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Keeping your wits about you

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You'd think that by the time you reached your 50s, you might get away with ignoring your mother's advice. That may be true, if you're talking about what clothes look nice on you, or whether you should sleep with a man on your first date. But even your mother may not have realised how wise she was when she served up sardines on toast with a few brussel sprouts on the side.

Researchers at Aberdeen University in Scotland have discovered that fish oil provides impressive benefits for the brain. Professor Lawrence Whalley, who headed the research team, said, "The brains of fish oil users seemed to be faster... the ageing of their brain is being slowed down by a year or two. Although their memory may not be different, they think faster on their feet." The oil [from eating fish or taking supplements] appears to reduce inflammation in the blood vessels that supply the brain - and the healthier flow of blood to your brain, the better your mental speed.

On the other side of the Atlantic, researchers at Rush University Medical Center have been singing the praises of leafy green veges in keeping the brain in the best possible working order. They have shown that, although some slowdown is inevitable, three servings of vegetables a day - especially green leafy ones such as spinach, lettuce, and cabbage - can slow down the rate of cognitive change by around 40 percent.

All of which makes a nice salmon fillet and a sprig or two of broccoli sound like the perfect dinner!

But if you find that hard to swallow, comfort yourself with these thoughts. While physical exercise has been known to work wonders, it's also important to give the brain a workout. You don't have to enrol for a course at university - chewing over cryptic crosswords, Sudoku and Scrabble can keep the brain just as agile.

Best of all, make sure you include plenty of loving and laughing in your life, because sex - or even just a good fit of the giggles - stimulates blood flow to the brain. But those without a bloke in the bed needn't despair; simply bonding affectionately to your family pet has also been shown to have a positive impact on maintaining healthy cognitive function.

As vigorously as we fight dementia, it is now estimated to affect around 40,000 New Zealanders at any time. If you notice that it's starting to affect you, do talk to your doctor. There is now medication available that can slow down its progress by at least a couple of years.

Article by Rosemary Hepozden