Caregivers may find that with so many responsibilities self care is placed as a lesser priority than care of a loved one.  Yet, staying physically and emotionally strong is key to healthier caregiving. To this end, this column is dedicated to health promotion and personal care for the caregiver.

Some of the strongest evidence about maintaining your brain links brain health to heart health. Even though you can't feel your brain working, it's one of the most active organs in your body. Your heart pumps about 20 percent of your blood to your brain, where billions of cells use about 20 percent of the blood's oxygen and fuel.

If your heart isn't pumping well - or if your brain's blood vessels are damaged - your brain cells have trouble getting all the food and oxygen they need. Any condition that damages your heart or blood vessels can affect your brain's blood supply.

How you can take brain health to heart:

• Adopt a long-term, heart-healthy "food lifestyle" rather than a short-term diet and eat in moderation. A long-term study of 1,500 adults found that those who were obese in middle age were twice as likely to develop dementia in later life. Those who also had high cholesterol and high blood pressure had six times the risk of dementia.
• Reduce your intake of fat and cholesterol.Studies have shown that high intake of saturated fat and cholesterol clogs the arteries and is associated with higher risk for Alzheimer's disease. Use mono- and polyunsaturated fats, such as olive oil, for example. Try baking or grilling food instead of frying.
• Exercise. Walking or other moderate exercise for 30 minutes each day gets the body moving and the heart pumping.
• Don't smoke.Smoking interferes with blood flow and oxygen to the brain and is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
• Manage your numbers. Controlling your body weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar helps reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.

For more information visit Be Heart Smart.