July 24, 2024 • 33 mins
Maintaining Brain Health: Navigating the Aging, Feeling, and Thinking Brain
As we journey through life, our brains undergo various changes that can affect our cognitive abilities, emotional well-being, and overall mental health. Understanding these changes and adopting proactive strategies can help maintain brain health and enhance quality of life. This podcast explores the aging brain, the feeling brain, and the thinking brain, offering practical tips and insights into brain science to support your mental fitness.
For those who want to learn more:
- Read: - "Brain Rules for Aging Well," by John Medina presents ten principles for staying vital, happy, and sharp as we age.
- Do regular check ins with yourself. If you are feeling foggy or thinking less clearly do a check on what aspects of brain health might be lacking for you - sleep, diet, social connection exercise. Take inventory and slow down.
- Listen in to the podcast recording for pro tips to help you make changes to create more neurons and positively impact the health of your brain.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to ReFirement Life, the podcast for anyone navigating life transitions or planning
(00:06):
to make life transitions to ensure your next years are your best years.
Listen in for insightful, generous, and sometimes humorous conversation.
It's time to get fired up with Christine Zamuda and Muge Wood, your hosts for this
latest episode of ReFirement Life.
(00:28):
Welcome to ReFirement Life.
This is episode 47 and we're going to talk about brain rules for aging well.
I'm with my ever dynamic co-host, Muge Wood.
Muge, how are you today?
I am doing fantastic and to be honest, Christine, I am doing even better because I'm on the
(00:49):
podcast with you.
I am energized.
I got in a good Zumba class last night, so I am experiencing the aftermath of the bit
of the energy and glow that comes with that, so we'll keep it going.
Yeah, that is evident.
I feel the charge.
(01:09):
I got a lot of sleep last night too, so I think this is actually going to be a really
good session for our listeners.
So first, we'll start with reflections from the week.
While we don't usually dive into historical events, we can't help but mention the Trump
assassination and the attempt on former President Trump's life.
(01:31):
Wow, a big moment for our country, a big opportunity for our country, I think, to come together
in a more unified way.
What are your thoughts, Muge?
I think regardless of political affiliation, it is hard not to think about, reflect about
it and feel really sad, because it felt like an assault on American people at large and
(02:00):
definitely continue to feel extremely sad for everyone impacted by it who are there.
I think everybody should have the right to exercise their beliefs lawfully, and that
was an assault on all of that.
So it really makes us think how to prevent it, what it means going forward.
(02:21):
It has been a moment of reckoning, I think, for all of us.
And it was a bit of a wake-up call too in terms of how extreme beliefs leading to violence
can really have a huge impact on our society, and that is not okay.
Right, right.
(02:42):
Absolutely.
We lost people wounded just exercising their right to learn and support their political
views.
And that's one of the most important liberties we have as Americans is freedom, freedom to
be safe, freedom to be, to share your thoughts and make this country better.
(03:09):
So I think we're going to learn a lot, and hopefully we will see some of the political
rhetoric tuned down on both sides of the political parties and use this and carry it with us
as a way to do better as Americans and make sure that we're representing this wonderful
(03:36):
country and an incredible place to live and thrive.
Absolutely.
And I think I like listening to all sides.
I try anyway.
So I think regardless of political affiliation, J.D.
Vance's life story, I felt was uplifting for the better reason that being able to rise
(04:02):
above our circumstances that are thrown our way beyond our control is really exhilarating
and inspiring.
And being in a country where we can do that is, I think gives us a lot of hope, no matter
how hard it is, it is possible.
And that is a good message and opportunity for us to think about and seize for whatever
(04:30):
circumstances we are dealing with.
Absolutely, absolutely.
And so I think refreshing to see some youth on the ticket, right?
He's 39, he'll probably be the youngest VP if elected.
The two presidential, likely presidential candidates, I should say, will be the oldest
(04:53):
to ever hold office.
So quite a dichotomy there in terms of age, experience, all of that.
It's interesting that we're talking about brain rules for aging well with those two
candidates potentially being our choices.
(05:15):
And wow, I mean, think about it, the Biden 81, Trump 79, both are older than Color TV
and Hula Hoops.
It's incredible.
It's incredible.
I think I am always energized by individuals in any discipline who are going and living
(05:36):
fully.
And this is yet another example.
Now there's a lot at stake in this one.
So definitely wanting the very best for our country here.
But it is inspiring.
And I think it will be very interesting to see how it continues to unfold up until elections
and beyond.
(05:56):
The only wish though is a peaceful expression of ideology, right?
That is that's going to be very fundamental for us.
Absolutely, absolutely.
So going into our topic, maintaining brain health, we're going to talk about navigating
the aging aspects of the brain, the feeling aspects of the brain and the thinking aspects
(06:18):
of the brain.
There's a couple stats to share which are interesting.
First, this is probably not as well known.
This wasn't known to me before I started digging in.
The human brain shrinks with age.
And they say by the time a person reaches 60 years old, the brain may have lost about
(06:43):
0.5% or half a percentage point of its volume each year.
And if you think about that, by age 90, your brain volume can be approximately 10 to 15%
smaller than it was in young adulthood.
That's pretty scary.
I think any kind of shrinkage is concerning.
(07:04):
This one sounds substantial.
I am no medical expert that does not sound good.
Having said that, I am holding out a little bit hope that maybe even there is shrinkage,
there is enough brain capacity at large that can be activated to give us the cognitive
skills for us to enjoy life into older, you know, next second chapter.
(07:31):
I think I also read though that there is untapped capacity of the brain.
You know, there is much portions of it that may not be activated.
So I think in part of our conversation, we'll also talk about how reactivation can be possible
to maintain our cognitive ability despite the shrinkage.
(07:56):
But it is scary.
