T Let’s get moving, mom

ODAY many of us will celebrate Mother’s Day by bringing mom breakfast in bed, or giving her a bunch of flowers, a box of chocolates or perhaps yet another pair of pyjamas and/or slippers.

We take one day out of the 365 to show our mothers how much we love them.

We want them to know that we really do appreciate all that they have done and continue to do for us.

We express our adoration for the sacrifices they have made — getting up early to make us school lunch, bringing us warm tea in bed, making sure our clothes and teeth were clean, always putting us first.

We can’t thank them enough for staying awake till late at night to make sure our homework was properly done.

Nothing seems to be able to stop the flow of tears like a mom’s voice and gentle touch, and no medicine has the healing power of a mom.

Moms, more than anyone else in the world, just make our lives better.

Unfortunately, even these special people are human, and each year on Mother’s Day, they are a year older.

Life expectancy today is almost double what it was a century ago.

Rising standards of living, improvements in public health including vaccinations, better education and of course advances in medical treatment have reduced mortality and lengthened our life span. But this increase in life span is associated with wear and tear — on our bodies and on our minds.

Of all human capacities, perhaps the most treasured is our mental capacity — the ability to think clearly, to remember precisely, and to weigh up our options and make correct decisions.

Experience and wisdom improves some cognitive functioning but memory, attention, and speed of processing inevitably decline as we age.

However, the rate and extent of this decline can be slowed by important lifestyle changes such as being physically active and eating healthily. Physically active adults have a 35% lower risk of cognitive decline than those who are inactive.

There is also compelling evidence that dietary interventions hold the promise of moderating cognitive ageing.

The evidence suggests that eating less meat but more nuts and legumes, whole grains and monosaturated fats such as olive oil will preserve cognitive health. Exactly the same things that help our bodies stay young.

While the chocolates and flowers show our love, there is no clear evidence to show that they reverse the ageing process.

Perhaps we should pause and think about how we can help keep our moms as healthy as possible so that we can show and express our love for them even longer.