Brain Pump: Keeping Your Mind in Shape
A lot of us are concerned with the size of our biceps or the girth of our waist. And we should be because having a fit body is important. Not only is it a great predictor of our health as we age, but obesity is also a leading risk in almost all major chronic illnesses in our present. However, keeping your mind in shape is also critical to enjoying your life at the highest level. Give your brain the attention it deserves by adopting some of these brain-healthy behaviors!
Exercise regularly. Roughly 30% of your brain’s volume is composed of blood vessels. It’s important to keep your blood moving! Exercise will get your blood flowing and help to control your blood sugar. High blood sugar is harmful to blood vessels. That’s why so many diabetics die of heart disease or stroke at a relatively young age.
Read each day. Reading requires a lot from your brain. It’s not easy to transform symbols into words and meaning. Spend some time each day with a book that makes you think. You might learn something useful, too. Also, avoid reading the same types of books on a regular basis. Read well-written articles. Read the classics. Try a new science fiction novel. How about a book on theoretical physics? Reading the sports page every day doesn’t count. The same goes for romance novels by your favorite author. Mix it up.
Eat well. A healthy diet will help preserve your brain function. Do a little research on the best diet for longevity and attempt to make a few changes to your eating habits. A few, small changes each month will go a long way toward keeping your brain healthy. Brain healthy foods like leafy greens and fatty fish (like salmon) are key. Not sure where to start? Start by looking at the Mediterranean Diet, one of the best researched styles of eating to date.
Meditate. Meditation and prayer are powerful for several reasons. You’ll learn to focus and you’ll learn how to relax. Both are wonderful for your brain. Meditation is hard work. It’s like a decathlon for your mind.
Challenge yourself. Learn something new. Learning to paint, speak a new language, or dance lessons are a few great examples. Learning something new forces your brain to create new neural pathways. Your brain’s ability to change is referred to as its “elasticity.” This can be very challenging at first. If you’ve been living the same daily rhythm repeatedly for several years, learning something new is similar to going jogging for the first time. It’s painful, and you don’t get too far. Be patient and give your brain a chance to wake up.
Do something that requires a lot of brainpower. It might be solving cryptograms or writing a computer program. Take a multivariate calculus class. Study chess. Push your brain to the maximum.
Remember the past. As we grow older, it’s more challenging to remember facts from the past. When you can’t remember something, avoid giving up. Take all the time you need to remember. You might finally remember the name of your high-school English teacher while you’re mowing the grass. Keep at it. Take it a step farther and write down your memories. Not only will it benefit your brain, but it will also benefit those who follow in your footsteps.
Get out and socialize. Spending too much time alone has been shown to increase the likelihood of developing dementia. Have an active social life and spend more time with others. You’ll enjoy your life more, too.
There are many benefits to keeping your mind in tip-top condition. You’ll enjoy better mental health and preserve your mental faculties longer. Keeping your mind healthy requires attention. Challenge yourself to learn new information and skills. Your brain is highly elastic. Give it a chance to use that ability.
