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Ten Tips for Maintaining a Healthy BrainGuide to Brain Health and Wellness

MetLife Mature Market Institute

About The Human BrainThe human brain represents the single greatest system in the universe. Weighing but two to four pounds and madeup of nearly 60% fat, this wonderful integration of brain cells and supportive cells produces our every thought,emotion, and behavior.

A lifestyle for brain health promotion should be considered a lifelong process and one that has benefit at any age.Building a robust and healthy brain has the benefits of not only achieving health for the central nervous system but

also delaying the onset of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers of other forms of dementia. The Ten Tipsfor Brain Health listed here represent critical ingredients of a brain-healthy lifestyle.

1) Dont SmokeSmoking represents a major risk factor for cancer,heart disease and stroke. These leading causes ofdeath represent an ongoing concern for allAmericans. Nonsmokers might consider takingan empathetic approach to smokers who are try-ing to quit, and parents might use a tough loveapproach with their children to make sure they

dont even start.

2) Follow Your Physicians AdviceYour relationship with your physician is critical toyour health. Remember, though, that as a con-sumer of health services your doctor is youremployee, so establish a good working relation-ship based on the understanding that you are theboss of your body. We must develop a proactiveattitude toward maintaining our health and takeresponsibility to change those aspects of ourlifestyles that are minimizing our longevity poten-

tial. Our physicians can help guide this process.

3) Exercise RegularlyExercise and physical activity continue to emergeas primary components of a healthy lifestyle at anyage. Aerobic exercise, weight training and recre-ation are critical not just to our cardiovascularhealth but to our brain health, as well. Every timeour heart beats, 25 percent of its output goes toour brains quite a large market share! Clearly,

maintaining efficient blood flow to our brainsthrough regular exercise promotes health. If youdont exercise regularly, start by walking aroundthe block tonight and build from there.

4) Reduce The Overall Calories You ConsumeDailyWe Americans tend not to under consume any-thing including food. Yet the leading factor forlongevity in animals is calorie restriction. Thisfinding has yet to be demonstrated in humans.However, provided you get your daily nutritionalneeds from the USDAs food pyramid, you shouldpay close attention to how much you eat. Followthe advice two physicians gave me: Never go tobed stuffed, and eat only 80 percent of what youintend to consume at every meal.

5) Socialize And Have FunWe Americans specialize in stress, with little

understanding of how to have fun. We need moretime to socialize, celebrate and laugh! Some of ushave walls around us that keep other people away.As humans, though, we need to be engaged and tobe social. Kofi Annan, the secretary general of theUnited Nations, once stated that every time welose an elder from our village, we lose a library.If we begin to think of everyone as a library, itbecomes clear that we can learn from others.

This publication was prepared for the MetLife Mature MarketInstitute by Paul Nussbaum, Ph.D.

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6) Develop Your SpiritualityEvidence continues to emerge that prayer is ahealth-promoting behavior and that attendance atformalized places of worship may have more signif-icance to our health than we understand.Meditation, yoga, relaxation procedures and prayerhave neurophysiological bases. They help to alterour existing inner balance for the better. Praying

or meditating daily can help us combat the stressesof life and focus on the challenges ahead.

7) Engage In Mentally Stimulating ActivitiesMental stimulation refers to the ways our brainsrespond to stimuli in the environment. Novel andcomplex stimuli are health-promoting for thebrain. New learning translates to neurophysiolog-ical growth and to mental stimulation in the sameway that aerobics translates to cardiovascularhealth. We can benefit from being challenged,from learning information and skills that we do

not yet understand, and from engaging in pursuitsthat are initially hard for us!

8) Maintain Your Role And Sense Of PurposeRetirement as it is presently envisioned in thiscountry is not good for the human brain, whichbenefits from environments rich in novel andcomplex stimuli. Retirement by definition rein-forces disengagement and passivity. Our nationmight consider prioritizing social engagementacross the lifespan from a brain-health perspec-

tive. Although it is important to allow elders tochoose more passive lifestyles, many may benefitfrom an understanding of the importance ofactively participating in society and finding per-sonally relevant roles and senses of purpose.

9) Seek Financial StabilityResearch clearly demonstrates that having somemoney late in life correlates with better health.Therefore, a practical tip for maintaining lifelonghealth is to hire a financial planner and begin asavings plan that will provide some money late in

life. Financial planners do not consider themselvesto be health promoters, but they are. We are nevertoo young or too old to begin saving, and the lessmoney we make the faster we need to get started!

10) Engage Family And FriendsDeveloping and maintaining a social network ofrelationships is important from a health perspec-tive. Our friends and family help us stay activeand involved in the fabric of society. They canprovide us with emotional support and can nur-ture trust. Our roles in life, from child to parentto grandparent, exist within the family; they pro-

vide much health and human enrichment acrossthe lifespan. And intimacy, broadly defined, isitself a health-promoting behavior at any age.

About The Author

This publication was prepared for the MetLife MatureMarket Institute by Paul Nussbaum, Ph.D. He is alicensed clinical neuropsychologist with more than 20years experience in the care of older persons suffering

from dementia and related disorders. He also pro-vides workshops, seminars, and consultation of a vari-ety of topics dealing with brain-behavior relations,aging, and human development. For more information,contact Dr. Nussbaum at ageon@zoominternet.net.www.paulnussbaum.com

The Metlife Mature Market Institute is the compa-nys information and policy resource center on issuesrelating to aging, retirement, long-term care and themature market. The Institute, staffed by gerontolo-gists, provides research, training and education, con-sultation and information to support MetropolitanLife Insurance Company, its corporate customers andbusiness partners. MetLife, a subsidiary of MetLife,Inc. (NYSE: MET), is a leading provider of insuranceand other financial services to individual and institu-tional customers.

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