How To Boost Brain Power
Sometimes, having a poor memory can be so frustrating, and we seek ways to boost brain power as soon as possible.
Yes, we do forgot where we put things, or having trouble to remember the name of our favorite singer we are listening.
But don’t worry, you can still boost brain power and enhance your memory naturally.
You should know that genetics plays a great role in memory loss, especially in serious neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.
However, many researches have shown that diet and lifestyle changes can have a major impact on your memory too.
Here are 13 ways to improve your memory naturally and boost brain power as it once was.
1.Less Sugar
As you already know, eating too much added sugar has been linked to many health issues and chronic diseases. In some cases it may cause cognitive decline as well.
There’s a research showing that a sugar-loaded diet can lead to having a poor memory and reduced brain volume, particularly in the area of the brain that stores short-term memory.
Advise: Cutting back on sugar not only helps your memory, but also improves your overall health.
2.Fish oil Supplements
Fish oil is rich in the omega-3 fatty acids.
These fats are important for overall health and have been shown to lower the risk of heart disease, reduce inflammation, relieve stress and anxiety and slow mental decline.
Many studies have shown that consuming fish and fish oil supplements may improve memory, especially in older people.
There’s a study which observed 36 older adults with mild cognitive impairment, where it was found that short-term and working memory scores improved significantly after they took concentrated fish oil supplements for period of 1 year.
Advise: If you want to improve your memory, try consuming fish supplements but only by consultation with your doctor, and self-observe if you’ll have better cognitive capabilities than before.
3.Try Meditation
The best way to train your brain is to start practicing meditation. As it is for gaining full focus, it should – and will sharpen your mind, memory and boost brain power.
The practice of meditation may positively affect your health in so many ways.
It is very relaxing and soothing, and has been found to reduce stress and pain, lower blood pressure and even improve memory capacity.
As you age, gray matter declines, which negatively impacts memory and cognition. Meditation and relaxation techniques have been shown to improve short-term memory in people of all ages, starting from the 20’s – up to the elderly people.
4.Healthy Weight Maintenance
Maintaining a healthy body weight is essential for well-being and it is one of the best ways to keep your body and mind in top condition.
Several studies have established obesity as a risk factor for cognitive decline.
Being obese can actually cause changes to memory-associated genes in the brain, negatively affecting memory. Obesity can also lead to insulin resistance and inflammation, both of which can negatively impact the brain.
Obesity is also associated with a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive disease that destroys memory and cognitive function.
Therefore, keeping healthy weight is necessary if you want to preserve your mental health and boost brain power again.
5.Good Night Sleep
Lack of proper sleep has been associated with having poor memory.
Sleep plays an important role in memory consolidation, a process in which short-term memories are strengthened and transformed into long-lasting memories.
Research shows that if you are sleep deprived, you could be negatively impacting your memory.
Almost all health experts recommend to have a good sleep between 7 and 9 hours each night, for preserving an optimal health.
6.Less Alcohol
Consuming too many alcoholic beverages can be detrimental to your health in many ways, and can negatively impact your memory as well.
Binge drinking is a pattern of drinking that raises your blood alcohol levels to 0.08 grams per ml or above.
Studies have shown that it alters the brain and results in memory deficits, since alcohol exhibits neuro-toxic effects on the brain.
Repeated episodes of binge drinking can damage the hippocampus, a part of the brain that plays a vital role in memory.
Having a drink or two now and then is perfectly healthy and normal, but, try to avoid excessive alcohol intake if you want to protect your memory.
7.Training Your Brain
Exercising your cognitive skills by playing brain games is a fun and effective way to boost your memory and to boost brain power.
Working on crosswords, puzzles, word-recall games and even mobile apps dedicated to memory training, are excellent ways to strengthen your memory.
A study found that adults with mild cognitive impairment when playing games on a brain-training app for 8 hours over a four-week period, improved performance in memory tests.
Plus, brain-training games have been shown to help reduce the risk of dementia in older adults.
8.Less Refined Carbs
Consuming large amounts of refined carbohydrates like cakes, cereal, cookies, white rice and white bread may damage your memory.
These foods have a high glycemic index, meaning the body digests these carbohydrates quickly, leading to a spike in blood sugar levels.
A study demonstrated that adults who consumed ready-to-eat breakfast cereal daily, had poorer cognitive function than those who consumed cereal less frequently.
Try avoiding these carbs, and consume those which are dissolving slowly in your system, prolonging satiety feelings.