The other thing that comes to mind when we are talking about this topic is the mind-body
connection because we are talking about the brain.
When the brain health declines, it has a disputed impact on the physical aspects.
So it is just incredibly connected, both of them.
(08:19):
Definitely.
And you mentioned the ability to like regenerate and the plasticity of our brain.
And it's a muscle, it's a computer.
And think about your brain as a big file system, right, that sometimes that information is
right there.
(08:39):
Sometimes you have to think harder to awaken a memory, a piece of information that you
need.
But the brain's total neuron count is 86 billion.
Wow.
It is amazing.
It is amazing, right?
It is amazing.
And they say the average adult is activating approximately 700 to 1,000 new neurons each
(09:07):
day.
So you could really use that as a muscle, be proactive.
We're going to talk about some of the things that we can do.
But wow, it can be ever learning, ever growing.
And some of the decline, you could either maintain or reverse with some proactive steps
(09:27):
around diet, exercise, learning.
And we're going to talk about some of those things.
That's right.
So it is interesting, Christine.
I was also reading another article on longevity and the study on blue zones.
We talked about that in one of our prior episodes.
(09:51):
And the interesting point made in there was individuals living in these blue zones, they
are not taking superfoods, supplements, tracking their steps.
It's just their way of life to connect with the community, eat fish, fruit, and vegetables
(10:13):
as way of life, not necessarily a health roadmap.
So I guess that all goes to say the fundamentals of what goes into maintaining our health,
brain and body, are perhaps a little boring, which comes down to exercise, sleep, nutrition,
(10:36):
and social connection.
But yet that is the recipe.
So how can we incorporate that into our daily lives in ways that bring meaning to us?
And therefore, it is less of an effort, more of a routine habit that we embrace and enjoy.
Exactly.
(10:57):
Exactly.
And some of that is too just awareness, right?
Maybe we don't live in a fishing village where fresh fish is available.
That would be nice.
That would be nice.
And actually, I'd love to fish.
But anyway, some of the foods to eat, I mean, the best foods are those that are rich in
omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants and whole grains.
(11:21):
So if you look at the list, you have salmon, mackerel, chia seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds
and flax seeds, they just don't sound like that exciting, right?
Those are things that are rich in omega-fatty acids.
On the antioxidant side, it's blueberries, dark chocolate, turmeric, and broccoli.
(11:46):
Those I think are easier just to incorporate in the everyday, especially the chocolate
for me.
I was just thinking of that.
So as you are sharing that list, some things on the list to me are more appealing than
others.
So chocolate, very high.
Probably may need to be disguised a bit for me.
(12:07):
But it's encouraging that hopefully there is something on the list for many of us that
balance the joy with the nutrition.
And I love the barriers.
Now, we can also think about combining these things, like chocolate covered cherries, chocolate
covered not broccoli maybe, but how can we balance these things out?
(12:31):
And I think the other thing I try to remind myself is and the nutritionist that we speak
with is this is not about 100% perfection.
So if you get 80% right or even less, but maintain consistency over time, they can still
(12:54):
pay dividends.
That's right.
That's right.
Agree.
Whole grains.
Whole grains is another one.
So oats, sure, many of our listeners may have had that one-on-one with their doctors
said, hey, maybe you should be eating Cheerios more or oatmeal to reduce your cholesterol.
(13:15):
Quinoa is also a big source of whole grains.
And quinoa is one of those things.
I don't know about you, Muge, but I love to order it out.
I've never really made it well at home.
Is there some sort of magic red sphere?
Quinoa?
Yeah.
Quinoa.
Yeah.
(13:36):
Quinoa or I call it quinoa.
Whatever you say, Christine, I'm going to go with.
So with that particular whole grain, so I make it, so to speak, but when I am able, which
is not very much because, again, this is not as bad as broccoli for me, but it's not also
(13:59):
something I gravitate to.
I sprinkle it on salads.
So think of a Mediterranean salad.
And it is not extremely flavorful in and of itself, but when it's mixed with salad,
I think it's an excellent addition that brings some substance to it.
(14:22):
And I think it certainly beats eating tortilla bread or something like that, but you still
get more filling, appetite.
Yes.
Yes.
Yeah.
There's a place that I go that has a great quinoa salad.
Yes, there you go.
(14:42):
I love it.
With salmon, with salmon that I get all the time.
But I'm going to try it at home.
I'm going to try it at home.
Yeah.
I mean, I think it's good to make it and put it away in the refrigerator and sprinkle it
on things.
It can also make a good breakfast when you add some dried fruits and nuts to it and a
(15:02):
little bit of milk.
So I mean, it's a good option, but then again, you have to have a lot of intention to do
this.
It certainly doesn't come natural.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Carve out some time, plan your meals.
Yeah, that's not going to happen.
No.
That's not going to happen.
(15:24):
That's why I'm good with the blueberries.
Take them out of the pack, eat them with a little bit of egg bites.
That's my favorite.
It's my favorite breakfast.
Yes.
And then I will also recommend sweet blackberries from Carolina Organic.
Love blackberries.
Blueberries, it is a bit of a hint of sweetness to it.
(15:46):
So I eat those a lot.
My husband is like, did you finish them again?
I am like, yes.
I thought I'm doing something good for myself.
So bring on the blackberries, especially when they have hint of sweetness.
I just feel like it makes it even a bit better.
Totally.
Totally.
So the next thing to touch upon is getting adequate sleep.
(16:08):
And this one, I think, can become tougher with age.
Speaking to some of my friends who are waking up in the middle of the night, can't get back
to sleep.
That could be related to job stress.
That could be related to symptoms of menopause.
And it could just be related also to just some bad habits that some of us have gotten
(16:33):
into where you pull your phone over, look at your phone in the middle of the night, and
all of a sudden, oh, your circadian rhythm is off and you're awake.
