Let’s Acquire The Memory Of An Elephant By Eating Right

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It is true that what we could do and achieve back when we were in our 30s and 40s, may not be possible as we age. One of the ways for our body to indicate age is through the test of mind and memory.

An old dog can not be taught new tricks, says an old adage. However, when we talk of the human brain, and the memory it holds, research says otherwise.

Infact, it is known that the human brain can change and adapt at any age, only upon allowing it. Old age does not need to be a curse. You can enhance the concept of neuroplasticity in more ways than one. All you need is motivation. And motivation needs stimulation. This would help the brain form new neural paths and alter what exists. In turn, the brain at any age would thus adapt and change.

The human brain has the ability to reshape itself. And this is so true, especially when it comes to memory enhancement and learning something new. Through neuroplasticity, your cognitive skills and abilities can be enchanced. This means, while you intake newer information, your memory can be improved as well, irrespective of your age.

Follow these tips

• Your brain needs mental aerobics on a daily basis

• Physical exercises everyday for half an hour at least are a must

• Enough sleep is a must each night

• You must take time out to socialise with near and dear ones

• Balance the stress levels you face everyday

• Your diet is important, which is why we are going to talk at length about What to eat to increase memory power below

We shall also talk about other ways to keep the memory fit and well-exercised.

Foods that can help

It is a fact and a very unfortunate one to know that even in the new age, cognitive functioning and managing the same is not entirely in our hands. One has to understand that doctors would not put down a lot of diagnosis related to memory on paper and close cases. Not until they are convinced with research and back ups for the same. The main aim thus would be to know more about brain foods which enhance memory and other areas related to the activity of the brain too.

Focus on your food choices from today, and this would bring in the best memory and brain health, vitality and brain functionality too. Please find below the list of brain foods which are proven by researchers and scientists to keep your memory and brain healthy and strong.

We start with olive oil!

We love olive oil in our salads, to cook foods with and to even use it as a topical beauty agent too, but did we know, olive oil is potential as an agent to help with memory too. This is because it has powerful brain protective antioxidants and the oil is very rich in polyphenols too.

Coconut oil too can help

Another brain food to talk about would be coconut oil. Coconut oil helps enhance the workings of the neurons in the brain, and helps diminish the onslaught of free radicals too. Coconut oil is known to help bring in the much needed saturated fats into the body. Saturated fats are vital nutrients that help with brain functioning and the integrity of the brain membranes; thus enhancing memory power.

Chomp on fish

Fish has omega 3s in it, or omega 3 oil DHA in it. It is thus a very powerful source and plays a very important role in keeping the brain cells healthy. In addition to that, the brain cells are maintained well and are actually stimulated to grow. This helps with the improvement of memory too.

Pack up and have those berries

Assorted berries are the yummiest picks when it comes to talking about memory booster foods. They are a superhouse of brain protecting antioxidants and help bring down inflammation to a very large extent. Hence when you have berries, all memory problems are shooed away.

A pinch of turmeric in foods and drinks

Did you know, turmeric actually is a switch that turns on many parts of the DNA in us that brings down inflammation. Inflammation of the DNA in the brain can actually cause cognitive imbalance, says many studies. Even in the good old vedic texts, the role of turmeric has a mention in curing brain health and increasing memory too.

Have your eggs

If you are having a wholesome breakfast, it is important for you to have an egg a day. This is because eggs are rich agents of a substance called choline. Choline is the ‘precursor chemical for acetylcholine’- a very important neurotransmitter. Moreover, there is also cholesterol in eggs, which helps as a potential agent in managing the cell membranes of brain cells and also serving as a protector of antioxidants that further protects the memory and brain power.

Korean kimchi

Better learn up on how to prepare korean fermented dishes such as kimchi, which would be great to have, because it is filled with probiotic bacteria. Probiotic bacteria helps with brain and memory health promotion in the long run. Experts from NCBI opine “Kimchi is a traditional Korean food manufactured by fermenting vegetables with probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Many bacteria are involved in the fermentation of kimchi, but LAB become dominant while the putrefactive bacteria are suppressed during salting of baechu cabbage and the fermentation. The addition of other subingredients and formation of fermentation byproducts of LAB promote the fermentation process of LAB to eventually lead to eradication of putrefactive- and pathogenic bacteria, and also increase the functionalities of kimchi. Accordingly, kimchi can be considered a vegetable probiotic food that contributes health benefits in a similar manner as yogurt as a dairy probiotic food. Further, the major ingredients of kimchi are cruciferous vegetables; and other healthy functional foods such as garlic, ginger, red pepper powder, and so on are added to kimchi as subingredients. As all of these ingredients undergo fermentation by LAB, kimchi is regarded as a source of LAB; and the fermentative byproducts from the functional ingredients significantly boost its functionality. Because kimchi is both tasty and highly functional, it is typically served with steamed rice at every Korean meal. Health functionality of kimchi, based upon our research and that of other, includes anticancer, antiobesity, anticonstipation, colorectal health promotion, probiotic properties, cholesterol reduction, fibrolytic effect, antioxidative and antiaging properties, brain health promotion, immune promotion, and skin health promotion. In this review we describe the method of kimchi manufacture, fermentation, health functionalities of kimchi and the probiotic properties of its LAB.”

