Brain Power Sharpeners

Windy Suzuki (Professor of Neural Science at New York University), 55, did research on the brain and found out that you can grow a bigger and happier brain with meditation and exercise. This neuroplasticity of new brain cells sprouting new connections and new blood vessels feeding more oxygen (fuel) to neurons could be done with food, exercise, focus, sleep care, games, and meditation at any age from childhood to even the elderly. Using advanced brain imaging techniques, researchers found out how wonders are done with the above six factors in improving memory, thinking skills, creativity, and reducing the risk of dementia. Avoid brain toxic agents like reduction in sleep hours, lack of activity, and multitasks. Nutritional Supplements and electrical stimulation of brain training programs are hardly of any help.

Simple techniques to build a better brain.

Food 

Eating the right food and skipping the wrongs increases memory and thinking skills.

• Right Food: Fruits, plant-based diets – Green leafy vegetables – Salad – Spinach, Grilled fish, Carrot, kale, or Collards
• Wrong Food: Fried food – Potato chips – burgers – soft drinks – red meat and sausage

Exercise

Activeness / Move improves the birth and growth of new brain cells increasing memory and alertness. A daily walk of 7500+ steps is a minimum. Doing housework like shopping, gardening, and walking the dog are worth trying. Sedentary life reduces memory.

Sleep

It is the watchman cleaning the brain at night and washing away toxins of overthinking. VIII (eight) hours of sleep is a must. Try to stick to eight hours. Regular sleep schedule with sleep quality. Sleep deprivation leads to a decrease in mental focus, recall, and reaction time. They do not forgive each other. Make eight hours regular sleep schedule.

Activeness

Don’t do things you don’t like. Pick something you love. Keep learning about it and doing it. People who keep their minds active have slower declines in memory and thinking.

Playing old-fashioned games like cards, bingo, and chess several times a week, sharpen memory skills and thinking.

Arts and crafts such as sewing, woodworking, and painting improve brain power.

Focus

Focus counts too. Allow yourself to focus on just one thing and go deep. Multitasking and switching your attention from one thing to another disrupts your memory.

Meditation and Countdown

Do yoga daily – sit still, breathe deeply, and do Hatha Yoga – Shavasan & Pranayam.

Yes, the brain can be built to be stronger without dementia at any age.

Ref. Article: Build a better brain – by Sari Harrar (Reader’s Digest) 

Dr. Bharat Desai, Bilimora 

07-Dec-2022