As we get older, our brain changes. And as our brain changes, so does our mental function. We may all have concerns about mental decline. But this is if we buy into the belief that we get weaker as we get older. The fact is that your brain is like a muscle. And all you need to do is train it in the right way...
Giving it the Right Supplements
Nootropics are a very popular supplement right now. While there are a wide variety of supplements that can help, such as resveratrol, as well as practices such as NAD brain restoration therapy which can boost your NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), an enzyme found in every cell in your body, it is important to remember it is only one piece of the puzzle.
The Importance of Mental Stimulation
Going back to the idea of your brain being a muscle. If you want to get smarter, on a physiological level, the answer is simple. You need to get more mental stimulation and develop neurological plasticity. You achieve this by doing things you find difficult. Mentally stimulating activities can be a part of your life, such as math problems or word puzzles. You can also experiment with things that force you to develop your manual dexterity, as this will engage different sides of your brain. For example, learning to play the drums is not just a way to look fantastic, but using each limb independently starts to improve your left and right brain working together.
Focus on Looking After Your Emotions
Cognitive function is not just about the ability to do well in math tests. It's also about recognizing if you are anxious or depressed. People who are sleep-deprived will score poorly on cognitive function tests. And while this is not a key indicator of someone being at risk of cognitive decline, the lesson is simple. If you start to look after your emotions and treat your brain in a healthy manner, you will reap the benefits.
Improving Your Nutrition
It is vital that you feed your brain in the right way. There are many schools of thought as to the best approaches. Once upon a time, a diet low in fact was considered to be the best approach, but now it has since been debunked. Diets that are rich in fatty foods, such as olive oil, as well as protein, can help your mind. The brain is almost 60% fat, and this means that if you want to improve your brain, you've got to provide saturated and unsaturated fats, as these will improve the structure and fluidity of the brain cells.
Exercising
Exercising your muscles will also help your mind. This is for the very simple reason that exercising will increase the number of oxygen-rich blood cells flowing to the brain. Exercise will also stimulate the development of new nerve cells, which will also increase the connections between the brain cells. Therefore, you can make your brain become more adaptive.
Improving your brain function is not just about one approach, but it's about making sure that you treat it as well as possible by looking after your body. The mind is your greatest muscle, look after it.
