Maintaining both physical and mental health in old age is the key to living a happy and comfortable life as an aging adult. Below is a compilation of articles on various methods of maintaining cognitive and physical health, from eating the recommended servings of fish each week and following a specific diet to having a purpose in life—and even something as simple as inheriting good genes. Take a look at the latest findings…

AHA Advisory Recommends Fish Twice Weekly for CV Health

Medscape

The American Heart Association is advising adults to consume fish twice a week to help improve cardiovascular health and reduce the risk for certain heart-related health issues such as congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, sudden cardiac arrest, and ischemic stroke.

MIND Diet for Better Brain Aging

Health & Nutrition Letter

A healthy diet and lifestyle is among the most common recommendations for preserving cognitive functions for aging adults. While many of the “brain healthy” diets out there vary, there are some common elements among them such as non-starchy fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes and seafood. A new MIND diet trial will help provide aging adults with more specific guidelines on the right diet for healthy cognitive functioning.

Having a Higher Purpose Lowers Risk of Cognitive Decline

Mather LifeWays Institute on Aging

Having a sense of purpose in life is often associated with better cognitive health and overall happiness in older adults, but a recent study tests whether the benefits of purpose extend to physical fitness as well. End results indicated that there could be a correlation between having a sense of purpose and certain physiological effects such as decreased stress and inflammation and being more proactive about health.

Study of ‘SuperAgers’ Offers Genetic Clues to Performance

ScienceDaily

SuperAgers are typically defined as older adults whose memory and cognitive functions are on par with that of a healthy 25 year old. In a sea full of tips and tricks to become a SuperAger, a recent study by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) suggests that good genetics are the key to becoming an older adult with excellent cognitive health, and that a certain gene might be associated with SuperAgers.