[Alert!] Scary Habit Shrinks Your Brain

There are some things that are obviously bad for you.

Smoking, donuts, and sitting too much come to mind.

But others slip under the radar, impacting the health and wellbeing of most people in ways you don’t even realize.

One thing in particular can do more than cause major issues like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.

According to a recent study, it can also shrink your brain.

If you don’t get the better of the stress in your life, it will get the better of you.

Stress is like an invisible cancer that eats at you both emotionally and physically.

Some of its effects are well-known—like causing wrinkles, ulcers, and obesity.

Others we’re just learning about.

It turns out that chronic stress can cause the part of your brain responsible for learning and memory (your hippocampus) to shrink.

It can also lead to changes in the part of your brain responsible for making decisions and self-control (your prefrontal cortex).

The good news?

These kinds of changes are reversible.

A recent study showed that when chronically stressed people underwent mindfulness training for eight weeks, not only did they feel less stressed, but they increased their brain volume of their hippocampus.

I am a fan of mindfulness, and I make it a part of my daily life.

Exercise can also reduce stress while helping prevent brain shrinkage.

If you can take active steps like these to cut down on stress and its negative effects, you’ll be happier and healthier for it.

P.S. Maintaining good mental function as you age is a concern for everyone… One key way to do that is by loading up on a key vitamin. Click here to find out what it is.