BAS Health Series: Healthy Body Functions, Article 1 of 5

As a husband, father, and son—I’ve learned that health isn’t something you can take for granted. My wife and I are newly in our 50s. We’re healthy and active, but we’re also more conscious than ever that time moves quickly, and how we take care of ourselves now will shape how well we live the decades ahead.

Our daughter is about to head off to college, and watching her step into adulthood has me thinking about what habits we pass on. If she learns now how to care for her mind and body, she’ll have a foundation for a lifetime of wellness. At the same time, my parents are in their senior years. Helping them stay sharp and independent reminds me exactly where I’m headed—and why it’s so important to start today.

That’s what inspired me to write this series. Understanding how our bodies work isn’t about fear—it’s about empowerment. Let’s start with the brain, because it’s the one thing that defines who we are and how we experience every part of life.

What Is Your Brain and How Does It Work?

Your brain is a three-pound powerhouse of possibility. It’s made up of about 86 billion neurons — tiny, specialized cells that communicate through electrical impulses and chemical messengers called neurotransmitters¹. Together, they form vast neural networks that control everything from memory and movement to emotion and creativity.

Here’s a quick look at your brain’s “departments”:

• Cerebrum: Handles thought, logic, and memory—essentially your conscious self.

• Cerebellum: Coordinates balance and fine movement; it’s the reason you can type, golf, or dance with precision.

• Brainstem: Keeps you alive, regulating heartbeat, breathing, and reflexes.
  

Your brain uses about 20 percent of your body’s oxygen and energy². Even when you’re asleep, it’s never off—it’s cataloging memories, balancing hormones, and processing millions of bits of data per second.

What Does It Mean to Improve Brain Function?

Improving brain function means taking care of the very system that makes you you. It’s not about chasing perfection—it’s about giving your brain what it needs to perform, heal, and adapt.

• Sharper memory and focus: Healthy neurons fire faster and communicate more efficiently³.

• Stable mood and motivation: Balanced neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin help regulate emotional resilience⁴.

• Long-term protection: Strengthening neural networks (neuroplasticity) helps preserve cognition as we age⁵.
  

For me, better brain health has meant clearer focus, calmer decision-making, and more patience. It’s not instant. It’s daily maintenance but the results are real.

Issues and Diseases That Can Occur

• Alzheimer’s and dementia: Caused by beta-amyloid plaques and tau tangles that disrupt neuron communication⁶.

• Stroke: Happens when blood flow to the brain is blocked or interrupted, starving neurons of oxygen⁷.

• Depression and anxiety: Linked to neurotransmitter imbalance, inflammation, and chronic stress⁸.

• Brain injury: Trauma can disrupt circuits and impair cognitive performance⁹.
  

Did You Know? Nearly 40 percent of dementia cases could be prevented or delayed through lifestyle changes¹⁰.

Simple Things You Can Do Every Day to Improve Brain Health

• Sleep well: During deep sleep, the brain’s glymphatic system flushes out waste proteins like beta-amyloid¹¹. Sleeping fewer than six hours per night raises the risk of cognitive decline by 30 percent¹².

• Exercise regularly: Movement increases blood flow and stimulates brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)—a growth protein for neurons¹³. A 20-minute walk can boost short-term memory and mood¹⁴.

• Eat smart: Omega-3s (salmon, walnuts) and antioxidants (berries, spinach) protect neurons from inflammation and oxidative stress¹⁵. The Mediterranean diet lowers Alzheimer’s risk by 33 percent¹⁶.

• Challenge your mind: Read, learn new skills, play music, or take up a language. Every new challenge builds “cognitive reserve”¹⁷. Lifelong learning can delay dementia by five years or more¹⁸.

• Practice mindfulness: Meditation lowers cortisol and increases gray-matter density in the hippocampus¹⁹. Just eight weeks of mindfulness can measurably increase gray-matter volume²⁰.
  
  

Things You Should Avoid That Damage Your Brain

• Chronic stress: Prolonged cortisol exposure damages memory centers²¹.

• Smoking and alcohol: Reduce oxygen flow and kill brain cells²².

• Sugary and processed foods: Promote inflammation that disrupts signaling²³.

• Sleep deprivation: Slows reaction time, focus, and emotional regulation²⁴.
  

Experts I have interviewed encourage us to pay attention to subtle signals. When your mind feels foggy or reactive, it’s often a reflection of your habits. A few nights of poor sleep or too much sugar are simple indicators to adjust. Awareness is the first step toward balance.

Why This Matters

Your brain is your most valuable tool—it’s the lens through which you experience every joy, challenge, and connection. For me, this isn’t abstract. I want to be the best version of myself for my family, friends, colleagues, and me. I want to stay sharp and creative as I age, to keep building and giving back, and to enjoy the years ahead with clarity and purpose.

That’s the gift of understanding brain health: it’s not just about avoiding illness—it’s about living fully.

Healthy Core Body Functions Series
By Ken York, President of Benefit Airship

At Benefit Airship, our passion is helping members get the best healthcare possible. We’re endlessly curious about what makes the body thrive—and we love uncovering insights that make health simpler to understand and easier to manage. Whenever we find something worth sharing, we share it to empower healthier, more informed lives.

This series will explore five essential body systems—the brain, heart, immune, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems—and offer practical tools for improving your overall well-being. I’ll share science, tips, and inspiration for taking small, meaningful steps toward a stronger, healthier you.

Sources

1. National Institutes of Health – Neuroscience Research Program

2. Scientific American, Brain Energy Consumption

3. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, Synaptic Plasticity and Learning

4. Harvard Health, Neurotransmitters and Mood

5. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, Neuroplasticity in Aging

6. Alzheimer’s Association, Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease

7. American Stroke Association, How Stroke Affects the Brain

8. Mayo Clinic, Depression and Anxiety Mechanisms

9. CDC, Traumatic Brain Injury Facts

10. The Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention (2020)

11. National Institutes of Health, Glymphatic System Function During Sleep

12. Sleep Foundation, Sleep Duration and Cognitive Decline

13. Journal of Neuroscience, BDNF and Exercise

14. Harvard Medical School, Exercise and Brain Health

15. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Diet and Neuroinflammation

16. BMJ, Mediterranean Diet and Cognitive Health

17. Neurology Journal, Cognitive Reserve Theory

18. Alzheimer’s & Dementia Journal, Lifelong Learning and Dementia Onset

19. Harvard Medical School, Mindfulness and Brain Structure

20. NeuroImage, Eight Weeks of Mindfulness Training Study

21. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, Cortisol and Hippocampal Damage

22. CDC, Alcohol and Brain Health

23. Journal of Nutritional Neuroscience, Sugar and Inflammation

24. Sleep Medicine Reviews, Cognitive Effects of Sleep Deprivation