外刊原文
5 ways to improve your brain health every day
By Angela Haupt
Taking care of your cognitive health ought to be-well, a no-brainer. According to a survey published in March, 87% of Americans are concerned about age-related memory loss and a decline in brain function as they grow older, yet only 32% believe they can take action to help control that trajectory.
"All of us want to be cognitively intact for as long as possible," says Dr. Seemant Chaturvedi, a neurologist and stroke specialist at the University of Maryland Medical Center. The good news, he adds, is that "there are definitely risk factors that can be modified." Changing our lifestyle habits can go a long way: drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, for example, can damage the parts of the brain involved in important functions like memory, decisionmaking, impulse control, and attention. Smoking is similarly perilous. It can lead to cognitive decline and dementia, while increasing the risk of stroke.
Prioritizing healthy behaviors like exercising and eating a nutritious diet can increase the likelihood that when we reach our 70s and 80s, we're still able to summon important memories, drive a car, and engage in a wide variety of activities, Chaturvedi says. And there's no such thing as "too young" to start taking these steps. "Even if you're in your 20s, what you're doing now will help you maintain brain health later in life," he says.
With that in mind, we asked four neurologists what we should all do every day for better brain health.
Manage your chronic illnesses
If you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes, it's essential to make sure it's under control. Each condition can "damage the blood vessels in the brain and increase the risk of stroke and dementia," while diminishing cognitive function, Chaturvedi says. In one study, for example, people who had hypertension in their 40s to early 60s had a 6.5% steeper decline in cognitive skills in their 70s, 80s, and 90s, compared with those with normal blood pressure. That's why it's important to get your numbers checked regularly, and to work with your doctor to establish a treatment regimen.
Exercise for 30 minutes
Your entire body will benefit if you work out at least a few days a week- and that includes your brain. Research suggests that exercising improves cognitive processes and memory, while increasing the thickness of your cerebral cortex, which is responsible for tasks like language, thinking, and emotions. "We're learning more and more about the benefits of regular exercise for brain health," Chaturvedi says. "Even in patients who have mild dementia, it's recommended they engage in exercise three to five times a week."
Eat like you're vacationing on the Italian coast
Dr. Carolyn Fredericks, an assistant professor of neurology at Yale School of Medicine, always recommends her patients follow a Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes fruits, veggies, whole grains, fish, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats. "We've tried over the years to find the secret ingredient that makes the Mediterranean diet work," she says. "Like, could it be the omega-3s in the fish, or the vitamin E in the nuts?" But what appears to be most impactful, she says, is the style of eating and emphasis on whole foods.
Challenge your mind
People often ask Dr. Roy Hamilton what kind of mental stimulation is best. Should they put together puzzles or play Sudoku every day? What about video games? Rather than focusing on one pursuit, Hamilton recommends curating a "diet of intellectual activities." He compares it to asking a nutritionist what you should eat for a healthy diet: the answer wouldn't be carrots, more carrots, and only carrots. Make it a point to exercise your brain in a variety of ways, just as you feast on lots of different snacks and meals.
Rest up
Not getting enough sleep is a key risk factor for dementia, says Dr. Augusto Miravalle, a neurologist at Rush University Medical Center. Research suggests that people in their 50s and 60s who get six hours of sleep or less per night are 30% more likely to be diagnosed with dementia than those who log at least seven hours. So what should you do if you lie awake at night counting sheep? Miravalle suggests improving your sleep hygiene by taking steps like avoiding caffeine and alcohol in the evening, limiting naps, and putting away electronics before bed.
参考译文
每天改善大脑健康的5种方法
照顾大脑健康，本该是一件不言而喻的事。今年3月的一项调查显示，虽然近九成美国人担忧随着年龄增长而出现记忆力衰退和认知功能下降，但仅有三成认为自己能够主动改变这一趋势。
马里兰大学医学中心神经科专家 Seemant Chaturvedi 指出，人人都希望尽可能长久地保持认知能力。值得欣慰的是，很多风险因素都是可以调节的。生活方式的改变往往能带来显著效果：例如，过度饮酒会损害负责记忆、决策、自制力和注意力等关键功能的脑区。吸烟的危害同样不容忽视，它不仅会导致认知能力下降和痴呆，还会增加中风风险。
专家强调，重视运动和健康饮食等良好习惯，能够提高我们在古稀之年仍然记忆清晰、独立驾车、享受丰富生活的可能性。而这种努力永远不会太早开始，即便是二十出头的年轻人，当下的健康投资也将在未来获得丰厚回报。
为此，我们采访了四位神经科专家，请他们分享日常保持大脑健康的要诀。
管理慢性病
对于高血压、高胆固醇或糖尿病患者而言，严格管控病情至关重要。这些疾病都可能损害脑部血管，增加中风和痴呆风险，并降低认知功能。研究发现，40至60岁期间患有高血压的人群，在步入老年后的认知能力衰退速度比正常人快6.5%。因此，定期体检和遵医嘱治疗显得尤为重要。
坚持运动30分钟
保持每周数次、每次30分钟的运动习惯，不仅能强身健体，更能益智养脑。科研表明，运动可以提升认知和记忆能力，增加负责语言、思维和情感的大脑皮层厚度。即便是轻度痴呆患者，每周三到五次的运动也大有裨益。
享受地中海饮食
耶鲁医学院神经科专家Caroly Fredericks 特别推崇地中海饮食理念，强调多食用水果、蔬菜、全谷物、鱼类、坚果、种子和健康脂肪。虽然科学家一直在探索其中的关键营养成分，但最终发现，这种注重全食物的饮食方式本身可能才是其效果的精髓所在。
保持思维活力
面对"什么样的智力活动最有益"这一常见问题，Roy Hamilton 博士建议采取"智力营养均衡法"。正如均衡饮食不能只吃胡萝卜一样，大脑锻炼也应该讲究多样性，像享受美食一样享受各种形式的智力活动。
良好睡眠至关重要
拉什大学医学中心神经科专家Augusto Miravalle 指出，睡眠不足已成为痴呆症的重要诱因之一。研究显示，50至60岁年龄段的人群中，每晚睡眠不足6小时者比睡眠充足者（7小时以上）患痴呆症的风险高出近三成。对于深受失眠困扰的人群，专家建议从生活细节入手：晚间避免咖啡因和酒精摄入，适度控制午休时长，睡前远离电子产品，循序渐进地培养良好的睡眠习惯。
感谢大家阅读，Enjoy!
来源：Time USA - November 25, 2024《时代周刊》
原文标题：5 ways to improve your brain health every day
* 参考译文并非一一对应。