So one stat, I think that's interesting, is a study published in the journal Sleep found
that people who consistently get less than six hours of sleep per night have a 30% higher
(16:56):
risk of developing dementia.
That's scary.
That is really scary.
And I think the importance of sleep, unfortunately, has been lost on me in my younger days.
I'm like, yeah, I can crank through this.
I'm doing great.
Four or five hours of sleep.
This is awesome.
I am ultra productive.
(17:17):
Keep it going.
So the importance of it, though, is just incredible because the healing aspect of it for the body,
the recovery of memory, retention capability.
And I'll say every time, not every time, but most times I go to doctor for checkup.
The question is, how do you sleep? because it is, you know, body is number one immunity
(17:41):
boost naturally.
And it's also elusive.
I think in today's, you know, world of stress, demands on our time, digital things coming
at us, but yet the restorative aspect of sleep is just incredible.
And the good news is, again, it doesn't cost anything per se.
(18:02):
So I like that one.
But it's just being mindful of it is so key.
So key.
And, you know, again, I think it goes back to the things that are good for us.
We feel it, right?
When we are sleep deprived, no matter how much caffeine we consume, we are just not feeling
great.
You know, our response to stress is compromised.
(18:24):
Then it can easily create that negative spiral of less sleep, more stress.
Therefore less sleep situation.
So trying to interrupt that cycle after eating some blackberries and chocolate would be pretty
awesome.
But yeah, importance of sleep.
We probably don't fully appreciate that at all.
(18:45):
Yeah.
Yeah.
And I think the important part that you just mentioned is you can feel it.
So if you are feeling a little bit sluggish, if you're feeling like I'm not as sharp as
I usually am, thinking about those couple of areas, sleep going there first, and it's
okay to nap.
It's okay to nap if it's a nap.
(19:06):
I debate with my husband, is it a nap or is it a sleep?
Because he can nap like a champ.
He can nap for three, four hours.
I was like, I think that's almost a sleep.
That is right.
That is a pretty extended duration of a nap.
So, you know, there's always this thing we read about, oh, you don't let your nap exceed
20, 30 minutes, which is hard to do.
(19:29):
Someone also has to wake you up unless there's another external factor interrupting your
nap.
It's easy for that to turn into a couple of hours of a snooze time, which in turn probably
will interrupt your nighttime sleep.
But the so-called power naps are pretty great.
Yeah.
(19:50):
Yeah.
Power naps.
Yeah.
Don't sleep on the power nap.
But sleep on the power nap.
You know what I mean?
There's a famous, I guess, best practice that Einstein used to use.
He used to power nap every day, like 10 minutes, 15 minutes.
And look at all he accomplished, right?
(20:10):
Recharging his brain and getting back to work.
Yeah.
That's right.
The whole, I guess, refresh and cleansing aspect of it is powerful, which also reminded
me of an amazing business that started out of Houston by an ex-corporate person.
(20:31):
It's called NAP Bar.
And it's like a mobile nap station that can be placed in office buildings and corporations
for people to take power naps.
So you can feel your best.
And that which is quite a culture shift for America, corporate America.
(20:54):
But I think there is openness and appreciation towards that.
Another leader I appreciate the views of on this is Ariana Huffington.
She talks a little bit about the restorative power of sleep.
She has launched a Thrive app that speaks to how you can reset your brain, your nerve
(21:15):
system.
And whatever you do, do not skimp on sleep in exchange of writing a few more emails or
going to another social function.
I know it's easier said than done.
Having said that, I do, I don't know how you feel about this, Christine, but I do feel
like as I age, I appreciate sleep more.
(21:37):
So I am prioritizing it easier compared to my younger days in college or early career.
So there's some positive correlation there.
So as my brain may be shrinking since I am prioritizing sleep a little bit more, maybe
I'm going to be able to offset that.
I agree.
I think also the awareness is there about how important sleep is.
(22:02):
And maybe we're sharing some interesting thought provoking stats today to keep that awareness
top of mind.
Another one that people should know.
This one says, studies have shown that sleep deprivation can reduce the brain's ability
to form new memories by up to 40%.
(22:23):
So think about that.
Like you just don't have the capacity to even soak in anything and wow.
You are tapped out.
Yeah, tapped out.
Right.
Right.
Yeah.
Yeah.
All right.
Well, other things to talk about are the feeling brain, emotions in aging.
So relationships, stress, happiness, and even gullibility are influenced by changes in our
(22:51):
brain's emotional centers.
Now we've talked in previous podcast about the importance of social connections, the
importance of managing stress and doing things that create this feeling of mindfulness, whether
it's actual meditation or doing meditative things like walking in nature, painting, things
(23:14):
that take your mind away.
What we haven't talked about is this piece about staying skeptical.
What I learned in the research is as we age, we may become more trusting and potentially
gullible.
So staying informed, questioning sources of information, maintaining critical thinking
(23:40):
skills to avoid misinformation is important.
Studies show that the executive function of the brain, which includes decision-making,
problem-solving, declines at a rate of 1% to 2% per year starting at the age of 60.
So we're not there yet, and again, this awareness is stay skeptical.
(24:07):
And all of these strategies that we're talking about, diet exercise can help prevent some
of this decline.
That's right.
I think it's good to talk about these statistics.
It's also frightening, right?
We don't want these things to happen, but we may not have a say in it.
(24:27):
So it's the natural progression of life.
I think in addition to all the things we said, staying skeptical and staying curious
to ask questions, to also learn new things can also help, I think, maintain our health.
(24:49):
Because it's almost like fight back in a way, in healthy ways, to activate our bodies, mind
and brain and body so that things are not stagnant and declining.
Because this notion of use it or lose it, I think it holds very true, and we feel the
(25:11):
effects of that as we age.
