Our brains are just like our bodies, and to keep them performing to their peak, we need to give them the right nutrition and exercise. Our brains change naturally with age, and their performance potential changes at the same time. Losing mental function is a big fear for many of us, so you need to take the right steps to slow down that decline. Fortunately, there are some really easy methods for keeping your brain healthy and maximizing its potential.
To help everyone make the most of our most powerful tools, here are six handy ways you can boost your brain’s performance.
1. Stimulate Your Brain Regularly
The first thing you need to do to boost your brain’s performance is to give it enough mental stimulation. Scientific experiments on both mice and people have shown that doing activities that cause you to think logically stimulates nerve cell connections and may possibly even encourage new brain cell generation. This will provide you with a backup supply of brain cells which will fill any gaps formed when you lose cells as a result of aging.
There are various activities that you can try in order to stimulate your brain. Reading, learning a new language, playing sudoku, doing a crossword, or taking part in a pub quiz are all potential brain boosters. You can also try creative activities like art, writing, and playing music.
2. Take the Right Supplements
There are various supplements available that have various positive effects on brain activity and performance. Caffeine can help to increase focus and brain activity, 5HTP can increase serotonin levels in your brain to lift your mood, while the benefits of Genius Mushrooms include increased mental clarity as well as a strengthened immune system. Mushrooms are widely considered to be the original superfood and taking them in supplement form means you are able to reap all the brain-boosting benefits in one quick easy pill.
When you take supplements, like a brain boost gummy, for mental performance reasons, it is important to recognize that different supplements work in various ways. Caffeine will give you an immediate mental boost but supplements like Genius Mushrooms need to be taken regularly over a sustained period of time for you to see their effects.
3. Maintain a Healthy Body
Our minds and our bodies are totally connected and so having a healthy body will also help you to have a healthy mind. Research has found that wild animals that are always active hunting and foraging have significantly more of the blood vessels used to carry oxygen in the blood to the part of the brain where thoughts are produced than the same species of animals in captivity. Furthermore, exercise and physical activity help to stimulate the production of nerve cells and also strengthens the connections between synapses (brain cells).
The results of this are brains that are more adaptive, efficient, and generally perform better. Regular exercise will also help to keep your blood pressure down. High blood pressure increases the chances of you developing mental and cognitive issues in later life so it is very important that you make the right lifestyle choices and maintain a healthy body.
4. Eat the Right Foods
The right nutrition is just as important for your mind as it is for your body. Processed foods, and those that contain lots of fat, salt, and sugar, will cause increased cholesterol which can clog up your veins and prevent oxygenated blood from reaching your brain. You should try to avoid these foods both for this reason and because of the other damage they can do to your body. Stick to a diet of fresh, whole foods, with lots of fruits and vegetables, lean meat, fish, and healthy oils. There are some specific foods that are thought to be particularly effective at boosting brain performance. These include fatty fish, turmeric, blueberries, dark chocolate, broccoli, and nuts.
5. Cut Out Harmful Substances
As well as eating the right foods, you also need to be careful about what else you are putting in your body. There are a huge number of reasons to cut out harmful substances like tobacco, alcohol, and drugs, and your brain health is just one of them. These kinds of substances can do enormous damage to your brain cells as well as making it more difficult for blood and oxygen to reach your brain. Furthermore, drugs and alcohol can lead to chemical imbalances in your brain which can cause lasting damage and affect your long-term mental and cognitive health.
Even habitual marijuana use, which has now been legalized in various states in the U.S., can slow your brain function in the short term and increase your risk of developing mental health problems in the long term. You only get one brain so it is crucial that you treat it well and don’t poison it with harmful substances.
6. Research Your Family History
Some mental and cognitive conditions can be passed down genetically so it is important that you research your family history to see if you are predisposed to any. While you can’t transform your genetics, having this knowledge will enable you to be more cautious and to look out for any of the early signs of dementia or mental decline. Getting treatment early is always the best way to deal with any illness or condition so it will help you to maintain your brain’s peak performance for longer. Speak to your doctor about your family history so that they will be aware of your risk factors as early as possible.
Far too many of us ignore our brains when we think about our overall health but it is the single most important part of our bodies. It is crucial that you give your brain the right food, exercise, and stimulation to ensure it is always functioning at its peak capability. Make sure you look after your overall health and that you are in tune with the medical history of your family so that you can take the right steps as early as possible. Follow these six suggestions and you can help to boost your brain’s performance and ensure that you remain in good mental health for many years to come.
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