Better memory, better life (Part 2)

The brain boosters that I listed in my previous blog are easy to follow and ensure that you stay mentally active throughout your life.

Naturally, if you are really interested, you should do more of your own research and find out as much as possible about brain and its functioning.


Here are a few of the changes that most doctors prescribe for mental fitness:


Photo Courtesy Mike "Dakinewavamo n" Kline
Learn something new to stimulate mind - As long as we keep learning, we keep growing. I was very happy when I received my Bachelor's as I was convinced that this was the end of exams, course books and brain taxing sessions! Now I could live a peaceful and relaxed life with no mental tensions.

Little did I know that such an attitude was disastrous to my brain's health. Education should not end with a degree, it must continue as a life long process. So, a new language, new skill, new subject, new sport, new book - in fact anything that offers novelty to the mind is going to help you and your brain get better.

Interact socially to improve brain's inter cellular communication - No man is an island and if he tries to become one, he is certainly leading himself to a life of misery and deterioration. Since relationships are some of the most complex aspects of our lives, maintaining even a few ensures that we jog our brain very hard. The nuances of social interactions, dealings with (often) unfriendly people, altercations with partner and many more of the twists and turns that we face while interacting with others make us smarter.

If you have trouble finding friends, you could try volunteering or joining clubs or traveling, all of which will force you to become more interactive and socially active.

Try mental exercises (like puzzles, crosswords) to dust mental cobwebs - Many researches have emphasized the importance of Mathematics in keeping our brain in top form. If you are not into numbers, exert your brain by trying out new puzzles, crossword, scrabble and scores of such games that force mind to think creatively. Not only will you spend time doing something more useful than watching an inane program on the idiot box but will also improve your thinking abilities.

Exercise the body to preserve your mind - Since exercise improves blood circulation throughout the body, it definitely increases the blood flow to the brain too. This means that exercise makes our brain more active. Moreover, it keeps you from diabetes, high blood pressure and many other diseases that could quicken cognitive decline. In fact, I have noticed that I get most of my best ideas after an energetic workout!

Eat healthful food to prevent cognitive decline - In India there is a general belief that people who eat a lot of fish tend to have the brightest minds. (Case in point: People from Bengal are considered intelligentsias and most of them eat fish daily! ) While I am a fish lover anyway, after I read the latest research eulogizing the umpteenth benefits of mind foods, I have taken to them with renewed enthusiasm .

So salmon, sardines, tuna, green leafy vegetables, blueberries, legumes, nuts, yogurts have become bigger priorities than ice creams, burgers and fries. And if you have trouble forcing all these foods in big enough portions, consider taking supplemental pills like fish oil pills which are touted to fulfill all omega 3 fat requirements.

Reduce stress to increase brain longevity - This cannot be emphasized enough, according to every doctor I have ever met or read (and with a family of doctors, the number I have talked to is high). No matter what your profession or daily schedule, being light hearted will keep you mentally strong.

You could use meditation to reduce stress hormones. Or you could turn into your own stand up comedian. Making happiness your best friend can make your memory a life long companion too. Another great reason to be happy, isn't it!

Better memory, better life (Part1)

Alzheimer's is one of the most dreaded diseases of all, for me at least. While other conditions that make one physically weak or bed ridden are equally bothersome, what sends innumerable chills down my spine is the fear of losing memory.

In the past, I would consider my inability to remember names or phone numbers, an amusing personality trait. Not any more though. After watching my grandfather succumb to Alzheimer's disease, I have developed a very healthy respect for brain and memory.

I realize that letting my memory slip can be disastrous in the long run and not remembering simple things is definitely not funny. Overlooking minor memory lapses means that I am courting a lifetime of more memory slips and lesser brain activity. By neglecting to exercise my brain enough, I am actually helping it transform into an empty box.

Photo Courtesy Violator3
While there are people born with photographic memory, I am certainly not one of them. In fact, I am sure I have a particularly low number of brain cells and am genetically disposed to using even lesser of those :(

Hence, it is up to my will power to make a difference to my brain if I intend to avoid its total decay. Doctors have found that it is not given that memory decline with age. There are several ways to keep our brain sharp throughout our lives and, perhaps, avoid mentally weakening conditions like dementia. What truly amazed me is the finding that you can actually increase the number of brain cells if you spend time exercising them. This totally reverses the traditional suggestion that our brain deteriorates with age.
Age, at least in this case, is totally in the state of mind!

There are many methods proposed to give our brain the much needed boost. While, unfortunately, there is no way to predict that these methods will keep one from developing mental illnesses like Alzheimer's, what they can certainly do is give us a head start in training our brain to be smarter and sharper.

Here is a list of brain tonics that promise to keep us mentally agile. The description of each comes in the next blog.

1. Learn something new to stimulate mind
   
2. Interact socially to improve brain's inter cellular communication
   
3. Try mental exercises (like puzzles, crosswords) to dust mental cobwebs
   
4. Exercise the body to preserve your mind
   
5. Eat healthful food to prevent cognitive decline
6. Reduce stress to increase brain longevity