Journal: STROKE

Last week we discussed how your brain is capable of growing new cells well into old age. This gives 80 y/o you the ability to pay attention, learn, remember and communicate.

However, there’s a subtle caveat there, which assumes that you’re actually taking care of your brain.

After reviewing 182 scientific studies, the AHA recently suggested the following set of steps to promote heart health and foster ideal brain health. It’s a combination of health behaviors and health factors that add up to cover most aspects of life.

The Life's Simple 7 program urges individuals to:

• Manage blood pressure
• Control cholesterol
• Keep blood sugar normal
• Get physically active
• Eat a healthy diet (they recommend the Mediterranean Diet)
• Lose extra weight
• Don't start smoking or quit

When taken seriously, these steps are mostly aimed at preventing atherosclerosis—a condition that wreaks havoc on your heart and brain. That said, what first grabbed my attention is how applicable these steps are to the health of all of your organs. It’s more like the 7 things to measure if you want to live past 100.

Takeaway: Cardiovascular risks are modifiable, as are the conditions needed for a healthy brain. By following these seven (slightly obvious) steps, not only can we prevent a heart attack and stroke, but we may also be able to prevent cognitive impairment in old age.