Optimizing Your Brain Health at Any Age

Published on: January 24, 2020

by Brain MD:

Though it sounds like a slogan, it’s absolutely true: It’s never too late to start working on brain health.

That said, the strategies for how to optimize your brain will vary depending on several aspects, not the least of which is how many years you’ve lived on planet Earth.

No matter what season of life you’re in, here are some useful health tips for those aged 20 to 120…

The Roaring 20s

If you’re in your twenties, chances are you’re healthy, full of energy, and always up for an adventure. Aging and retirement are probably the furthest things from your mind.

During this decade, you might go to college, begin an entry-level job, travel the world or get married and start a family. With so many options, this is a pivotal decade for establishing healthy routines that can impact the rest of your life. At this stage of life, making good decisions regarding your health will pay dividends in the future.

The temptation at this age is to feel invincible, which can lead to overindulgent behaviors, such as smoking or vaping, drinking too much alcohol or experimenting with drugs, as well as other extreme activities that can harm the body and brain.

It’s recommended that people in their twenties should:

• Maintain a healthy weight/eat a healthy diet
• Get aerobic exercise
• Regularly have their blood pressure, vitamin D, and cholesterol/glucose levels checked
• Take a high-quality multivitamin and a fish oil supplement

The Responsible 30s

Sometimes the seemingly limitless capacity of the twenties extends into the thirties. However, many people begin to experience changes as they move deeper into this decade. Energy can begin to wane, health problems may develop, and that giddy feeling of being able to accomplish anything you want is tempered by the reality that you may have lost a step.

New responsibilities also may crimp your style: establishing a career, being a good parent, paying off student loans, etc. Physical and mental health may begin to take a back seat to work and family responsibilities. These pressures can cause some to seek out unhealthy coping mechanisms, which may include alcohol, drugs, unsafe sex, and gambling.

It’s recommended that people in their thirties should:

• Continue all their good health habits from their 20s
• Annually get checked for skin cancer
• Be even more vigilant in managing their weight
• Know their important health numbers
• Self-examine breasts (women) or testicles (men) for lumps or swelling
• Take high-quality multivitamin and fish oil supplements, vitamin D3 if necessary

The Reality Check 40s

This is the decade when the poor decisions and health habits of the earlier decades can have measurable negative consequences. Responsibilities at home and work will intensify during these years, sometimes making you feel overworked, run-down, and sleep-deprived. The leisure-filled 20s may be but a distant memory at this point.

For many, the 40s are when physical and mental health take a noticeable decline. Maybe you’ve never had to worry about diet and exercise before, but this is when you really need to start watching what you eat and making sure you maintain consistent fitness. If you haven’t already quit smoking and drastically reduced alcohol intake, do it now!

It’s recommended that people in their forties should:

• Continue all their good health habits from their 30s
• Get checked out for skin cancer and whatever diseases run in the family
• Be very careful to keep their weight under control
• Know their important health numbers, start a personal medical binder
• Have a doctor examine breasts (women) or testicles and prostate (men)
• Consistently check their blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar
• Get tested for kidney and liver function and iron levels
• Take high-quality multivitamin, vitamin D3, and fish oil supplements

The Reprioritized 50s

This is the decade when many initiate a reset of their health. For most people in their fifties, the kids are out (or about to be out) of the house and it’s an opportunity to reevaluate priorities. This may result in downsizing…moving into a smaller house or condo.

It might also mean traveling or revisiting long-forgotten hobbies, including those that give physical exercise like: hiking, bicycling, sailing, dancing, or horseback riding. This should be an active decade with an added emphasis placed on enrichment and self-care.

Unfortunately, this is also the decade when weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol can become major health concerns. These individuals may also lose muscle strength, energy, and libido. Be sure to establish annual checkups with your doctor.

It’s recommended that people in their fifties should:

• Continue all their good health habits from their 40s
• Intensify their overall dietary discipline
• Make sure to get aerobic exercise and do muscle toning
• Get regular checks for their heart, brain, eyes, and skin
• Begin a colonoscopy schedule to monitor bowel health
• Take high-quality multivitamin, vitamin D3, and fish oil supplements
• Take additional supplements for specific organ problems

The Retirement 60s

Many entering their sixties have grown-up kids with families of their own. During this post- “empty nest” period, many enjoy the extra free time, which can involve travel, new hobbies and spending time with the grandkids.

Though many are choosing to retire later than the previous benchmark of age 65, most people will start slowing down at some point during this decade. Physical or health problems may bring about a slower pace of life. As much as possible, it’s vital to stay active at this age.

It’s recommended that people in their sixties should:

• Continue all their good health habits from their 50s
• Get at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise every other day
• Have their eyes checked regularly
• Know their important health numbers
• Get a flu shot and pneumonia vaccine; ensure safety
• Have bowel cancer screenings, bone density tests
• Have a doctor examine breasts (women) or testicles and prostate (men)
• Take high-quality multivitamin, vitamin D3, and fish oil supplements
• Have an integrative physician help them develop a comprehensive health program

The Resplendent 70s (and beyond)

From age 70 on, health can have an even more direct impact on lifestyle than the previous decades. That’s why it’s crucial to remain disease-free, stay mentally and physically active, and cultivate new friendships, since loneliness can be a major threat to health. Many use the added leisure time during retirement to see the world and check off items on their “bucket list.”

As has been well documented, people of this age tend to have higher risk for problems with their heart, brain, and other organs. Muscle toning is important because frailty is a risk and falls can be devastating. A healthy diet, consistent physical activity and developing new interests are extremely important to help fend off the approach of old age.

It’s recommended that people in their seventies (and beyond) should:

• Continue all their good health habits from their 60s
• Get their daily physical exercise, such as  from walking
• Keep their brains actively engaged, especially if they’ve retired from working
• Avoid shortcuts with meals and overall nutrition
• Continue seeing their physicians to monitor heart, skin, gut, joint health
• Get their eyes checked regularly
• Get flu shots and pneumonia vaccines if proven safe to use
• Continue with schedules for bowel cancer and bone density screenings
• Have a doctor examine breasts (women) or testicles and prostate (men)
• Take high-quality multivitamin, vitamin D3, and fish oil supplements
• Stay in close contact with their family doctor and inform them of any complaints

Proper diet and exercise coupled with overall health maintenance and screening against disease can help preserve your brain and body over the long-term. Remember, it’s never too late, or early, to adopt brain-healthy habits that can benefit you the rest of your life. Here’s to a better brain and a better future.

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