And I will throw one more thing in there, because I'm reading a lot about just in general
healthy aging is the consumption of alcohol.
So as we age, how our bodies, I read, respond to alcohol changes.
So we are not exactly imagining when we say, oh, I can't drink as much anymore.
(25:34):
The effect of one margarita on our body at the age of 60, let's say, is far different
from the effect of it when we had at 25.
So why not?
It isn't so.
I like my margaritas muge.
I know.
Well, I'm just saying, Christine, you may need to go easy on them.
So the effect of one margarita at the age of 60, let's say, is equivalent to two or
(25:57):
three.
Because of how our bodies are metabolizing, responding to it.
So moderate and limited consumption of alcohol is also recommended as we age, as unfortunate,
but that's in there in the mix of things we could be doing to help our overall well-being
(26:19):
as well as brain health, I'm sorry to say.
No, good point.
Good point.
Glad.
I'm glad you're bringing that up before I go to the beach this weekend.
Yes, I am just saying, watch your margarita consumption or the beverage of your choice.
So I will check up on you upon return.
We will conduct a Sudoku test if there has been any change on cognitive abilities.
(26:46):
I think it may improve.
Yeah, that was a good lead-in to actually what the last area is, and that's the thinking
brain.
And it does suggest, and we've heard this before, engaging in activities that challenge
your brain, whether it is the crossword puzzle, playing musical instruments, any of those
(27:08):
New York time games like Wordle.
What's your favorite Muge these days?
Do you have one that you just do very consistently?
I do.
I do.
And it's a little embarrassing because it's not exactly intellectually stimulating, but
it gives me great joy and it still exercises something, and that is the crossword puzzles
(27:31):
in the People magazine.
Because this is not New York Times crossword puzzle, but I get great satisfaction in knowing
all these celebrity factoids and completing the crossword puzzle with no help from the
internet or an external factor.
So that's my little weekly pleasure that I do.
(27:52):
Now in addition to that, what I am energized by, which I haven't had quite time to do so,
what I've looked into is these ongoing adult education classes that universities hold on
topics of interest.
For me, it's anthropology.
I'm always amazed at that.
(28:13):
And I look at classes offered for adults.
They are more like lectures.
You are not taking an exam, but you are learning.
You are coming together with others who have interest in a similar topic.
And you are on college campus.
It's vibrant.
It is energy.
And you are not worried about passing or failing or even finding a job after taking this class,
(28:37):
but you are learning.
So, you know, I find those types of things to be uplifting, invigorating, and keeping
us curious as well.
That's awesome.
That's awesome.
And I'm pretty sure that those kind of classes are at a discounted rate too, right?
Aren't they for people 50 or older?
(28:58):
55 or older?
Yeah, I love those discounts.
I'm like, bring them on.
Whatever you're offering, I'll admit to my age readily.
I want the discount.
So, yes, yes, I think so.
I think so.
Very cool.
Very cool.
Yeah, after watching Wimbledon, I was really inspired by Jasmine Polini in Italian.
(29:22):
Yes.
I just love the way that she competed and her energy and her positivity.
And I'm Italian by nationality, so it just fired me up, which in turn said, why aren't
I continuing with my Italian lessons?
So I rallied up and I have a, what, seven-day streak now on Duolingo, just brushing back
(29:49):
up on that.
And that is also a great way to just challenge your brain.
So that's just been super fun, super fun.
Which you will have to put into practice during a trip to Italy in the near future.
Yes, yes.
So that you can continue to build on those skills.
But that's true.
(30:09):
I mean, little things make a difference.
Like most days I ask Alexa, what's the SAT word of the day?
I'm like, okay, let me see what I can learn here, some interesting word that is not part
of the vocabulary.
So it's just a bit of stimulation and a challenge to the brain and to the body are a very good
(30:30):
thing.
Awesome.
Yeah, that's a good one.
I haven't done that.
My husband does joke of the day, but maybe I'll encourage him to do the SAT of the day.
I have a whole circuit that I do with Alexa.
It starts with news of the day, joke of the day, SAT word of the day, slang word of the
day, and I recap it with wellness tip of the day.
(30:50):
So it's quite a circuit.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And then in seven minutes I'm smarter than I was when I started the exercise.
Not only if I could remember those things, that's a whole other thing.
Maybe you should start the next day with Alexa, quiz me from what you taught me yesterday.
Yeah, that's right.
(31:12):
That will be a whole other level.
Yes, that's right.
Well, I think we are about to wrap up.
I did pull some information from a book called The Brain Rules for Aging Well by John Medina.
So we will include that as a link for folks who want to learn more.
(31:33):
Probably some of the things we shared today will just keep ways that you can keep aging
well, keep your brain in tip top shape.
Some of the things that you could do are just even micro changes, right?
You don't have to do all of the things we talked about, but maybe it's introducing one
super food a week.
(31:55):
Maybe it's thinking about what you want to learn.
Maybe it's going to the gym and really being thoughtful about the way your body works and
how exercise brings more oxygen to your brain and thinking also just about the ways that
you can activate new capacity and sleep.
(32:21):
Make sure that you're in a regular sleep routine.
That's probably job number one, the most important of all we talked about today.
Yeah, that's right, and the effect of that to give us motivation, energy to attend to
all other parts of our life.
So true.
I think I may have to go take a nap now.
A nap at 9.54.
(32:43):
Oh, that's Eastern.
Your work day has even started on your side.
A nap at 8.54 central time zone.
That's the tough one, but let me consider it.
Oh, Muge, it's always so great to see you.
(33:03):
Thanks so much for partnering with me on this.
It's always a joy.
And for our listeners, we look forward to seeing you next time.
We'll see you the next time.
Thank you for listening.
