Take the Emeritus Brain Health Challenge!

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The purpose of the brain health personal survey is to provide feedback on your current brain health lifestyle and to provide some direction for improvement. Assess yourself periodically to monitor your behaviors and to celebrate your success!

The five components of the Brain Health Lifestyle are:

  • Nutrition. The brain is the fattest part of the human body, at 60% fat. Healthy fats – those from salmon, herring, mackerel, unsalted nuts – builds up fat in the brain.
  • Physical activity. Every time the heart beats, 25% of the body's blood goes to the brain. Aerobic movement improves cognition.
  • Socialization. When people are isolated, the brain becomes passive, leading to a higher risk of cognitive impairment. Learning and staying involved promotes brain health.
  • Mental stimulation. Exposure builds up brain reserves. Learning a new language, reading and writing, acquiring computer skills – all are activities that stimulate the brain. The key component here is the challenge of attempting things unfamiliar.
  • Spirituality. Techniques to combat stress damage to the brain include deep breathing, yoga, muscle relaxation and prayer. Slowing down and allowing the brain to rest, includes a good night's sleep.

Lifestyle/Behavior (check the box for every True “I” statements)

This assessment was modified with permission from Emeritus’ director of brain health programming and education: Dr. Paul Nussbaum, author of “Brain Health Lifestyle.”

Primary Benefit - Mental*

True

False
...am currently taking a class or learning a new task, skill, art form.
...play challenging board games.
...am learning a new language or musical instrument.
...garden or knit.
...have reduced TV and/or video game exposure.

Primary Benefit - Nutritional*

True

False

...drink 64 ounces of water a day.
...eat at least 5 servings of colorful fruits and vegetables every day.
...include fish, walnuts, almonds or flax seed in my diet at least 3 times a week.
...eat the appropriate number of calories for my body age, height, and bone structure.
...drink daily glass of grape juice or red wine, if medically permissible.

Primary Benefit - Physical*

True

False
...do not smoke.
...stretch or strengthen exercise 3-5 times a week.
...walk (with the goal of reaching) 10,000 steps (2.5 to 3 miles) a day.
...dance.
...do not use illegal drugs.

*One brain health behavior can provide several benefits. For the sake of this self-assessment, behaviors are categorized into "primary" benefits to provide consistency in scoring.

Primary Benefit - Social*

True

False
...eat at least one meal a day with others.
...participate daily in an enjoyable event, activity or experience with others (other than at meal time).
...maintain strong ties/relationships with family and friends.
...am forgiving.

Primary Benefit - Spiritual*

True

False
...pray or meditate daily.
...identify and renew my purposes and values daily.
...participate in yoga, tai chi, stretching or deep breathing exercises.
...get enough sleep during the night to feel rested by morning.
...write in a daily journal or meditation or prayer log.

Calculate Your Brain Health

Mental Domain (# of items checked "True") x 4 =
Nutritional Domain (# of items checked "True") x 4 =
Physical Domain (# of items checked "True") x 4 =
Social Domain (# of items checked "True") x 4 =
Spiritual Domain (# of items checked "True") x 4 =
Total Points

Scoring (Total Points)

85-100 = Great! Keep doing what you are doing and improve in weak areas.

70-84 = Good job! Review areas checked "False" and begin to make lifestyle changes in these domains. Make the changes one at a time.

69 or less = Opportunities to improve your brain health. Review the survey as significant changes is needed. Begin to make changes in one or two domain areas at a time.

*This assessment was modified with permission from Emeritus' partner in brain health programming and education: Dr. Paul Nussbaum, Guide to Brain Health across the Lifespan . You may contact Dr. Nussbaum and learn more about brain health by visiting www.paulnussbaum.com .

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Activities for five key areas of brain health

Once you know your score, it’s time to start: Your 30-Day Brain Healthy Action Plan! In order to consider your lifestyle brain healthy, the following criteria should be met:

Participate in a minimum of three Brain Health activities a day

  • Include activities from at least four out of the five key components (physical, mental, social, nutrition, spiritual) a minimum of five times per week.
  • Read one brain health article once a week.

Activities are considered brain healthy if they meet the following criteria:

  • Correlate to one of the five key areas of brain health: physical fitness, mental stimulation, nutrition, spirituality and socialization
  • Activity should be complex or challenging
  • Activity should be novel, new or different from routine activities

Physical Activity

  • Daily walking
  • Dance
  • Garden
  • Knit
  • Using non-dominant hand
  • Jog/aerobic exercise
  • Use a pedometer
  • Biking/Swimming/Light Weights

Mental Stimulation

  • Board games
  • Read & write
  • Sign language
  • Computer based products
  • Travel
  • Novel & complex
  • Develop language skills
  • Learn a musical instrument
  • Listen to classic music

Spirituality

  • Daily prayer
  • Meditate
  • Relaxation techniques
  • Increase sleep
  • Learn to say no
  • Slow down
  • Yoga and Pilates
  • Formal place of worship
  • D body targets of stress

