The bad news is that our brain starts ageing once we reach the mid-twenties. The good news is that doesn't necessarily mean a decline.

Public health authorities in England are tackling the issue of Age Related Cognitive Decline (ARCD), a condition that results from the natural process of brain ageing. Now that the European population has an expectancy of life of 80.3 years, the matter appears in all its importance.

There are very simple changes that we can implement in our daily life. For example we should reduce the intake of red meat, allowing the antioxidants contained in fruit and vegetables to get rid of all the free radicals we accumulate in our organism through a bad diet.

Exercise makes sure that the litre per hour of blood that maintains our brain in good working conditions flows regularly and without pauses. And then there are the brain activities themselves.

Keeping busy builds cognitive reserve through neuroplasticity. Among the most effective ones, to learn a musical instrument. The manipulation, coordination and focus this needs is a perfect challenge for the brain that doesn't want to give up to age. Dancing is a valid alternative for the same reasons, as it involves a series of challenging skills both on the physical level as in the cognitive one.

Reading, chess playing and every other activity that involves thinking is a constant battle to keep us in control of ourselves. And it's fun…