You Can’t Reverse Aging — But You Can Avoid Some of the Downsides

If you find yourself fumbling over words on the tip of your tongue, struggling to recall the name of that Leonardo DiCaprio movie during your daily crossword puzzle, or getting into the car some mornings only to realize you forgot your keys, rest assured that this doesn’t have to be your permanent state. No matter how old you are, there are proactive approaches you can adopt to keep your noggin on its A-game.

Joe and Terry Graedon — the creative couple behind the popular The People’s Pharmacy website, NPR show, and podcast — both challenge the idea that aging automatically results in the decline of your memory and cognitive abilities.

“There’s a mistaken belief that having ‘senior moments,’ or forgetting some dates or names, is due to fate, genes, or thinking, ‘Grandpa has some cognitive difficulties, so that means I’m at greater risk.’ But nothing could be further from the truth,” says Joe. “There are so many things we can do to stay cognitively sharp as we age.”

Whether you dove headfirst into New Year’s resolutions or opted for a more subtle reflection on areas for small improvements in your life, the beginning of a new year always marks a fresh start, and it’s never too late to begin incorporating proven brain-boosting techniques into your daily routine.

What are some factors known to help combat cognitive decline?

In a study published in November, 172 adults were monitored over two years. The results revealed that when individuals adhered to personalized lifestyle adjustments based on their identified areas of need — such as sleep or diabetes management, or improved social interactions — their cognitive scores improved, boosting their overall bill of health.

“When people improved their risk factors in this study, they also improved their cognition,” says Terry. “And these risk factors are very close to the pillars of good health.”

The formula of daily movement (“If you backed us into a corner and asked, What’s the number one most important thing you can do for good health and your brain?, we’d say exercise,” explains Joe); retaining healthy blood pressure through a healthy diet, such as the DASH or Mediterranean diet; managing blood sugar; improving your sleep schedule, addressing mental health; reducing social isolation; and quitting smoking all add up to help master and improve your memory and cognition.

But another solution the holistic health veterans swear by for its brain benefits is taking a daily CocoaVia cocoa flavanol supplement as part of their morning routine.

Decades of research on cocoa flavanols have revealed their significant benefits. A comprehensive trial known as COSMOS-Web conducted by Columbia University researchers demonstrated that these flavanols play an important role in supporting brain and memory performance during normal cognitive aging. The study found that the group of participants who started the trial with a lower intake of flavanols in their diet than their counterparts saw an average improvement of 16 percent in their memory, matching the memory performance of those with a relatively higher flavanol intake at the beginning of the trial. and reported having better memory than they did at the start of the trial.

What is it about cocoa flavanols that help boost your brain power?

“Like exercise, cocoa flavanols can have a positive impact on cardiovascular health. That’s because cocoa flavanols increase the body’s natural production of Nitric Oxide, a super molecule that relaxes blood vessels so they’re more flexible. This helps improve circulation by allowing oxygen and nutrients to reach organs, muscles, and tissues throughout the body – including your brain,” explains Joe. “It’s not only beneficial to keep your body moving, but it’s also about what you put in your body to facilitate the kinds of changes that are beneficial to the brain.”

Taking CocoaVia’s cocoa flavanols supplement CocoaVia Memory+ (which is made with the plant-based bioactive compounds found in cocoa) is proven to improve memory and brain function in as little as eight weeks and improve three different types of memory: word recall, spatial memory, and long-term memory.

Since adopting CocoaVia into her daily regimen a few years ago, Terry’s felt a difference. “I’m still capable of remember some things as well as I did when I was younger,” says Terry. “I still have forgetful moments very occasionally, but I’m usually able to recall where I’m going with the thought after a brief moment.”

As with any vitamin or supplement, it’s important to make sure you’re consuming the highest quality. And that’s why the Graedons are fans of CocoaVia. “CocoaVia’s Memory+ contains 750 milligrams of cocoa flavanols and is the overall top pick for cocoa flavanols by the leading, independent third-party testing provider, ConsumerLab.com. Their mission is to help consumers and healthcare professionals find the best quality health and nutrition products through independent testing and evaluation,” says Terry. “Every morning when I take my Memory+, I know that I’m getting a consistent level of cocoa flavanols per serving.”

Terry adds: “We take our supplements in addition to trying to follow a diet that’s packed full of vegetables and fruits, not instead of.”

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Whether through exercise, a balanced diet, proper sleep, or the inclusion of a daily supplement such as CocoaVia, the key to a healthy mind in 2024 lies in taking steps that’ll foster your noodle’s well-being. 

Try CocoaVia

For a limited time, you can enjoy an extra 20 percent off in single, bulk, or subscription purchases of CocoaVia. Just use promo code KCM2024 at checkout.*

*This offer is valid until December 31, 2024, on any single, bulk, or subscription order of CocoaVia products sold at cocoavia.com; Limited to one use per e-mail.

The information provided on this site isn’t intended as medical advice, and shouldn’t replace professional medical treatment. Consult your doctor with any serious health concerns.The Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated these statements. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The People’s Pharmacy is a paid partner of CocoaVia^TM.