Here’s the magic formula for keeping your brain healthy into old age: There isn’t one.

Modern society is obsessed with the prescriptive elements of optimal brain health, weight loss, a not-gross protein smoothie combination; they want to know what, and how much, and for how long they should do something in order to see results. The thing is, especially when it comes to the brain, it takes time.

That’s not to stay present research and neuroscience hasn't found convincing evidence of healthier habits people can adopt; habits that will not only preserve cognition but also reduce the risk of devastating diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. In fact, each June, The Alzheimer’s Association (AA) makes the world aware of current endeavors and awareness campaigns working to find treatments and a cure. By taking the purple pledge, people make a difference in the lives of an estimated 47 million people facing Alzheimer’s.

“Our brains are our command center,” Dr. Heather Snyder, molecular biologist and director of medical and scientific operations at AA, told Medical Daily. “They are controlling everything that we do and it deserves attention.”

Brain health
Dr. Heather Snyder and Dr. Wendy Suzuki share their strategies for keeping our brain, memory, and creativity sharp into old age. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock