Thursday, August 27, 2009

Boost your brain power

Seven Steps to Thinking Better: Your Brain Power Boost

Most people, especially those who are not as intelligent as Einstein, would want to have a boost of their brain power. If you are one of those people who want to think better, your brain power boost might be just a few steps away.

These seven steps might help you in your quest to keep your brain working perfectly fine.

1. Engage yourself in a Regular Exercise

Do simple exercises like a simple walk or jog. It may not be as intense as a full-blown work-out. You just have to keep your body physically fit and active.

Simple work-outs may trigger the release of neurochemicals known as endorphins. These chemicals are responsible for making us feel happy and by feeling happier, a more positive effect on the brain can be observed.

2. Supplement your Diet

Natural supplements are believed to have a good effect on the brain. These supplements not only keep your body healthier, they also maintain the fitness of your brain; thus resulting to better brain power! These supplements are so popular that they can be found anywhere, from your local health and food store up to the web pages of the internet.

3. Use your Brain

If you are to exercise your body, you should exercise your brain as well. Use your brain muscles more often – think and learn. You may read, talk with other people or even play educational games. Any activity that can keep your brain working effectively may be tried out.

4. Play Games

Choose games that will definitely have a good effect on your brain. Refrain from playing games which are “no-brainer.” Nowadays, most computer games are designed to exercise your brain, so all you have to do is to choose well the games that you will play. Gaming consoles are also following the fad into increasing brain function. So, do your part in boosting your brain power, play games that will increase your brain power.

5. Enjoy an Educational Hobby

Choose a hobby that will give you some lessons at the end of the activity. This will not be such a difficult task since most of the time, we learn something from our experiences. Just be sure to do things that are not monotonous. Your hobby should be something that will help you learn new things every time you perform it. This way, you will be able to use some parts of your brain which are left unused before.

6. Sleep Well

Sleeping is the time when your body rebuilds and recharges itself. Most professionals believe that you should sleep for at least six to eight hours a day. Aside from these hours, you should also try to take ten-minute power naps. After these refreshing sleeps and naps, you will surely feel energized to take on more activities for the day. Do not deprive yourself of sleep, and you will then realize that your brain will function better with more hours of sleep.

7. Relax

Because of the complexities of our society today, your brain is exhausted just as much as your body. Thus, you should take the time to relax and cleanse your mind of the worries and stresses that might overwhelm your thoughts. You may want to try on spas or meditations to give your mind a break from all the hassle. After the relaxation, you will feel that you are prepared to take on another complex day! This is how you make better your brain’s health and performance.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Laugh your way to better Health

"LOL" may be one of the most common phrases in text messaging lingo these days, but when was the last time you really laughed out loud? According to the Boston Globe, a growing number of people are doing just that, in something called Laughter Yoga Clubs.

For example: Members may be asked to pretend they're skating on slick ice, dunking a basketball, or catching a fly ball. Another exercise has everyone line up with their hands in the air.

What's the point of all this laughing? It's about getting healthy.

So far, there are more than 6,000 of these so-called "giggle gatherings" meeting around the world.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Here's some tips for weight loss and turning back the hands of time.

Piling your plate with fruits and vegetables is a no-brainer when it comes to weight loss -- they're low in calories, high in nutrients, and filling -- but the latest studies show that certain ones can provide surprising anti-aging benefits.

There's buzz about blueberries, for instance, for their memory-boosting potential. But berries of all hues are antioxidant-rich, reports Navindra P. Seeram, Ph.D., assistant professor at the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy in Kingston.

To keep your vision sharp, set your sights on spinach and other dark leafy greens.

This key dietary component becomes even more critical starting in the 40s, when muscle mass begins to decline by up to 1 percent a year.

To hang on to your metabolism-boosting muscle -- and keep you feeling full after meals (another protein plus) -- experts recommend eating plenty of skinless chicken and turkey breast, lean beef and pork, eggs, beans, and seafood. And don't forget protein-rich dairy: Minerals (primarily calcium, phosphorus, and potassium) in fat-free milk and yogurt as well as low-fat cheeses help to keep blood pressure healthy, pudge in check, and bones strong.

Another reason to spoon up some yogurt: Eating at least 1/4 cup every day led to a 60 percent lower risk of gum disease and a 50 percent lower risk of tooth loss in a Japanese study published in the Journal of Periodontology.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

FLAX seed is a most important super food — actually one of the very best foods you can eat.

Flax seed and its oil provide multiple health benefits. Flax can prevent or contribute to improvement in many of the health problems that bother millions of people. These include: stress, depression, high cholesterol, cardiovascular problems, diabetes, cancer, constipation, irritable bowel, arthritis and much more.

The best way to use flax is to consume milled organic flax seed.