Our hope is to spark a little joy, inspire, and educate our listeners in ways to live
(33:24):
an even more meaningful life.
If you have reactions to share from what you've heard, please visit our website, refinement.life,
to leave a voice message.
You may even be featured in a future episode.
To keep in touch, subscribe to our podcast, Re-Firement Life, using the podcast player
of your choice.
Always remember, you are never too old to set a new goal or to dream a new dream.
(33:49):
Thanks again for joining us on this episode.
Until next time.
Welcome to ReFirement Life, the podcast for anyone navigating life transitions or planning
(00:06):
to make life transitions to ensure your next years are your best years.
Listen in for insightful, generous, and sometimes humorous conversation.
It's time to get fired up with Christine Zamuda and Muge Wood, your hosts for this
latest episode of ReFirement Life.
(00:28):
Welcome to ReFirement Life.
This is episode 47 and we're going to talk about brain rules for aging well.
I'm with my ever dynamic co-host, Muge Wood.
Muge, how are you today?
I am doing fantastic and to be honest, Christine, I am doing even better because I'm on the
(00:49):
podcast with you.
I am energized.
I got in a good Zumba class last night, so I am experiencing the aftermath of the bit
of the energy and glow that comes with that, so we'll keep it going.
Yeah, that is evident.
I feel the charge.
(01:09):
I got a lot of sleep last night too, so I think this is actually going to be a really
good session for our listeners.
So first, we'll start with reflections from the week.
While we don't usually dive into historical events, we can't help but mention the Trump
assassination and the attempt on former President Trump's life.
(01:31):
Wow, a big moment for our country, a big opportunity for our country, I think, to come together
in a more unified way.
What are your thoughts, Muge?
I think regardless of political affiliation, it is hard not to think about, reflect about
it and feel really sad, because it felt like an assault on American people at large and
(02:00):
definitely continue to feel extremely sad for everyone impacted by it who are there.
I think everybody should have the right to exercise their beliefs lawfully, and that
was an assault on all of that.
So it really makes us think how to prevent it, what it means going forward.
(02:21):
It has been a moment of reckoning, I think, for all of us.
And it was a bit of a wake-up call too in terms of how extreme beliefs leading to violence
can really have a huge impact on our society, and that is not okay.
Right, right.
(02:42):
Absolutely.
We lost people wounded just exercising their right to learn and support their political
views.
And that's one of the most important liberties we have as Americans is freedom, freedom to
be safe, freedom to be, to share your thoughts and make this country better.
(03:09):
So I think we're going to learn a lot, and hopefully we will see some of the political
rhetoric tuned down on both sides of the political parties and use this and carry it with us
as a way to do better as Americans and make sure that we're representing this wonderful
(03:36):
country and an incredible place to live and thrive.
Absolutely.
And I think I like listening to all sides.
I try anyway.
So I think regardless of political affiliation, J.D.
Vance's life story, I felt was uplifting for the better reason that being able to rise
(04:02):
above our circumstances that are thrown our way beyond our control is really exhilarating
and inspiring.
And being in a country where we can do that is, I think gives us a lot of hope, no matter
how hard it is, it is possible.
And that is a good message and opportunity for us to think about and seize for whatever
(04:30):
circumstances we are dealing with.
Absolutely, absolutely.
And so I think refreshing to see some youth on the ticket, right?
He's 39, he'll probably be the youngest VP if elected.
The two presidential, likely presidential candidates, I should say, will be the oldest
(04:53):
to ever hold office.
So quite a dichotomy there in terms of age, experience, all of that.
It's interesting that we're talking about brain rules for aging well with those two
candidates potentially being our choices.
(05:15):
And wow, I mean, think about it, the Biden 81, Trump 79, both are older than Color TV
and Hula Hoops.
It's incredible.
It's incredible.
I think I am always energized by individuals in any discipline who are going and living
(05:36):
fully.
And this is yet another example.
Now there's a lot at stake in this one.
So definitely wanting the very best for our country here.
But it is inspiring.
And I think it will be very interesting to see how it continues to unfold up until elections
and beyond.
(05:56):
The only wish though is a peaceful expression of ideology, right?
That is that's going to be very fundamental for us.
Absolutely, absolutely.
So going into our topic, maintaining brain health, we're going to talk about navigating
the aging aspects of the brain, the feeling aspects of the brain and the thinking aspects
(06:18):
of the brain.
There's a couple stats to share which are interesting.
First, this is probably not as well known.
This wasn't known to me before I started digging in.
The human brain shrinks with age.
And they say by the time a person reaches 60 years old, the brain may have lost about
(06:43):
0.5% or half a percentage point of its volume each year.
And if you think about that, by age 90, your brain volume can be approximately 10 to 15%
smaller than it was in young adulthood.
That's pretty scary.
I think any kind of shrinkage is concerning.
(07:04):
This one sounds substantial.
I am no medical expert that does not sound good.
Having said that, I am holding out a little bit hope that maybe even there is shrinkage,
there is enough brain capacity at large that can be activated to give us the cognitive
skills for us to enjoy life into older, you know, next second chapter.
(07:31):
I think I also read though that there is untapped capacity of the brain.
You know, there is much portions of it that may not be activated.
So I think in part of our conversation, we'll also talk about how reactivation can be possible
to maintain our cognitive ability despite the shrinkage.
(07:56):
But it is scary.
The other thing that comes to mind when we are talking about this topic is the mind-body
connection because we are talking about the brain.
When the brain health declines, it has a disputed impact on the physical aspects.
So it is just incredibly connected, both of them.
(08:19):
Definitely.
And you mentioned the ability to like regenerate and the plasticity of our brain.
And it's a muscle, it's a computer.
And think about your brain as a big file system, right, that sometimes that information is
right there.
(08:39):
Sometimes you have to think harder to awaken a memory, a piece of information that you
need.
