Why spring is good for your brain health

In a new podcast episode, an expert digs into how lifestyle choices affect brain health.

Ben Katz joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to share insights about how cardiovascular exercise, spending time in nature, and maintaining a healthy diet can enhance cognitive function.

Katz is associate professor of adult development and aging within the human development and family science department at Virginia Tech. His research focuses on interventions to improve executive function capacities, including non-invasive brain stimulation, cognitive training, and lifestyle change.

He also talked about the importance of sleep and benefits of social interactions, as well as what changes he has made to best support his own cognition:

“Curious Conversations” is available on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.

Takeaways

• Regular cardiovascular exercise improves brain health by enhancing blood flow and oxygen delivery, which are crucial for cognitive function.
• Evidence shows that spending time in nature has benefits for attention and mood, part of which could be from a natural reduction in everyday distractions during these activities.
• Minimizing processed foods, specifically processed meats, and sugary beverages have been shown to support overall brain health.

Source: Virginia Tech