Brain Fitness

The human brain is composed of over 100 billion cells, creating a network of 100 trillion connections, and over 400 miles of blood vessels. This remarkable and elaborate communication system controls, coordinates, and regulates all the physical and mental activities you perform each day. Every action you engage in, every step you take, every gesture, every breath, every thought, every word you speak and write, the decisions you make, and the memories you store and retrieve require the direction, orchestration, and responsiveness of your miraculous brain.

Brain cells communicate by releasing chemicals allowing an impulse to pass from one cell to another. What you think about and the imagery you entertain directly affect the chemistry of the brain. The food you eat, like the thoughts you engage in, either support the healthy functioning of the brain or deprive it and starve it of the nutrients it needs. When you see and appreciate things of beauty your brain releases chemicals that support the good feelings associated with what you see. The memories and the future imagery you entertain immediately impact the neurotransmitters the brain releases.

Every day new research is coming forth from major medical universities and research centers revealing that lifestyle is the key to protecting your brain and caring for it as you age. By leading a healthy lifestyle, you can significantly increase your chances of slowing down the physiological changes that occur as you age.

The health of your brain depends on many lifestyle factors such as regular exercise, maintaining a healthy diet, incorporating mentally stimulating activities into your day, sleeping soundly, leading a satisfying social life, learning to effectively deal with stress, limiting TV time, maintaining a healthy weight, and drinking plenty of water. Another interesting component of brain health is to alter your daily routine by doing things differently. Try using your non dominant hand more often and taking a class on a totally different subject.

More than ever we need to be cognizant of the toxins in the food we eat, the toxins in the cigarettes we smoke, and the devastating effect of too much alcohol. We need to make a concerted effort to cut way back on the amount of refined sugar we ingest every day. The average American consumes over 150 pounds of sugar a year in a variety of forms, including high fructose corn syrup, aspartame, processed food, fast food, and starchy carbohydrates that lead to inflammation.

Begin thinking in terms of brain fitness and ask yourself, “What are the things I can do each day to assist this precious brain of mine to function at an optimal level? Am I exercising and moving enough? Am I maintaining a healthy diet? Am I managing my weight? Am I sleeping soundly? Am I spending time with people socially who I enjoy being with? Am I laughing and playing often and doing fun things? Am I effectively handling stress? Am I participating in mentally stimulating activities? Am I taking time each day to relax?”

Take the time to make the health of your brain a priority. What do you have to lose?