But the brain's total neuron count is 86 billion.
Wow.
It is amazing.
It is amazing, right?
It is amazing.
And they say the average adult is activating approximately 700 to 1,000 new neurons each
(09:07):
day.
So you could really use that as a muscle, be proactive.
We're going to talk about some of the things that we can do.
But wow, it can be ever learning, ever growing.
And some of the decline, you could either maintain or reverse with some proactive steps
(09:27):
around diet, exercise, learning.
And we're going to talk about some of those things.
That's right.
So it is interesting, Christine.
I was also reading another article on longevity and the study on blue zones.
We talked about that in one of our prior episodes.
(09:51):
And the interesting point made in there was individuals living in these blue zones, they
are not taking superfoods, supplements, tracking their steps.
It's just their way of life to connect with the community, eat fish, fruit, and vegetables
(10:13):
as way of life, not necessarily a health roadmap.
So I guess that all goes to say the fundamentals of what goes into maintaining our health,
brain and body, are perhaps a little boring, which comes down to exercise, sleep, nutrition,
(10:36):
and social connection.
But yet that is the recipe.
So how can we incorporate that into our daily lives in ways that bring meaning to us?
And therefore, it is less of an effort, more of a routine habit that we embrace and enjoy.
Exactly.
(10:57):
Exactly.
And some of that is too just awareness, right?
Maybe we don't live in a fishing village where fresh fish is available.
That would be nice.
That would be nice.
And actually, I'd love to fish.
But anyway, some of the foods to eat, I mean, the best foods are those that are rich in
omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants and whole grains.
(11:21):
So if you look at the list, you have salmon, mackerel, chia seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds
and flax seeds, they just don't sound like that exciting, right?
Those are things that are rich in omega-fatty acids.
On the antioxidant side, it's blueberries, dark chocolate, turmeric, and broccoli.
(11:46):
Those I think are easier just to incorporate in the everyday, especially the chocolate
for me.
I was just thinking of that.
So as you are sharing that list, some things on the list to me are more appealing than
others.
So chocolate, very high.
Probably may need to be disguised a bit for me.
(12:07):
But it's encouraging that hopefully there is something on the list for many of us that
balance the joy with the nutrition.
And I love the barriers.
Now, we can also think about combining these things, like chocolate covered cherries, chocolate
covered not broccoli maybe, but how can we balance these things out?
(12:31):
And I think the other thing I try to remind myself is and the nutritionist that we speak
with is this is not about 100% perfection.
So if you get 80% right or even less, but maintain consistency over time, they can still
(12:54):
pay dividends.
That's right.
That's right.
Agree.
Whole grains.
Whole grains is another one.
So oats, sure, many of our listeners may have had that one-on-one with their doctors
said, hey, maybe you should be eating Cheerios more or oatmeal to reduce your cholesterol.
(13:15):
Quinoa is also a big source of whole grains.
And quinoa is one of those things.
I don't know about you, Muge, but I love to order it out.
I've never really made it well at home.
Is there some sort of magic red sphere?
Quinoa?
Yeah.
Quinoa.
Yeah.
(13:36):
Quinoa or I call it quinoa.
Whatever you say, Christine, I'm going to go with.
So with that particular whole grain, so I make it, so to speak, but when I am able, which
is not very much because, again, this is not as bad as broccoli for me, but it's not also
(13:59):
something I gravitate to.
I sprinkle it on salads.
So think of a Mediterranean salad.
And it is not extremely flavorful in and of itself, but when it's mixed with salad,
I think it's an excellent addition that brings some substance to it.
(14:22):
And I think it certainly beats eating tortilla bread or something like that, but you still
get more filling, appetite.
Yes.
Yes.
Yeah.
There's a place that I go that has a great quinoa salad.
Yes, there you go.
(14:42):
I love it.
With salmon, with salmon that I get all the time.
But I'm going to try it at home.
I'm going to try it at home.
Yeah.
I mean, I think it's good to make it and put it away in the refrigerator and sprinkle it
on things.
It can also make a good breakfast when you add some dried fruits and nuts to it and a
(15:02):
little bit of milk.
So I mean, it's a good option, but then again, you have to have a lot of intention to do
this.
It certainly doesn't come natural.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Carve out some time, plan your meals.
Yeah, that's not going to happen.
No.
That's not going to happen.
(15:24):
That's why I'm good with the blueberries.
Take them out of the pack, eat them with a little bit of egg bites.
That's my favorite.
It's my favorite breakfast.
Yes.
And then I will also recommend sweet blackberries from Carolina Organic.
Love blackberries.
Blueberries, it is a bit of a hint of sweetness to it.
(15:46):
So I eat those a lot.
My husband is like, did you finish them again?
I am like, yes.
I thought I'm doing something good for myself.
So bring on the blackberries, especially when they have hint of sweetness.
I just feel like it makes it even a bit better.
Totally.
Totally.
So the next thing to touch upon is getting adequate sleep.
(16:08):
And this one, I think, can become tougher with age.
Speaking to some of my friends who are waking up in the middle of the night, can't get back
to sleep.
That could be related to job stress.
That could be related to symptoms of menopause.
And it could just be related also to just some bad habits that some of us have gotten
(16:33):
into where you pull your phone over, look at your phone in the middle of the night, and
all of a sudden, oh, your circadian rhythm is off and you're awake.
So one stat, I think that's interesting, is a study published in the journal Sleep found
that people who consistently get less than six hours of sleep per night have a 30% higher
(16:56):
risk of developing dementia.
That's scary.
That is really scary.
And I think the importance of sleep, unfortunately, has been lost on me in my younger days.
I'm like, yeah, I can crank through this.
I'm doing great.
Four or five hours of sleep.
This is awesome.
