Tips from Dr. Roizen

Diet

• Fish consumption
  • Oregon, Michigan, Louisiana
    Replace red meat with fish! Studies of populations have shown that groups of people who eat a lot of fatty fish have much lower rates of diseases like Alzheimer’s. Fatty fish contain high levels of DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid that is a building block of brain cells. If you don’t eat fish, choose foods and supplements enriched with algal DHA.
  • New Hampshire, Illinois, Indiana
    Eat the right kinds of fish for brain health. Here’s what you need to remember – look for low-mercury, sustainable fish that are also high in DHA, the omega-3 fatty acid that is key to brain health. Fresh, frozen or canned wild salmon is a good bet. Visit the FDA web site for more tips on choosing fish wisely. If you don’t eat fish, choose foods and supplements enriched with algal DHA.
• DHA intake
  • Vermont, Alabama, Virginia, Arkansas
    DHA is a must-have to support lifelong brain health, yet most people get far too little DHA in their diets. Try sneaking DHA into your diet with products you already love and eat. Soymilks, juices, milks, breads, cooking oils, yogurts, eggs, even nutrition bars and drink mixes are now being enhanced with algal DHA, making it easier to get your daily dose of DHA without too much effort. Wasn’t that easy?
  • Maryland, California, Wisconsin, Oklahoma
    Remember to take your brain healthy supplements like DHA by keeping them in a convenient location like your car, desk, or handbag. A daily dose of DHA – at least 200 mg per day in capsules sold at most major retailers – will nourish and protect your brain, support heart health, and maybe even help to reduce inflammation.
• Fruits and Vegetables
  • Idaho, Minnesota, Iowa
    Fill your plate with color! Many fruits and vegetables -- especially colorful ones like red grapes, cranberries, and tomatoes -- contain powerful antioxidants that decrease the inflammation that is the enemy of brain health by handcuffing free radicals and eliminating them from your system.
  • Maine, Kansas, South Carolina
    A fist is about the size of a serving of fruits or vegetables. Aim for five fists a day of fresh, washed fruits and vegetables with the skin still on to maximize the nutritional punch.

Physical Health

• Cardiovascular Health
  • Washington D.C.
    Generally, what’s harmful to your heart is also harmful to your brain. Healthy blood pressure, good cholesterol levels, and a heart-healthy lifestyle that includes exercise and a good diet are key to promoting cardiovascular health and supporting long term brain health as well.
  • None
    Aim lower for cardio health. Every point drop in blood pressure could mean that much more health, that much more life, and that much less risk for high blood pressure dangers that also damage the brain like heart attack and stroke.
• Diabetes
  • Arizona, Ohio
    Diabetes can damage the body --- and the brain. Keep your blood sugar levels under control by maintaining a healthy weight and waist size through physical activity and a healthy diet.
  • Florida, Tennessee
    Diabetes damages blood vessels, and can increase the risks for a range of brain diseases such as mild cognitive impairment, vascular dementia, and even Alzheimer’s. Losing weight and exercising can help reduce your risk for diabetes. If you already have diabetes, controlling your blood sugar with diet, exercise and medication, if needed, may help reduce risks to brain health.

Physical Activity

• None
  • Walk 30 minutes a day, even if you do nothing else. It's something you will succeed at, and then you can add to this. Walking will make you younger!
• Minnesota
  • Exercise is one of life’s greatest stress relievers and can help you manage your weight and promote brain and cardiovascular health. Try it! Walk for 30 minutes, stretch, do yoga -- just get up and move!
• Sleep
  • North Dakota
    Sleep deprivation has been shown to affect your cognition and performance as much as drinking four or five alcoholic drinks! Maximize your sleep by sleeping in a cool, dark room, banning laptops and TV from the bedroom, and sticking to a standard wake-up time, even on weekends.

Health Care Coverage

• Colorado
• Texas
  • If you don’t have health insurance, you are gambling with your life! Nearly 18,000 people die every year as a result of being uninsured. If you need help getting insured, call your state insurance board or visit the Department of Health and Human Services web site to learn about low-cost or free insurance coverage options that may be available to you.

Smoking

• Pennsylvania
  • Quitting smoking now can add years to your life and reduce your risks for brain diseases and memory loss, but don’t go cold turkey! Increase your chances for success by having a plan, getting support, and taking your time.
• North Carolina, West Virginia
  • Stop-smoking aids may help ease the physical effects of withdrawal so you can focus on breaking the cigarette habit. Walking or other exercise can help, or ask your doctor about nicotine replacement therapy and prescription anti-smoking drugs.
• Missouri
  • Did you know that along with nicotine, cigarettes can contain as many as 4,000 other chemicals? Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your brain health and overall health.

Obesity

• Kentucky
  • If you're overweight, losing just a couple of inches around your middle or just 10 percent of your body weight can go a long way toward improving cardiovascular health and long term brain health.

Mental Health

• Psychological Distress/Mental Health
  • Rhode Island
    Try carving out a little time to meditate when you feel stress is starting to get the better of you. Meditation may help to reduce inflammation and stress by soothing the vagus, the part of the brain that controls inflammation and immune response in the body.
  • Utah, South Dakota
    Be mindful to manage stress and give your brain a break. Spend some time every day noticing the things most people tend to ignore -- like breathing, bodily sensations, and emotions.
  • Wyoming
    Relive stress with these quick tips: limit alcohol, nicotine and caffeine, practice deep breathing, commit 15 minutes per day to active relaxation like walking or meditation, build a support system of family members and friends, take frequent breaks, and visualize relaxing scenes.

Education/Games/Reading/Activities

• Connecticut, Montana
  • It’s never too late to learn something new! Some studies have indicated that people who achieve a high level of education or who have challenging careers are less at risk of developing Alzheimer's. Try to learn a new word or fact every day and commit to mastering a new skill or subject area every year of your life.
• New Jersey, New Mexico
  • Use it or lose it. Numerous studies have shown that the brain is capable of learning and retaining new facts and skills throughout life, especially with frequent intellectual stimulation. Intellectual engagement throughout life may even help the brain to create a “reserve” capacity that can delay the onset of age-related cognitive decline. 
• Hawaii, Delaware
  • Find something you love and do it! Common leisure activities such as reading books or magazines, knitting, playing bingo or cards, going to educational classes or participating in clubs, social groups and religious activities have been shown in research to help protect against dementia later in life.

Social Health

• New York
  • Experts believe that social activity may promote the creation of new brain cells and support brain repair, leading to a decreased risk of cognitive decline in later life. Activities like visiting with friends and relatives, club activities and attending parties are not only fun, they are good for your brain!
• Washington, Massachusetts, Alabama
  • Research has indicated that spirituality and religious practices may help slow the regression of cognitive abilities caused by Alzheimer's disease. The reasons for this are unclear, but a strong spiritual life can lower stress, increase positive moods, encourage social connection and decrease the risk for depression.
• Nevada, Nebraska
  • Don’t be a wallflower. In research, men and women who had the most social interaction within their community had less than half the rate of memory loss as those with the least social engagement.