You’re feeling forgetful. You missed your friend’s birthday party last week, and now you can’t find your car keys to save your life. Is there something wrong with you or are you simply getting old?
Chances are, the answer is neither. As we live increasingly fast-paced lives, it becomes more and more important to do proactive things to guard our brains. So, if the doctor has already given you a clean bill of health, maybe it’s time to figure out some lifestyle changes that will improve your brain function so that you can live a better life.
1. Try a diet that’s more brain-friendly. The Mediterranean Diet has been proven time and again to not only help you to retain your brain function as you age but will improve your brain function when continued over time. Why does it work? Because the Mediterranean Diet is rich in the right kinds of foods that contain healthy fats and antioxidants. They cut out all those foods that inhibit brain function such as processed foods, sugars, and dairy.
2. Learn a new language. While at first glance this might seem to be a good idea because it acts as a brain teaser to stimulate your brain in new ways, there’s a lot more going on than that. Several studies have proven that learning a language forges new neural pathways, increases brain elasticity, and helps you to process new information more quickly. A further study from the University of Edinburgh has shown that being able to speak more than one language slows down the kind of loss in brain function that’s associated with growing older.
3. Take up music. Like learning languages, learning how to play a musical instrument acts in many of the same ways on your brain. But there’s also some added benefit in better skills related to hearing and listening. The biggest benefit though comes from connecting the physical act of playing music with the hearing and appreciation of music and the connectivity between different parts of the brain that results from that action.
4. Consider exercise. We’re not talking about physical exercise here (though that’s always beneficial) but the kind that comes of challenging your brain to remember things. The idea is simple: by practicing remembering things, you find that you’re able to remember more and more in proportion to the amount of practice you put in.
While some of these changes seem drastic, the benefits are huge. Learning new things and practicing your memory skills can only be seen as beneficial. And wouldn’t you want to eat in the way that gives your brain the most optimal environment for growth? Commit to change, and you’ll soon see the positive benefits that come of working to improve your brain function.
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