I am ultra productive.
(17:17):
Keep it going.
So the importance of it, though, is just incredible because the healing aspect of it for the body,
the recovery of memory, retention capability.
And I'll say every time, not every time, but most times I go to doctor for checkup.
The question is, how do you sleep? because it is, you know, body is number one immunity
(17:41):
boost naturally.
And it's also elusive.
I think in today's, you know, world of stress, demands on our time, digital things coming
at us, but yet the restorative aspect of sleep is just incredible.
And the good news is, again, it doesn't cost anything per se.
(18:02):
So I like that one.
But it's just being mindful of it is so key.
So key.
And, you know, again, I think it goes back to the things that are good for us.
We feel it, right?
When we are sleep deprived, no matter how much caffeine we consume, we are just not feeling
great.
You know, our response to stress is compromised.
(18:24):
Then it can easily create that negative spiral of less sleep, more stress.
Therefore less sleep situation.
So trying to interrupt that cycle after eating some blackberries and chocolate would be pretty
awesome.
But yeah, importance of sleep.
We probably don't fully appreciate that at all.
(18:45):
Yeah.
Yeah.
And I think the important part that you just mentioned is you can feel it.
So if you are feeling a little bit sluggish, if you're feeling like I'm not as sharp as
I usually am, thinking about those couple of areas, sleep going there first, and it's
okay to nap.
It's okay to nap if it's a nap.
(19:06):
I debate with my husband, is it a nap or is it a sleep?
Because he can nap like a champ.
He can nap for three, four hours.
I was like, I think that's almost a sleep.
That is right.
That is a pretty extended duration of a nap.
So, you know, there's always this thing we read about, oh, you don't let your nap exceed
20, 30 minutes, which is hard to do.
(19:29):
Someone also has to wake you up unless there's another external factor interrupting your
nap.
It's easy for that to turn into a couple of hours of a snooze time, which in turn probably
will interrupt your nighttime sleep.
But the so-called power naps are pretty great.
Yeah.
(19:50):
Yeah.
Power naps.
Yeah.
Don't sleep on the power nap.
But sleep on the power nap.
You know what I mean?
There's a famous, I guess, best practice that Einstein used to use.
He used to power nap every day, like 10 minutes, 15 minutes.
And look at all he accomplished, right?
(20:10):
Recharging his brain and getting back to work.
Yeah.
That's right.
The whole, I guess, refresh and cleansing aspect of it is powerful, which also reminded
me of an amazing business that started out of Houston by an ex-corporate person.
(20:31):
It's called NAP Bar.
And it's like a mobile nap station that can be placed in office buildings and corporations
for people to take power naps.
So you can feel your best.
And that which is quite a culture shift for America, corporate America.
(20:54):
But I think there is openness and appreciation towards that.
Another leader I appreciate the views of on this is Ariana Huffington.
She talks a little bit about the restorative power of sleep.
She has launched a Thrive app that speaks to how you can reset your brain, your nerve
(21:15):
system.
And whatever you do, do not skimp on sleep in exchange of writing a few more emails or
going to another social function.
I know it's easier said than done.
Having said that, I do, I don't know how you feel about this, Christine, but I do feel
like as I age, I appreciate sleep more.
(21:37):
So I am prioritizing it easier compared to my younger days in college or early career.
So there's some positive correlation there.
So as my brain may be shrinking since I am prioritizing sleep a little bit more, maybe
I'm going to be able to offset that.
I agree.
I think also the awareness is there about how important sleep is.
(22:02):
And maybe we're sharing some interesting thought provoking stats today to keep that awareness
top of mind.
Another one that people should know.
This one says, studies have shown that sleep deprivation can reduce the brain's ability
to form new memories by up to 40%.
(22:23):
So think about that.
Like you just don't have the capacity to even soak in anything and wow.
You are tapped out.
Yeah, tapped out.
Right.
Right.
Yeah.
Yeah.
All right.
Well, other things to talk about are the feeling brain, emotions in aging.
So relationships, stress, happiness, and even gullibility are influenced by changes in our
(22:51):
brain's emotional centers.
Now we've talked in previous podcast about the importance of social connections, the
importance of managing stress and doing things that create this feeling of mindfulness, whether
it's actual meditation or doing meditative things like walking in nature, painting, things
(23:14):
that take your mind away.
What we haven't talked about is this piece about staying skeptical.
What I learned in the research is as we age, we may become more trusting and potentially
gullible.
So staying informed, questioning sources of information, maintaining critical thinking
(23:40):
skills to avoid misinformation is important.
Studies show that the executive function of the brain, which includes decision-making,
problem-solving, declines at a rate of 1% to 2% per year starting at the age of 60.
So we're not there yet, and again, this awareness is stay skeptical.
(24:07):
And all of these strategies that we're talking about, diet exercise can help prevent some
of this decline.
That's right.
I think it's good to talk about these statistics.
It's also frightening, right?
We don't want these things to happen, but we may not have a say in it.
(24:27):
So it's the natural progression of life.
I think in addition to all the things we said, staying skeptical and staying curious
to ask questions, to also learn new things can also help, I think, maintain our health.
(24:49):
Because it's almost like fight back in a way, in healthy ways, to activate our bodies, mind
and brain and body so that things are not stagnant and declining.
Because this notion of use it or lose it, I think it holds very true, and we feel the
(25:11):
effects of that as we age.
And I will throw one more thing in there, because I'm reading a lot about just in general
healthy aging is the consumption of alcohol.
So as we age, how our bodies, I read, respond to alcohol changes.
So we are not exactly imagining when we say, oh, I can't drink as much anymore.
(25:34):
The effect of one margarita on our body at the age of 60, let's say, is far different
from the effect of it when we had at 25.
So why not?
It isn't so.
I like my margaritas muge.
