Taking care of our brain means addressing other physical health needs. If left untreated, high cholesterol, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and other age-related medical conditions not only shorten life expectancy, they accelerate cognitive decline.

Simply taking the correct medicines for hypertension or high cholesterol can add years to a person’s life and lower his or her brain age.

However, it is important to avoid taking too many unnecessary medications as you age.

Chronic medical conditions can lead to the use of multiple prescription medicines as well as over-the-counter drugs that people often take without their doctor’s supervision.
Because these pills interact and can cause side effects, it is important to make sure you review all medications and supplements you are taking with your doctor.

It’s helpful to bring all your medicines (or a list of them) to your doctor to review the possibility of side effects and drug interactions.