Build memory with broccoli

With a large amount of a chemical that helps detox the brain, sulphurophane helps reduce the amounts of inflammation in the brain and stops the onslaught of free radicals too. This is why, a little broccoli a day does help a long way in memory enhancement and brain power.

Have avocados

Healthy fats of the monosaturated kinds is what you would find in this fruit, and it also helps in brain and memory power too. Avocado has fats that protect your brain cells and helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels too.

Fancy a glass of red wine?

Who would not love the idea of a glass of red wine after dinner each night. When drunk in moderation, red wine brings into the body plenty of rich polyphenols and antioxidants that help boost circulation in the brain and plenty of oxygen flow too. The same is with dark chocolate as well. So a bite of dark chocolate and a sip of red wine- perfect combination or brain nutrition, isnt it on this list of brain foods?

Let’s include spinach

Amongst the many leafy greens, spinach is loaded with protective antioxidants and vitamin K, lutein and folate too. This is why, one should have it in raw form or cooked, but do have it to protect the brain and memory power.

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A handful of almonds

Almonds are a delicious snacking option, and just like oily fish can bring in a lot of omega 3s into the body and fatty acids too. This helps bring down brain inflammation, protects the cognitive abilities of the brain and also has vitamin E which enhances the memory power of the brain as well.

Do include pumpkin seeds too

Amongst the main foods for brain nutrition and power foods for the brain, we also would talk about pumpkin seeds, which brings to the brain plenty of zinc. Zinc is a mineral that plays very important roles in memory development and the overall functioning of the brain as well.

Green Tea Is Great For Brain Health

Gut bacteria is important for the body, and it helps make serotonin as well, which is the happy hormone in our body. Apart from dopamine, which is also known as the pleasure hormone, we need more serotonin in the body too. This is found in green tea along with GABA which is also a hormone producing compound that keeps the brain happy. And since green tea has plenty of antioxidants in it, it brings down the onslaught of free radicals, heart diseases, brain inflammation and insulin resistance in the body too. The increase of L-Theanine (an amino acid that helps boost the production of GABA, dopamine and serotonin) helps keep the brain protected.

Brahmi Is Helpful For The Brain Too

A very important herb mentioned in ayurvedic texts, brahmi is a medicine for the brain or a powerful brain tonic, which helps with the improvement of brain circulation and enhancing memories- long and short term, too. Brahmi is also known to be a herb that adapts the brain to change, and cope with stress better.

Gingko is a brain herb

Gingko is a brain herb which we all know very well about, and it is also a known fact that the brain herb can help with brain functioning too. It has the ability to enhance the memory of an individual and also helps dilate blood vessels and make the blood circulation better by reducing the stickiness of the blood as well. In addition to that, gingko can help increase brain cell activity and also make the nerve signal transmission strong too.

Try Rosemary

If you garnish your salads and meats with rosemary twigs, you are on the way to have a powerful brain. This is because of the essential oils in rosemary which can help boost mental performance. You can also sniff the oil if you want, and it would help bring down anxiety and cortisol levels in the body. Getting massages too with rosemary oil, mixed with creams can help. You can also use a diffuser to spread the aroma of rosemary oil at home or at work, and it will help with brain and memory enhancement too.

Talking About l-Tyrosine

L-tyrosine is also an amino acid, which helps create the happy hormone in our brain- dopamine. The dopamine factor also is needed for memory and mental alertness too, and is found in many foods to increase memory power and concentration, which are protein rich. You will find it in fish and chicken, turkey and cheese, pumpkin seeds and yogurt too.

Foods Rich In Tryptophan

Most of the serotonin is found in the gut. Tryptophan is the precursor of serotonin which does not limit itself to the barriers created by the brain. This is why, it is a very important source of essential amino acids, which we can obtain from our diets. Some of the food to increase memory power and concentration with it are beet and cheese, chickpeas and seeds, poultry and fish too.

So now that you have an exhaustive list of brain foods, let’s move on to the natural ways to boost brain and memory power.

