How to keep your Brain Young?

Brain is the most important and vital organ in our body. Unfortunately, numerous modern age practices have taken a toll on our brain. But it is not only possible to reduce the aging of your brain, it is even possible to reverse the aging effect i.e get younger. The good thing is none of them are terribly difficult to do. Let us look at the the 10 things we need to practice to keep our brain young.

1. A Good Brain Diet

Brain needs numerous nutrients esp Omega 3 to keep it healthy and running. These nutrients are found in plenty in foods like Walnut, Avocoda, Brocolli, Bluberries etc. Eggs and Salmon Fish as well for those who eat them can be extremely good supplements for the necessary nutrients.

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Reference: Brain Super Foods

2. Killing Automatic Negative Thoughts(ANTS)

Our life is defined by the thoughts in our head. Are they empowering or dis empowering you? Jim Kwik rightly says,

“If you fight for your limitations, you get to keep them”

Do your labels tell you, you are intelligent, resourceful, persistent, creative, lucky ? or do they say you are slow, late, forgetful, messy, unorganized, unlucky etc? Own your story to write a new and an empowering one.

3. Exercise

Primary function of our brain from our hunter gatherer days is to make our body move to save ourselves from the dangers. Even today, our brain functions optimally when we get the most out of our body. This is why we experience the ‘runner’s high’ and numerous feel good hormones after a good workout session.

If it is good for you and it feels good, why are you still struggling to make it a habit. Go read our earlier posts on habit formation and make exercise a habit.

4. Brain Nutrients

Brain Nutrients can complement and supplement the nutrients required by a body apart from the Brain diet suggested above. In Japan students often eat DHA supplements before the exam. Omega- 3 Fatty Acids and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) may be taken as supplements if your normal diet is unable to provide you in sufficient quantities. One may undergo tests certified laboratories to understand their baseline and to determine the need for supplements.

5. Positive Peer Group

We have often discussed that we are the average of five people we hang out with. Having a positive peer group can have a deep influence in your beliefs, attitude and in general expand the realm of possibilities in your life. Choose your peer group well, it can take you very far in your life.

6. Clean Environment

“Your External World is a reflection of your internal world”

So look around your self. Do you see order or do you see chaos? Do you see beauty and utility or do you see things carelessly strewn around? Having a clean environment, a clean work space, a clean desktop can go a long way in helping you have a organised work schedule and good priorities.

7. Sleep

The amount of rest that one needs may differ from person to person. But we all need to feel rested to be able to feel active. Working sleepless nights is not a badge of honor. I am really tired of seeing people in office being acknowledged for the long hours and sleepless nights rather than the quality of work that they produce in a project. Wake up, your sleeplessness is not helping you.

8. Brain Protection

Protecting a brain is not just about wearing a helmet to prevent physical injury. Electro Magnetic Frequencies (EMF) can be very harmful to your Brain and to your body. EMF’s are caused by Microwave, Cellphone Waves, Wifi and our numerous connected devices. We cannot stop using them, but we can avoid sleeping with the cellphone under the pillow, switching off wifi routers at night, avoiding excessive usage of blue tooth handsets etc.

You’re brain’s worth protecting. Isn’t it so ?

9. New Learning

In Mt.Abu, there is spiritual organisation called Brahmakumaris. It is headed by Dadi Janaki, a 102 year old monk, ably assisted by other monk sisters who are in their eighties and nineties. They are physically active and mentally sharp. One of the daily routine that they judiciously follow is to study from ancient texts every day. Studies have proven that among other things being a life long student can keep your brain active.

So Learn something new, everyday.

10. Stress Management

Along with sleeplessness, busyness and stress has become a badge of honor for most working people and entrepreneurs. People talk about how overworked and stressed they are in their lives as a proxy to how important a person. If you are overworked and stressed, you are inefficient and there is really nothing to be proud about. Please find better ways to use your time and brain power.

Conclusion

Our Brains is the Central Processing Unit of our Body. Like a computer can perform only as well as its CPU can, we as human can live a better quality of live by taking care of our Brain. Take care of your Brain and bring out the super human in you.

This post is insired from from a talk given on ‘How to Develop an Ageless Brain’ by Jim Kwik in Mind Valley.