Easy Ways to Brain Train & Reap the Health Benefits
Questions on fashion, food, and exercise, seem to pop up frequently for most of us. What are we going to wear? Where are we going for dinner? What new exercise works best for us? But now, another question seems to be surfacing more and more.
How fit is my brain, and how can I protect and improve it?
As Alzheimer’s takes more and more news space, and the devastating effects emerge more frequently, having a fit brain makes a lot more sense for optimal health. Like the heart, the brain is central to everything else in the body. Sometimes the health of our brains is treated a little like our posture; it never gets enough attention until something goes wrong. Too many of us get up every morning and assume our brains will be humming, serving as our control center. No problem.
But when we can’t find the keys, or keep forgetting people names, our brains can become annoying. Or when we simply can’t get that paperwork dialed in as smoothly as we want, we have to admit brain power is an energy source that cannot be ignored. We could be stessed out, exhausted, distracted, or overloaded, but whatever the cause it needs fixing.
So how do we keep our brains in the game?
Well for starters we need to eat well, sleep well and stay active. Real food, fresh fruits, vegetables, healthy oils, low fat dairy, lean meat, fish and whole grains provide premium fuel. Lots of uninterrupted rest lets the brain recharge, and walking, running or hitting the gym adds fresh shots of oxygen and subtracts stress.
Keep the people connection plugged in
We all need smiles, calls, little conversations and ongoing reinforcement from others. A quick call to a sympathetic friend can make all the difference when we feel out of sorts and unmotivated. But if we slip out of the social pool it is much easier to become depressed or attached to brain numbing drinking or drugs. I have seen this happen for the young and old. I have also seen a complete turnaround when friendships were revived or new ones bloomed. Great ideas, quick smiles, and helpless laughter came flowing back.
Keep the ideas coming
Learn to play a new instrument. Keep reading, writing, watching plays, going to museums or concerts, and looking for things that amuse you. I have friends that have recently become hooked on the game of Mahjong. They were always a bright, smart couple. But now they seem to be moving faster, laughing quicker. This is obviously the right thing at the right time for them.
Whatever makes your brain work, counts.