I'm a neurologist and I avoid these 4 things everyone else does: it preserves my brain and my memory
Maintaining your reflexes, your cognitive abilities, or simply your memory can easily be improved on a daily basis by adopting a few good practices. Some are now well-known: exercising, taking care of your body by paying attention to your diet, not smoking, and avoiding alcoholic beverages are regularly repeated. But that's not all!
Dr. Baibing Chen, a double-certified neurologist and epileptologist practicing at the University of Michigan, is offering sound advice on social media. In a column for CNBC, he also detailed four easy daily habits to maintain a healthy brain and effective memory.
First of all, the specialist recommends not always relying on GPS to navigate. "Over time, relying too much on GPS can weaken your spatial memory," he explains. He cites a study showing that the hippocampi, the brain's memory centers, are more developed in taxi drivers because they memorize complex street maps. They are also less at risk of developing dementia.
Dr. Chen therefore recommends regularly exercising your spatial memory, for example, by exploring a new route without GPS. Paying attention to your orientation, signs, or road markings are small habits that can exercise your brain and boost your memory.
The neurologist also warns against excessive consumption of a very trendy product: energy drinks. Rich in caffeine, taurine, and B vitamins, they can cause insomnia, anxiety, agitation, and even epileptic seizures in the most severe cases. "A lesser-known risk is the long-term accumulation of B vitamins in the body, particularly B6, which is often present in these drinks, which can lead to toxicity," he adds.
Another tip: moderate your use of over-the-counter medications. "Always follow your doctor's instructions and don't exceed the recommended doses," insists Dr. Chen. Overdosing on painkillers like ibuprofen can cause ulcers, stomach bleeding, or kidney damage, he reminds.
Finally, the specialist urges people to protect themselves from mosquitoes and ticks during outdoor activities. Every summer, he sees patients arriving at the hospital suffering from fever, confusion, and sometimes seizures or coma, following infections transmitted by these insects. "Taking simple preventative measures against bites can save you from debilitating infections," concludes the neurologist, who particularly highlights the dangers of ticks, which cause Lyme disease.
Boosting your spatial memory by avoiding GPS, limiting energy drinks, being careful about your medication intake, even over-the-counter medications, and protecting yourself from insects are the four little tips this doctor offers. These are all small tips that everyone can use to preserve their brain capacity in the long term and pamper their brains.
L'Internaute
