Do you want to know the secret to never having a “senior moment”?

I did not like writing this headline, because for the last number of years, I consciously avoid using that expression: “senior moment”.

Why?

It seems that simply by blaming things that are changing as we get older on “old age” will make us age quicker and less successfully.

Researchers have found that people who keep blaming forgetfulness, aches & pains, weight gain, or stumbling on a footpath at their age are more likely to experience more of those things as they get older.

If people – on the other hand – just accept that they can’t think of a name right now (in the same way as a younger person would do) they will try harder to think of the name. They are also more likely to actively work on improving brain skills by doing crosswords or other training.

If people don’t blame weight gain on age, they are more likely to do something meaningful, seek support and information. Simply because they believe that they can do something about it, they will do something.

If someone stumbles on a footpath and blames it on the footpath or on not having paid proper attention, rather than on age, it seems that they are healing quicker and they are more likely to do physio or other rehab work. And they might go to a gym or do exercises to get stronger because they believe there’s something they can do. If they blame age, they feel powerless and accept that this might happen again sooner or later.

I have consciously decided a few years ago never to blame anything that might be considered to be “typical sign of ageing” on my actual age. It’s not easy, because our society does it all the time, but it is possible!

I know that’s probably not what you expected to hear:

The secret to never having a “senior moment” , is  simply not using that term anymore – ever!

Right now, to the more serious stuff that you can actually do to keep your brain fit and functioning optimally for as long as you live:

I have been following this research and support page “Food for the brain” Food for the Brain – Nutrition, Cognitive Health and Mental Wellbeing since 2022. It’s a group of scientists that encourage people to take part in a big project where they offer a Cognitive Test and then support to see the improvements after a few months. I’ve been doing that test then every 6 months or so, and I can confirm that I’m constantly improving over the last 3 years. I’d highly recommend you join them for only £50 per year and do the test and get the free advice.

Cognitive Function Test | Food for the Brain Foundation

What is their main advice, though to keep your brain healthy as we age?

It’s very simple actually, a good healthy wholefood diet and some supplementation if you are not getting it from food, also supports a healthy brain. Or the other way round, if you are feeding your body junk food, it is going to affect your brain as well.

Don’t blame “age” if you forget things, blame the food you are eating, or the foods that you are NOT eating.

1. Get your oily fish into you daily, mackerel, salmon, sardines are the best sources. I love in particular the products from the Irish company in Donegal SHINES, as they are handy portion sized and delicious. Easy to bring along when travelling as well. You can avail of my special discount code 4U25 too to get a 25% off their non-sale products. Irish Tuna, Sardines, Pate & Mackerel – Shines Seafood
2. If you cannot eat that amount of fish, you are most likely not getting sufficient of the necessary healthy fats for your brain to work optimally. And it is highly recommended that you supplement with either good quality fish oils or a vegan source of algae. Please contact me for a chat and I can go through various products that I’d recommend depending on your personal health. I work with an online supplement store that stocks only top quality therapeutic supplements: Pure and Natural Supplies And, the good news is that all my clients, former clients and subscribers will receive a 10% discount on all their products.

3. However, all the good fish oil won’t be any use if you are not getting sufficient B-Vitamins in your diet. Low Vitamin B often shows up as lack of energy and in a blood test as low homocysteine. Not all GP’s will measure your homocysteine, but you can get a test either through myself, or directly this company “Food for the Brain”. High Homocysteine levels are associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease but also with cognitive decline. So, it’s well worth doing this test – because there is something you CAN do about it. Simply add more whole foods to your diet and supplement with a good quality B-Komplex. B-Vitamins are not expensive and you can’t really overdo it with them, as they are water soluble and you’d be excreting any excess.
4. Vitamin D – I think since Covid we all know the importance of Vitamin D for nearly everything, and it’s the same for the brain. Get out into the sun whenever possible and in the winter take your supplements. However, there are some people that absorb it very easily and it is one of the fat-soluble vitamins and too much can be bad for your liver. Also, some people with a genetic issue might lack the enzyme to convert Vitamin D from the sun and despite being outdoors a lot, they don’t have sufficient levels. So, testing is easy and in-expensive, you can do it through your GP (but not all do it), or order a test through me.
5. Anti-oxidants: In any body, we are constantly going through many biochemical processes and in that process, we create oxidation (like rusting). In order to limit damage done to the body and brain in that process, you need to simply get lots of anti-oxidants through food. And that’s most of your vegetables and some fruit – in big amounts! Many people think by eating a side portion of vegetables with dinner that they are getting enough vegetables – NO, it’s not enough! Would you eat a minimum 5 full cup size of vegetables every single day, ideally with different types of vegetables, aiming for 50 different ones in a week. Tbh, even though I am consciously adding veg to whatever I eat, I’m struggling to reach that. Not because I don’t like it, I would be way too full long beforehand. And this is why I am supplementing from time to time, especially when I am travelling and don’t have much control of what I’m eating.
6. Gut health and inflammation: Our brain and our gut are connected and are the same, when you look at the development in an embryo. This means, anything going on in the gut is reflected in the brain. We all know that we feel rubbish mentally, if something is going on in our gut. But also, if we are nervous (feeling it in the brain), we can often sense this or it shows up in some form or other in the gut. If your gut is inflamed, because you are eating foods that don’t agree with you and you are experiencing discomfort all the time – it is having an impact on your brain health in the long run. Also, if you are eating foods that are harsh on your system because they cause a certain degree of inflammation such as the lectins in legumes, gluten, diary for example, it can cause inflammation in your brain.

Have it checked out, you can book a food intolerance or sensitivity test with me to get to the root cause  of it. We can then together develop a protocol that works for you. Don’t put up with discomfort in the gut, it doesn’t just stay there.

7. Your brain needs energy to work properly. Your brain is also part of the immune system, just like the gut, and if it’s constantly busy working there, energy is drained away and you will notice it as brain fog or lack of concentration.
8. If you are sitting too long in a day, it can have an effect on your gut. Bad bacteria can build up because your gut is in a pinched position. Regular bowel movement helps eliminate these bacteria and restore a healthier gut flora. So regular movement is important!
9. If you are experiencing lack of energy in your body, have it checked out. There is so much you can do through the right nutrition, mainly looking at balancing your blood sugars to help get your energy back. This works through the mitochondria which are the power houses of the body. When they don’t work properly, you cannot produce sufficient energy for your body and your brain! Your mitochondria get damaged by toxins, bad food, lack of movement, lack of sleep, stress, too much sugar – so avoid these wherever possible and do the reverse:
10. Move as much as possible, get 7-8 hours of sleep, get nourishing foods, relax!

I know, it sounds like I keep repeating myself with the recommendations, but it is simply a fact that what we put into our bodies does have an impact on our health, and our health impacts the quality of our life.

Please contact me if you like to find out more about your own health situation and what you personally can do. Or subscribe to my monthly newsletter where I share a lot of my own insights, where I inform about upcoming events, share easy recipes and other recommendations for your wellbeing.

Sign Up