9.Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an important nutrient that plays many vital roles in the body.
Lower levels of vitamin D have been linked to many health issues, including a reduction in cognitive function by developing a greater risk of having dementia.
Vitamin-D deficiency is very common, especially in colder climates and in those with darker skin.
It is good to speak with your doctor about getting a blood test to find out if you need a vitamin D supplements.
10.Exercising More
Exercise is important for overall physical and mental health as you already know.
Research has established that it’s beneficial for the brain, and may help improve memory in people of all ages.
Many studies have shown that exercise may increase the secretion of neuro-protective proteins, and improve the growth and development of neurons, leading to improved brain health.
Regular exercise in midlife is also associated with a decreased risk of developing dementia later in life.
Boost brain power by exercising more!
11.More Antioxidant Foods
Consuming a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods may help improve your memory significantly.
Antioxidants (like fruits, vegetables and teas ), help lower inflammation in the body by reducing oxidative stress caused by free radicals.
A study found that those who ate more fruits and vegetables, had lower risks of cognitive decline and dementia compared to those who consumed less of these nutritious foods.
Berries are particularly high in antioxidants like flavonoids and anthocyanins, and consuming them – may be an excellent way to prevent memory loss whatsoever.
12.Don’t Avoid Curcumin
Curcumin is a compound found in high concentrations in turmeric root, and it’s one of a category of compounds called polyphenols.
It is a potent antioxidant and exerts powerful anti-inflammatory effects in the body.
Studies have found that curcumin reduces oxidative damage and inflammation in the brain and also lowers the quantity of amyloid plaques, which accumulate on neurons and cause cell and tissue death, leading to memory loss.
13.Add More Cocoa In Your Diet
Cocoa is not only delicious but also nutritious, providing a powerful dose of antioxidants called flavonoids. Research suggests flavonoids are particularly beneficial to the brain.
They may help stimulate the growth of blood vessels and neurons and increase blood flow in parts of the brain involved with memory.
To get the most benefit out of chocolate, choose dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 70% cacao or higher, which contains larger amounts of antioxidants(flavonoids).
5 Simple Tricks to Sharpen Thinking and Memory Skills
Using these memory-enhancing techniques can help improve your ability to learn new information and retain it over time.
Repeat
One of the golden rules of learning and memory is repeat, repeat, repeat.
The brain also responds to novelty, so repeating something in a different way or at a different time will make the most of the novelty effect and allow you to build stronger memories.
Examples of using repetition include:
- Taking notes
- Repeating a name after you hear it for the first time
- Repeating or paraphrasing what someone says to you
Organize
A day planner or smart phone calendar can help you keep track of appointments and activities and can also serve as a journal in which you write anything that you would like to remember.
Writing down and organizing information reinforces learning.
- Try jotting down conversations, thoughts, experiences.
- Review current and previous day’s entries at breakfast and dinner.
- If you use a planner and not a smart phone, keep it in the same spot at home and take it with you whenever you leave.
Visualize
Learning faces and names is a particularly hard task for most people.
In addition to repeating a person’s name, you can also associate the name with an image. Visualization strengthens the association you are making between the face and the name.
For example:
- Link the name Sandy with the image of a beach, and imagine Sandy on the beach.
Cue
When you are having difficulty recalling a particular word or fact, you can cue yourself by giving related details or “talking around” the word, name, or fact.
Other practical ways to cue include:
- Using alarms or a kitchen timer to remind you of tasks or appointments.
- Placing an object associated with the task you must do in a prominent place at home. For example, if you want to order tickets to a play, leave a newspaper ad for the play near your telephone or computer.
Group
When you’re trying to remember a long list of items, it can help to group the items in sets of three to five, just as you would to remember a phone number.
This strategy capitalizes on organization and building associations, and helps to extend the capacity of our short-term memory by chunking information together instead of trying to remember each piece of information independently.
For example:
- If you have a list of 15 things on your grocery list, you can group the items by category, such as dairy, produce, canned goods, and frozen foods.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com
Bottom Line
Exercising your mind and body, enjoying a quality piece of chocolate and reducing the amount of added sugar in your diet are excellent techniques to boost brain power.
For a change, try to add a few of these science-proved tips to your daily routine, if you want to boost your brain health and keep your memory in top condition for a longer period of time.
Do “brain workouts” and don’t forget the body ones too, as by combining them with proper food and practicing mindfulness, you will reach your goal – having a better memory.
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