Gut Health And The Brain

We must remember that the gastrointestinal system in our body helps make hormones that aids in digestion, helps in absorbing nutrients for the body and allow smooth bowel regulation too. In addition to that, the system in concern also helps with brain and memory health too, and this is done by helping out the neurotransmitters stay in good shape. This helps impact the health of our brain and that is why, most scientists call the gut the ‘second brain’ too. With that being said, and apart from the brain nutrition, power foods for the brain etc, we now would look at natural ways to help the brain stay fit and active.

Deep Breathing Can Help

Take ten minutes each morning, day or night and sit at your favorite place. Deep breathe ten times per minute and let each slow breath reinforce the fact that you alone can regulate your very own emotions. This will thus bring down stress and remove the effects of coritsol as well. Studies show that deep breathing can help with brain enhancement and memory power, and if you do yoga, it can help you better too. Here is what is said by the research on deep breathing and brain enhancement:

“This paper reports salivary cortisol levels and cardiovascular adjustments monitored after the performance of physical exercise in a subject (healthy man, 58 years old) who had practised and taught yoga techniques for a number of years. The subject performed two different step-climbing trials which were varied according to the different breathing recovery techniques used. Immediately after the step-climbing, the subject was asked either to get his breath back spontaneously (as reference) or by 3 min breathing using the ‘Istity Method’, based on the prolongation or amplification of the steps of the breath (breathing in–out) with short regular rest intervals. The measurements of the basal heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol concentration in the saliva were made just before starting, and 5, 15 and 30 min after the end of step-climbing. Results suggest that the Istity breathing method can induce rapid modification of the cardiovascular function and attenuation of the cortisol level after exposure to physical stress. It might be of interest to pursue further studies of this effect, perhaps not confined to yoga experts, since the ‘Istity Method’ can be implemented by anyone after a short and simple training period.

Source: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

You Must Walk About For Half An Hour Every Day

A regular half an hour walk can do wonders for the body. It helps with digestion for sure and bowel movements the next morning, good blood flow and sleep and good mood too, and it also helps with blood sugar regulation as well. All of this would make the cells of the brain sharper and stronger, and it makes the cells sensitive to gather more energy from glucose it takes in too. With half an hour of movement, the body would have more endorphins to boost and the stress response would be modulated. Walking and yoga or even high intensity training or weight training too can be good for the enhancement and sharpening of the brain cells. Some even have noticed how long walks in nature can help.

Meditation To Destress

Not just to destress, but to also enhance brain power and memory power too. There are studies that show how chronic stress can damage the memory and the brain overall, and you can help protect the brain by doing what you like to do best. You can also make your brain happy and strong, by meditating daily for at least ten minutes.

Indulge In Brain Aerobics

When the plasticity of the brain is maintained, the memory of the brain is sharpened. This can alter a little as we age, but it can be maintained, and this is why we are asked to engage in exercises that are cognitive beneficially. This helps challenge individual intellectual capacity and more neural pathways are formed as well. Simple things such as taking up a new hobby, playing chess or learning a new language can help form new neural pathways. The use of board games too can help stimulate the thought process and also helps with hand to eye coordination.

Deep Listening Should Be Practiced

Not just Food to increase memory power and concentration, or brain healthy foods to think about, but when you are engaged in anything that requires attention for communication, the neurons in the brain fire up and they function well. Any stress or injury to the brain as such would pose a challenge to the highway of the neural paths, and this makes it tough for you to remember what you talk, understand, taking cues and more. To enhance the brain and memory power, you have to quieten the mind now and then, and allow the neurons to do their job. This is why deep listening is important. Take a pause, deep breathe and give your brain the space to refresh and rejuvenate. When you communicate, do so in a slow fashion and an apt pace. Pause, stop, think and then respond, and this helps the neural pathways send messages better, because you are deep listening.

No More Sugars

Any diets that are high in empty calories such as sugars can be a hindrance towards having a healthy brain. This leads to inflammation and oxidative stress, and the memory or the brain power thus would decline. Hence, when you look through the list of brain healthy foods, best vitamins for brain, foods good for memory etc, it is important to chart a diet with the help of an expert to know which foods can help bring down sensitivity and inflammation, and have them a lot.

We hope these natural tips come in handy too, as much as the list on brain healthy foods, , best vitamins for brain, foods good for memory etc would. Now if there is a concern of rapid memory loss, and should you think this is not the age to follow the same, it would be wise to speak with a doctor.

We hope this information on brain healthy foods, best vitamins for brain, foods good for memory etc comes in handy. Please do note, the information given here is through pure research only. This is not a substitute to what an expert doctor would recommend or advise. His or her words would take precedence over what is written here and elsewhere online.