1. Eat Right
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| Tricks to Improve Your Memory |
For instance, curry, celery, broccoli, cauliflower,
and walnuts contain antioxidants and other compounds that protect your brain
health and may even stimulate the production of new brain cells.
Increasing your animal-based omega-3 fat
intake and reducing consumption of damaged omega-6 fats (think processed
vegetable oils) in order to balance your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, is also
important. I prefer krill oil to fish oil, as krill oil also contains astaxanthin,
which not only protects the omega-3 fats from oxidation but also appears to be
particularly beneficial for brain health.
Coconut oil is another healthful fat for brain
function. According to research
by Dr. Mary Newport, just over two tablespoons of coconut oil (about 35 ml
or 7 level teaspoons) would supply you with the equivalent of 20 grams of
medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), which is indicated as either a preventative
measure against degenerative neurological diseases, or as a treatment for an
already established case.
2. Exercise
Exercise encourages
your brain to work at optimum capacity by stimulating nerve cells to multiply,
strengthening their interconnections and protecting them from damage.
During exercise nerve cells release proteins known
as neurotrophic factors. One in particular, called brain-derived neurotrophic
factor (BDNF), triggers numerous other chemicals that promote neural health,
and directly benefits cognitive functions, including learning.
A 2010 study on primates published in Neuroscience also
revealed that regular exercise not only improved blood flow to the brain, but
also helped the monkeys learn new tasks twice as quickly as non-exercising
monkeys.
This is a benefit the researchers believe would hold
true for people as well. In a
separate one year-long study, individuals who engaged in exercise were actually
growing and expanding
the brain's memory center one to two percent per year, where typically that
center would have continued to decline in size.
To get the most out of your workouts, I recommend a
comprehensive program that includes high-intensity
interval exercise, strength training, stretching, and core work, along with
regular intermittent
movement.
3. Stop Multitasking