🧠 + 💗 = ?
Oh Yeah! • Big Time! • Here’s How!
Our vascular health affects every inch of our bodies as large arteries and tiny capillaries carry the life-sustaining oxygen and energy-giving glucose to every cell from head to toes. The condition of those vessels, ideally open and flexible, is central to how we feel and experience life. If clogged and hardened: low energy, fatigue, dullness of mind and even pain can result as the disease processes ensue.
Even small efforts can bring big rewards to both brain and heart – and everything in between and all the way down! Most of us have been made aware of the importance of heart hygiene. Well, the great news is that What is good for the heart is good for the brain! So every small thing we do for ourselves is a double win!
The docs say, ”know your numbers: blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol.” These three key indicators are all best managed by daily choices, healthy food and an active lifestyle. The cool thing about diet, heart health and brain health, are very closely linked. and exercise is that there is a very tight correlation between healthy eating & exercise and strong vascularity – and therefore lowered risk of dementia and cardiovascular illness. That “tight correlation” means some effort in that direction does show some benefit! Yay! More effort shows even more benefit! And onward and upward. Greater effort, greater reward, but when lifestyle changes aren’t enough, seek treatment.
So, for example, the effort to cut out or minimize sugary drinks has a huge benefit to all three heart numbers. (1) The effort of including a daily walk, even if short, shows a similar upward curve in positive results. (2) Try a meatless day per week for a raft of significant health boosts. (3 & 4) All three of these efforts also tend to encourage weight loss, another win!
Watch this short (4:26 minute) video of Dr. Michael Greger to see a powerful visual of brain arteries, healthy and not, in cross-section. He gives the compelling rationale for adjusting our “sweety, meaty, fatty” diets! (5)
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325986.php#1
- https://www.healthline.com/health-news/its-more-than-soft-drinks-all-sweetened-drinks-can-raise-heart-disease-risk
- https://www.lifetothefullest.abbott/en/articles/improve-heart-health-by-walking.html
- https://www.hellomagazine.com/cuisine/2017061339754/health-benefits-vegetarian-once-a-week/
- https://medium.com/healthtap/7-reasons-to-go-meatless-one-day-a-week-a-day-of-meal-ideas-to-get-you-started-1c79112f2b6f
- OUTSTANDING 4:26 VIDEO BY DR. Michael GREGER, MD, FACLM https://nutritionfacts.org/video/how-to-prevent-alzheimers-with-diet/
- 7 ‘simple’ steps for heart health may also stave off dementia