There’s strong evidence which supports that stress and anxiety are the leading contributors for the human brain to age a lot more rapidly than it should.
Then include the lack of physical exercise, a poor diet deficient in nutrients, inadequate sleep, and exposure to unwanted toxins, all contributes to creating a natural superstorm of a decline in mental functionality.
There are a few steps however that you can take to keep the brain as active, alert, healthy, and strong as possible.
Physically exerting the body with exercise appears to contribute the most when it comes to the development of a strong fit aging mind. The reason being that it’s estimated that close to 20% percent of the blood which flows from the heart, goes directly to the brain. So what a dedicated and consistent exercise program does is it increases the health of the heart which fuels the brain.
Doing so insures that the brain gets adequate oxygen and the proper nutrients that it needs. So by performing exercises which increases your cardiovascular health, such as: aerobics, jogging, biking, brisk walking, or yoga, are all effective.
Taking The Essential Nutritional Supplements
Even the best of the diets out there are not able to provide the brain with the proper amounts of nutrients and vitamins which it needs. That’s the reason why it’s necessary to include natural dietary supplements, which includes, vitamins, proteins, and healthy fats. The B vitamins are especially required to maintain the proper levels of nutrients in the body, such as folate at its optimum range.
Another essential nutrient is citicoline, which focuses specifically on the better functioning of the nerve cells. The problem is that we’re not able to get enough of this particular nutrient from just the foods that we eat.
There was a recent study of middle aged individuals who were administered the recommended doses of the citicoline supplement, they all experienced significant improvement when it came to their recall, attention, and focus.
Eat As Well As Possible
Our brains are the biggest consumer when it comes to our bodies resources. So as a result, the foods that we eat has a significant impact on the brain’s ability to be able to function at its peak levels.
Once you eat poor unhealthy foods, your memory doesn’t function as well, as your focus and attention span begins to deteriorate. So instead, choose diets which contain a lot of fresh fish, fruits and vegetables, and fats such as cold pressed extra virgin olive oil.
These groups of “superfoods” are all excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, monounsaturated fatty acids, and the B vitamins, which helps both the brain and the heart.
Sugar, sweets, and processed foods on the other hand are not able to provide the required nutrients, especially the much needed B vitamins. The lack of nutrients such as folate, niacin, thiamin, vitamins B6, and vitamin B12 has all been implicated when it comes to improving mental health issues.
Getting Rid Of Stress
The increase of stress and anxiety in our lives is due to our fast paced society, the demands at work, and our household and family commitments, which pushes us to the brink of our wits.
We’re forced to become the ultimate experts in multitasking, in a world where technology is supposed to ease our lives, but instead puts a big toll on our brains.
What all of this constant and continuous pounding of stress does is it directly effects how our heart functions, weakening our immune system, and our overall mental well-being.
So the more that we’re able to reduce our tension levels, the more efficient that our brain gets, and are able to process information quicker while remaining in balance.
So dedicate some quiet time in your day for yourself. Meditation, or taking yoga classes are both excellent ways to relax and shut out the outside distractions. Physical fitness is able to redirect any unwanted negative energy into a more positive outcome.
Avoiding All The Unwanted Toxins
Remember that magazine ad of that egg frying in a pan. “This is your brain on drugs.” Well, that’s pretty much true, but the “drugs” however are all of the different toxins that we ingest.
These harmful toxins include: alcohol, pesticides, chemicals, cigarette smoke, and smog, all which can significantly impact our brain’s ability to be able to function at its intended peak.
But obviously, it’s impossible to rid of all the toxins in the environment, but attempting to do so can ensure longer more productive brain function, resulting in better memory recall.
Make Sure That You Challenge Your Brain
Like any other muscle in the body, your brain needs to be fed and kept active with stimulation. It can benefit immensely from daily physical exercise, as well as mental challenges such as crossword puzzles to keep it sharp.
So if you apply activities which requires any degree of thinking, deep thought, or prolonged concentration, is ideal. Challenge your mind by doing difficult memory probing games online, or by playing traditional “thinking” board games.
There are an abundance of methods to stimulate the mind and it’s billions of neuron cells which reside in your brain, all which needs constant attention and activity.