.com.
7. Listen to classical music. A growing volume of research suggests that music may hard wire the brain, building links between the two hemispheres. Any kind of music may work, but there's some research that shows positive effects for classical music, though researchers don't understand why. I have several collections of classical music both in my blogs and my CD collection and I listened to them at least twice a week.
8. Pray, meditate or go to church regularly. Daily prayer appears to help your immune system. People who attend a formal worship service regularly live longer and report happier lives according to a recent study. My wife and I attend Catholic mass every Sunday rain or shine.
9. Be sure you get enough sleep. Studies have shown a link between interrupted sleep and dementia. I sleep between 8 to 10 hours every day. Take also a short nap whenever you can. I usually take a power nap of 15 to 30 minutes in the afternoon after lunch. Last but not least,
10. Eat more foods containing omega-3 fatty acids: Salmon, sardines, tuna, ocean trout, mackerel or herring, plus walnuts and flax seed. Flax seed oil, cod liver oil and walnut oil are also good sources . Eat more fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants in fruits and vegetable helped repair some of the damage caused by free radicals, one of the leading killers of brain cells. I am not a vegetarian, but I consumed a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and sea foods in my diet.
Do you have additional tips? I will love to hear from you.
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