I know.
Well, I'm just saying, Christine, you may need to go easy on them.
So the effect of one margarita at the age of 60, let's say, is equivalent to two or
(25:57):
three.
Because of how our bodies are metabolizing, responding to it.
So moderate and limited consumption of alcohol is also recommended as we age, as unfortunate,
but that's in there in the mix of things we could be doing to help our overall well-being
(26:19):
as well as brain health, I'm sorry to say.
No, good point.
Good point.
Glad.
I'm glad you're bringing that up before I go to the beach this weekend.
Yes, I am just saying, watch your margarita consumption or the beverage of your choice.
So I will check up on you upon return.
We will conduct a Sudoku test if there has been any change on cognitive abilities.
(26:46):
I think it may improve.
Yeah, that was a good lead-in to actually what the last area is, and that's the thinking
brain.
And it does suggest, and we've heard this before, engaging in activities that challenge
your brain, whether it is the crossword puzzle, playing musical instruments, any of those
(27:08):
New York time games like Wordle.
What's your favorite Muge these days?
Do you have one that you just do very consistently?
I do.
I do.
And it's a little embarrassing because it's not exactly intellectually stimulating, but
it gives me great joy and it still exercises something, and that is the crossword puzzles
(27:31):
in the People magazine.
Because this is not New York Times crossword puzzle, but I get great satisfaction in knowing
all these celebrity factoids and completing the crossword puzzle with no help from the
internet or an external factor.
So that's my little weekly pleasure that I do.
(27:52):
Now in addition to that, what I am energized by, which I haven't had quite time to do so,
what I've looked into is these ongoing adult education classes that universities hold on
topics of interest.
For me, it's anthropology.
I'm always amazed at that.
(28:13):
And I look at classes offered for adults.
They are more like lectures.
You are not taking an exam, but you are learning.
You are coming together with others who have interest in a similar topic.
And you are on college campus.
It's vibrant.
It is energy.
And you are not worried about passing or failing or even finding a job after taking this class,
(28:37):
but you are learning.
So, you know, I find those types of things to be uplifting, invigorating, and keeping
us curious as well.
That's awesome.
That's awesome.
And I'm pretty sure that those kind of classes are at a discounted rate too, right?
Aren't they for people 50 or older?
(28:58):
55 or older?
Yeah, I love those discounts.
I'm like, bring them on.
Whatever you're offering, I'll admit to my age readily.
I want the discount.
So, yes, yes, I think so.
I think so.
Very cool.
Very cool.
Yeah, after watching Wimbledon, I was really inspired by Jasmine Polini in Italian.
(29:22):
Yes.
I just love the way that she competed and her energy and her positivity.
And I'm Italian by nationality, so it just fired me up, which in turn said, why aren't
I continuing with my Italian lessons?
So I rallied up and I have a, what, seven-day streak now on Duolingo, just brushing back
(29:49):
up on that.
And that is also a great way to just challenge your brain.
So that's just been super fun, super fun.
Which you will have to put into practice during a trip to Italy in the near future.
Yes, yes.
So that you can continue to build on those skills.
But that's true.
(30:09):
I mean, little things make a difference.
Like most days I ask Alexa, what's the SAT word of the day?
I'm like, okay, let me see what I can learn here, some interesting word that is not part
of the vocabulary.
So it's just a bit of stimulation and a challenge to the brain and to the body are a very good
(30:30):
thing.
Awesome.
Yeah, that's a good one.
I haven't done that.
My husband does joke of the day, but maybe I'll encourage him to do the SAT of the day.
I have a whole circuit that I do with Alexa.
It starts with news of the day, joke of the day, SAT word of the day, slang word of the
day, and I recap it with wellness tip of the day.
(30:50):
So it's quite a circuit.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And then in seven minutes I'm smarter than I was when I started the exercise.
Not only if I could remember those things, that's a whole other thing.
Maybe you should start the next day with Alexa, quiz me from what you taught me yesterday.
Yeah, that's right.
(31:12):
That will be a whole other level.
Yes, that's right.
Well, I think we are about to wrap up.
I did pull some information from a book called The Brain Rules for Aging Well by John Medina.
So we will include that as a link for folks who want to learn more.
(31:33):
Probably some of the things we shared today will just keep ways that you can keep aging
well, keep your brain in tip top shape.
Some of the things that you could do are just even micro changes, right?
You don't have to do all of the things we talked about, but maybe it's introducing one
super food a week.
(31:55):
Maybe it's thinking about what you want to learn.
Maybe it's going to the gym and really being thoughtful about the way your body works and
how exercise brings more oxygen to your brain and thinking also just about the ways that
you can activate new capacity and sleep.
(32:21):
Make sure that you're in a regular sleep routine.
That's probably job number one, the most important of all we talked about today.
Yeah, that's right, and the effect of that to give us motivation, energy to attend to
all other parts of our life.
So true.
I think I may have to go take a nap now.
A nap at 9.54.
(32:43):
Oh, that's Eastern.
Your work day has even started on your side.
A nap at 8.54 central time zone.
That's the tough one, but let me consider it.
Oh, Muge, it's always so great to see you.
(33:03):
Thanks so much for partnering with me on this.
It's always a joy.
And for our listeners, we look forward to seeing you next time.
We'll see you the next time.
Thank you for listening.
Our hope is to spark a little joy, inspire, and educate our listeners in ways to live
(33:24):
an even more meaningful life.
If you have reactions to share from what you've heard, please visit our website, refinement.life,
to leave a voice message.
You may even be featured in a future episode.
To keep in touch, subscribe to our podcast, Re-Firement Life, using the podcast player
of your choice.
Always remember, you are never too old to set a new goal or to dream a new dream.
(33:49):
Thanks again for joining us on this episode.
Until next time.
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