Having a sharp mind, as you age is one of the things that will keep you young forever. Whilst all the skin care and surgery in the world can keep us young looking, it’s a different story when it comes to internally keeping your reflexes quick and your brain functionality able.
The human mind is such a fascinating and deeply complex organ, which controls everything we do. Many people only realize how incredible the mind is when they begin to lose its power. A natural part of aging means that your memory begins to fade, but with a few simple and regular strategies, we can ensure brain capacity expands constantly; keeping a grip on the simple pleasure optimal brain functionality brings.
There are a number of ways in which taking simple steps early on can help you to achieve a significant increase to your intellect; postpone or reverse mental aging; and ultimately live a longer, and healthier life with maximum brain function. Implementing the following strategies will not only boost to your brainpower, but also help you keep mentally healthy, which balances with physical health too.
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Eating superfoods
Incorporating brain boosting superfoods into your diet will not only improve your mental reflexes, but have you looking younger and sharper too. Foods particularly beneficial for the mind are:
Wild salmon
Salmon are enriched with omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are necessary for optimizing brain functionality. Wild salmon, or any oily fish are revered for their cleanliness: they’re from deep waters and have less contact with toxins. Ensuring the fish has not been farmed means it is sustainably sourced and that it has been allowed to feed on naturally beneficial foods. Omega-3s contain anti-inflammatory properties to help keep the mind sharp. Other fish such as mackerel, herring and sardines also contain high levels of Omega 3s.
Beans
Our brains need glucose as fuel. Unlike the rest of our bodies, it can’t store the fuel and as such, it relies on a steady stream of energy. Legumes, such as beans provide this longer lasting energy and are therefore excellent brain food. Any type of beans have this complex makeup, so experiment with garbanzos, lentils, kidney beans and so on in your diet.
Pomegranates
Pomegranates are abundant in antioxidants, which protect the brain from free radicals. These are dangerous neuro-inhibitors, which can cause harm to the whole body. Nowhere is as sensitive to the attack from these as the brain and including the bright red jewels of pomegranates within your diet will provide protection. Many people find the fruits themselves too fiddly, opting instead for pomegranate juice.
Coconut Oil
Similar to the complex carbs, which the brain requires when consuming beans, the brain actually manufactures its own insulin to convert glucose in your bloodstream into the food it needs to survive. Often, Alzheimer’s patients suffer portions of their brain begin to be starved of the vital insulin; leading to impaired functionality and eventual loss of memory, speech, movement and personality.
Rich in ketone bodies, also known as ketoacids, coconut oil reverses atrophy from starvation. This is what happens when the brain becomes insulin resistant, but the ketones in coconut oil help prevent against degenerative neurological diseases, and can even be used to reverse established cases of Dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Freshly brewed tea
You’ve heard me say it before, and you’ll hear me say it again: tea is a brain booster. Judiciously imbibed caffeine is a stimulant which helps to protect the brain. Green and white teas are especially rich in catechines, which promote a healthy blood flow.
Dark chocolate
This is great news. Dark chocolate has powerful antioxidant properties helping to enhance focus. It naturally contains stimulants, including caffeine, which aid concentration, and stimulate endorphin production. Endorphins are mood enhancers, which are also produced through exercise. The effects of additional endorphin production lead to a healthier mind.
Blueberries
Chock full of antioxidants; blueberries help protect the brain from oxidative stress. They are known as a superfood which contain phytonutrients called anthocyanidins. Essentially, these fight dangerous free radicals in the body. Free radicals can be the cause of rapid aging, cancer development, and a wide range of other diseases. Phytonutrients neutralize free radicals in the body, which may reduce the effects of age-related conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Studies conducted on rats, showed a blueberry rich diet significantly improved both the learning capacity and motor skills of subjects; giving them super status as a neuro strengthened.
Nuts and seeds
Prevalent sources of vitamin E; nuts and seeds decrease the chances of cognitive decline as you age. Natural, organic and unsalted nuts and seeds are the best choices, since these will contain less harmful toxins that may be added by pesticides and sodium.
Avocados
Avocados are nearly as highly revered as blueberries for the promotion of effective brain health. Delicious and packed full of monounsaturated fat, they contribute to healthy blood flow; ultimately meaning a healthier brain. Additionally, avocadoes lower blood pressure, which can facilitate the decline in cognitive abilities. Therefore lower blood pressure promotes a healthier brain.
Take Regular Exercise
Regular exercise encourages your brain to produce endorphins, which enable the brain to work at optimum capacity. It causes nerve cells to multiply, strengthening their interconnections and protecting them from any damage. Exercise causes nerve cells to release protein known as neurotrophic factors. Some of these chemicals directly promote neural health, and benefit cognitive functions; including learning. Furthermore, exercise increases blood flow to your brain, which helps decrease the onset of any neurological conditions. Exercise also energises mitochondria: tiny organelles which produce energy within the cells.
Listen to Music
This is the bit where looking after your brain becomes fun! The Mozart Effect suggests that listening to classical music can make you smarter. Prince Charles from England even used music to help his plants grow: believing so strongly in this concept. These days many of us listen to music during a workout, and as such increase our cognition. Since lyrical music also increases verbal fluency skills, it is often used as a way to help children learn.
Listening to music under monitored research conditions has also seen enhanced cognitive function, as cells interlink and interact. This improves mental focus among healthy adults, and can promote brain cell stimulation for those of us who are aging!
Challenge Your Mind
An easy way to stimulate your brain function is to keep on learning. Whether it’s Su-Doku on the train, learning a new language or the crossword on a Sunday, the size and structure of neurons and the way they make connections change as you learn. Essentially, anything that requires mastering something new can be considered learning, which means that travel, learning a new craft or even engaging in a new social activity is all fun stuff that helps to look after your brain and its cognition.
However, actually exercising the mind with mental aerobics is the optimum way to fight degenerative neurological conditions. Even the simple activities such as listing animals from A-Z or verbs starting with a P are activities which promote thinking. Some people enjoy playing board games, but the icing on the cake is that research has even shown that surfing the internet activates parts of the brain. Everything we do on the internet requires active decision-making and complex reasoning, so it is more beneficial than watching TV.