“I’ve never needed a great excuse to jump into a chilly lake…” Kaisa Swanson/Alamy
My days are filled with small rituals. Each morning, I blend a spoonful of creatine in water, enjoying it alongside my multivitamin, followed by some plain yogurt rich in beneficial bacteria. Meanwhile, the kids feast on homemade cereal, sip kefir, and practice their Spanish on Duolingo. After school drop-off, I dive into a cold pond, then warm up in the sauna before heading to work. I also make it a point to add sauerkraut to my lunch and take quick walks in the park.
On reflection, it might seem a bit off-putting. The quintessential “wellness enthusiast meets middle-aged neuroscientist.” But this cozy routine is vastly different from a year ago, when the kids were munching on sugary cereal and I was sustained solely by caffeine while buried in my computer, often devoid of sunlight.
This newfound focus on well-being stems from a year-long quest for research-backed methods to enhance my brain health, from boosting cognitive reserves to nurturing a healthy microbiome. Observing my current situation reveals that minor tweaks can lead to substantial changes.
A key insight I’ve gathered from Dr. Joan Manson and other physicians at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Massachusetts is that a daily multivitamin can significantly slow cognitive decline in older adults by over 50 percent. When I inquired about other supplements beneficial for brain health, creatine stood out because it offers energy precisely when our brains require it.
However, the most significant shift didn’t come from my supplement collection, but rather from my grocery list. Conversations with neuroscientists and nutritionists have made me keenly aware of the importance of maintaining our microbiome. Consequently, my family embraced epidemiologist Tim Spector’s guidance to incorporate three fermented foods daily, eliminate ultra-processed breakfast options, and enjoy a diverse range of whole foods in our meals.
Despite my long-standing enjoyment of cold lake swims or sauna sessions, science has equipped me with compelling reasons to make these activities a priority this year. Cold and heat exposure has been shown to combat inflammation and stress while enhancing connections within brain networks that govern emotions, decision-making, and attention, which may in turn bolster mental health.
Emphasizing outdoor time has also become a family goal. I’ve discovered that gardening enhances the diversity of our gut’s beneficial bacteria, while walking in the woods can boost memory, cognition, and possibly stave off depression.
At home, we persist with Duolingo, valuing not just its linguistic benefits but also its contributions to cognitive reserve—the brain’s defense against aging. I’m also returning to playing the piano and exploring other creative outlets. I recall what Dr. Ellen Bialystok, a professor at York University in Canada, advised: “What challenges the brain is beneficial for the brain.”
The most astonishing aspect has been the rapid emergence of results. While some habits serve as long-term investments in cognitive health, I suspect others have delivered immediate benefits, such as helping my children feel more relaxed, diminish brain fog, and gain energy. It may be placebo, yet something is certainly effective.
Next year, we plan to keep experimenting. Let’s make it a year focused on discovering simple ways to promote brain growth. Now, where’s that kombucha?
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Source: www.newscientist.com
