5 Simple Ways to Become Brainier

Stop feeling like you are at the bottom of the class when it comes to intelligence as by following the suggestions below that are proven to strengthen brain power and mental capabilities – you will be feeling like Einstein in no time!

#1 Exercise Your Brain

A team of researchers at John Hopkins University in Baltimore(1) discovered recently that by giving a group of older adults a short course of mental or cognitive training, that it helped to improve their reasoning ability and processing speed, and hold onto the gains for up to 10 years, when compared with the group of untrained controls.

Those in the brain training group improved even further when they received an additional 3 years’ worth of training. Try to incorporate some type of brain work out each week and don’t just focus on body exercise.

ALERT: The #1 food that harms your brain (it’s in your kitchen)

#2 Help People in Need

Another study also carried out by John Hopkins University(2) found that the act of volunteering stimulated and strengthened the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for analyzing, problem solving and planning.

This study was carried out on older women who tutored kids for six months and it is thought that the reason their cognitive skills became stronger is due to the social and mental activity required to teach sends blood rushing to the prefrontal cortex.

There must be a local animal shelter or homeless shelter that would appreciate some more volunteers, and hey – it’s great for them and great for your brain!

#3 Improve Your Fitness Levels

Researchers at the University of Illinois have found that those who are physically fitter tend to have a bigger hippocampus, which is the part of the brain responsible for memory function(3).

This new study measured the hippocampus and other parts of the brain using magnetic resonance imaging of the brains of 49 child subjects. So that’s one thing that won’t get slimmer as a result of exercising.

 #4 Teach an Old Dog New Tricks

A study carried out at Oxford University that taught 24 people to juggle, after 6 weeks of this training, the researchers discovered that the intraparietal sulcus region of the brain had a higher density of white matter(4).

The white matter is the fibre that allows neurons to communicate and for the brain to function optimally.dxTime to take up a new hobby and practice on a regular basis – any one for tennis?

#5 Keep Trim & Slim

A study carried out in 2009 by UCLA School of Medicine discovered that being overweight can actually cause your brain to shrink(5).

The researchers discovered that those in the study who were carrying excess weight had on average 4 percent less brain tissue than the group who were considered a normal healthy weight.

Also, in the obese participant group the loss of brain tissue was so high that their brains looked 16 years older when compared to the group of thinner people.

ALERT: The #1 food that harms your brain (it’s in your kitchen)

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