Manage Your Weight For a Healthy Brain

By now we’re all aware that being overweight is bad for our bodies. But, did you know that excess weight can affect your brain’s health, too?

Many people don’t associate a healthy lifestyle with a healthy brain, but the connection is definitely there. People who are overweight tend to lead a sedentary lifestyle and tend to eat either too much food, or too much of the wrong foods. Lack of exercise and poor eating habits lead to weight gain, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. And, by now, most of us know that translates to heart disease, stroke and diabetes. So, of course, we already have plenty of reasons to keep our weight in check by eating right and getting regular exercise.

But, there’s yet another reason to get on the treadmill and take off those extra pounds. Those same poor eating and exercise habits that lead to being overweight may also lead to Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

Studies have shown that people with a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 30 (which is considered obese) have double the risk of dementia of people of a normal weight. If the individual also has high blood pressure or high cholesterol, their risk may be as much as six times higher. In other studies performed with mice, results showed that overweight mice had learning and memory impairments and were more likely to show stress induced cognitive dysfunction.

The best way to manage your weight is to begin a program that you can stick to for life. Rather than trying a strict “diet”, begin simply by paying attention to what you eat. Write down everything you eat for one week in a journal. Then, begin looking for problems in your eating patterns and ways to make your menus healthier. Aim to reduce the amount of red meat in your diet, substituting fish and chicken most days of the week. Avoid high fat foods and limit your sugar intake. Increase the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. Make your breads whole grain. The trick is to make changes you can live with; find foods you like that are also healthy.

Along with changing the way you eat, make sure you’re getting regular exercise. Taking a 30 minute walk 3-5 times a week is a great way to get your exercise. And, don’t despair if you can’t walk for 30 minutes in the beginning. Just do what you can and increase your duration as you gain endurance.

Before you know it, you’ll be on your way to dropping those pounds and reducing your risk of stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. And, along the way, you’ll be making your healthy brain too.

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