The Brain Series : Easy Tips for Improving Your Brain Function
Last week, we uncovered how your body systems are interconnnected and that your brain relates to the kidneys, heart and other organs. In case your missed it check out last week’s blog.
This week, we want to make it super easy for you to be healthy and balanced. Here are 6 easy ways to improve your brain function right now!
1. Drink plenty of water: Stay hydrated! When dehydrated, the brain shrinks in volume. This shrinking is what causes a dehydration headache. Even mild or temporary dehydration can impact mood. Water should be the drink of choice, nothing compares to it. Effects of dehydration can be reversed in 20 minutes!
2. Eat Walnuts: Your brain does NOT want to be skinny, feed it essential omega 3 Fats with Walnuts - the body can then go on to convert it to EPA and DHA, which helps with maintaining plasticity and the stabilization of nerve cell membranes.
3. Stay Still: Mediation, Yoga, Qi Gong or Tai Qi all have been shown to do SO MANY things associated with the promotion of relaxation and decreasing anxiety. Low stress on the body equals a more focused and sharp mind and keeps you out of Fight or Flight mode which, if chronic, can damage the brain’s DNA.
4. Keep Moving: In a study done at the University of British Columbia, researchers found that intense exercise, that increases your heart rate and makes you sweat, increases the size of the hippocampus, the brain area involved in verbal memory and learning.
5. Stay away from tobacco, drugs, and too much alcohol and overeating: Come in for Nutritional counseling, Acupuncture and/or Herbal medicine if you need help with combatting addictive behavior. Tobacco, drug abuse and alcohol can wreak havoc on the brain. Fasting 12 hours/day is part of the famous “Bredesen” protocol used to decrease dementia.
6. Create Face to Face connections over Face Book connections: “The Blue Zones” research shows that people living long, healthful lives point to having good social connections with family and friends as the most important indicator of overall health. This type of connection greatly supports brain health.
Join us next week for the breakdown on various herbs you can use for each system to create more overall vitality. Remember, one size does not fit all so please consult your practitioner or Doctor.