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If you want to keep your brain healthy as you age, do these three things

A panel of scientists in America have pointed towards three fairly simple strategies for people to keep their brains active as they age – and lower the risk of dementia.

The panel established by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine suggests that people keep their brains engaged, lower their blood pressure, and exercise regularly.

The panel said that their recommendations were supported by ‘encouraging’ evidence – although they warned that it’s ‘inconclusive’.

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The panel says, ‘the public should have access to this information to inform choices on how to invest time and resources to maintain brain health with aging.’

The panel pointed to research suggesting that brain-training could reduce the risk of cognitive decline by nearly half over 10 years – and that dementia is linked to compromised blood vessels.

Many different studies have linked sedentary lifestyles to lower cognitive health – and exercise can also lower blood pressure.

Professor William Farquhar wrote in an essay for The Conversation that exercising every day can help keep blood pressure down.

High blood pressure – or hypertension – often has no symptoms, but can be fatal.

Prof Farquhar writes, ‘As a physiologist who has studied exercise and health for over 20 years, I can tell you that exercise lowers blood pressure – and does so right away.

‘Whether you go for a daily run or brisk walk, every time you finish exercising your blood pressure goes down, and stays down for many hours, which is good for your overall health.