Socialization

  • Hobbies
  • Join a new group
  • Dine with others
  • Do not retire
  • Grow network of friends
  • Recreate
  • Laugh
  • Be forgiving
  • Connect with family
  • Personal mission in life

Nutrition

  • Salmon
  • Herring and mackerel
  • Walnuts
  • Colorful fruits
  • Colorful vegetables
  • Increase antioxidants
  • Eat 80% of portion
  • Use utensils
  • Green leafy vegetables


Sample Week Integrating Activities

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
10:00 am Church (sp) 10:00 am Yoga (ph) 9:15 am Visualization (sp) 10:00 am Fitness (ph) 11:00 am Tai Chi (sp) 9:45 am Walking Club (ph)
12:00 pm Sunday dinner (s) 10:45 am Meditation (sp) 10:30 am Walking Club (ph) 11:00 am Creative Writing (m) 11:00 am Relaxation (sp) 1:00 pm Walking Club (ph) 11:00 am Board games (m)
1:30 pm Armchair travel (m) 2:00 pm Seminar (m) 1:45 pm Sign Language (m) 1pm Chair volleyball(ph) 1:30 pm Seminar (M) 2:00 pm Portuguese (m) 3:00 Journaling (m/sp)
3:00 pm Walking club (ph) 3:00 pm Smoothie Social 3:00 pm Journaling (sp\m) 2:00 pm Entertain/party (so) 4:45 pm Mix it up on stage (so) 6:00 pm Fri night social (so)
7:00 pm Scrabble (m) 7:00 pm Scrabble (m) 7:00 pm Scrabble (m) 7:00 pm Scrabble (m) 6:00 pm Relaxation (sp) 6:00 pm Relaxation (sp) 6:00 pm Relaxation (sp)


Brain Healthy Nutrition Ideas

Current research supports the following information regarding nutrients that help the human brain remain healthy and may help to reduce the risk, delay the onset and slow the progression of diseases such as stroke, dementia and cognitive impairment.

B vitamins—B-1, B-6, B-12, Pantothenic acid and Folic acid. B-1 is essential for healthy brain and nerve cells. B-6 helps maintain healthy levels of brain chemicals. B-12 helps maintain healthy nerve tissues. Pantothenic acid forms a coenzyme that helps with nerve impulses. Folic acid is essential for metabolizing fatty acids in the brain.

Vitamins E and C—The Study on Memory and Aging in Utah found a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease in people who consumed Vitamin E and C supplements.

Specific Brain Healthy Foods:

Blueberries—the antioxidant effects of blueberries help protect the brain from free radicals (chemicals that damage nerves). Chemical compounds in blueberries seem to directly influence the way neurons communicate. People who eat a cup of blueberries a day appear to be protected from aging-related mental decline.

Fish—especially salmon tuna, sardines and other fatty fish. These contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Eating fish protects both your heart and your brain. Brain health is closely related to heart health. These fats are essential for cell-to-cell communication, affecting nerve conduction and other processes involved in how messages are sent from one part of the brain to another. Eat two servings of fatty fish a week. One study in Chicago showed that people who ate fish twice a week had 60% less risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease.

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables—Tomato, broccoli, cabbage, greens, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, red grapes, tangerine, orange, carrot, celery, parsnip, parsley, cilantro, cantaloupe, pumpkin, cucumber, honeydew.

Walnuts—1½ ounces per day will provide a good amount of omega-3 fatty acids and alpha-linolenic acid. Both help reduce the potential for stroke, and may delay or make less severe the diseases of aging, such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Green Tea—1 cup per day. Green tea contains one of the most potent antioxidants called EGCG. This is destroyed in the fermenting of black teas.

Grains—Contain many anticancer and antioxidant compounds. Good grain choices include: whole grain breads, brown rice, corn, barley, quinoa, and whole wheat pastas.


Sample Menu

Breakfast Noon Meal** Evening Meal**
SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY
Assorted Fruit Juices Green Salad with Dressing* Minestrone Soup
Assorted Fruit Roasted Pork Loin w/ Orange and Ginger Crackers
Oatmeal Turkey and Swiss on Rye 3 Bean Salad
Whole Grain Cold Cereal w/ Fiber Baked Sweet Potatoes Tomato Slices on Lettuce
Lox and Bagels Steamed Fresh Broccoli Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Seasoned Corn Whole Wheat Dinner Roll
Cream Cheese Pumpkin Praline Pie
Whole Grain Toast
MONDAY MONDAY MONDAY
Assorted Fruit Juices Crunchy Pear Salad* Hearty Ten Bean Soup
Assorted Fruit Poached Salmon w/ Lemon Capers Crackers
Oatmeal Potatoes Au Gratin Spinach and Feta Salad
Whole Grain Cold Cereal w/ Fiber Peas & Pearl Onions Chopped Tomatoes and Walnuts
Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes Cauliflower Bran Muffin
Syrup Whole Wheat Dinner Roll Fluffy Fruit Berry Dessert
Turkey Sausage Links Dark Fudge Cake