Cognitive decline is an issue that is growing every day. In fact, one out of every three seniors die from Alzheimer’s Disease. But, memory loss is not just limited to the elderly. Around 5% of all Alzheimer’s disease cases are early onset. Early onset Alzheimer’s can happen at any age, but generally early onset Alzheimer’s is described as someone who is younger than 65 years old.

Memory loss does not need to be a normal part of aging. It does not have to be your fate (despite what you may have heard). You can prevent and reverse cognitive decline, at any age. How do you do this?

Read below for four tips you can do today to improve your memory.

Focus on your food.

Fill your plate with vegetables! Your plate should be filled with around 75% of colorful plant foods. Work on including plenty of healthy fats into your diet. Fat makes up 60% of your brain. Focus on getting adequate healthy fats from real food sources like wild-caught fish, grass-fed meats, avocados, olive oil, nuts and seeds, etc. Also, optimize your protein. When we lose muscle mass we age faster, and our brains take a huge hit. Include a high-quality source of protein at most meals.

Increase your movement.

You don’t have to head straight to the gym. Ask yourself what type of movement do you enjoy? Is it, walking, dancing, playing tennis? Movement is essential for a healthy brain. Movement improves blood flow and metabolism, increases insulin sensitivity, challenges our engagement, and can improve brain structure and function.

Rest.

Create space and time for relaxation. Go for a walk outside, meditate, or read a book. Work on practicing good sleep hygiene-take an hour before bed to wind down. Then make sure you get seven to eights hours of sleep. Anything that helps you relax and unwind will help your brain stay healthy for the long haul.

Toxins.

Toxins such as mold and heavy metals are often overlooked and have been found to contribute to brain fog. How can you reduce your toxin exposure? Try to not use chlorine-based cleaners, eat organic, bring nature indoors with air purifying house plants, cook with healthy oils, sweat it out, etc.

For more information on how to prevent and reverse cognitive decline give TLC The Littleton Clinic a call at 720.351.2411. Or visit our website at https://thelittletonclinic.com.