Two Magic Words for Overcoming Absentmindedness and Forgetfulness

by Joi

Overcome forgetfulness and absentmindedness Have you had a problem with absentmindedness or forgetfulness lately? Maybe you find yourself searching through your thoughts more often than you do your sock drawer! Before we determine if you need a little mental “touch up,” ask yourself the following questions:

  • Have you had a recent loss, such as the loss of a loved one (which of course includes pets)?  Periods of grief affect our minds to a great extent. Our entire body is in the process of addressing the tragedy at hand when we’re grieving. Our minds have little time left for sifting through details.  During the months following a great loss, it’s natural to have trouble remembering things – from where you set your cellphone to what your friend’s phone number is.  Give yourself time to process the loss and relax.  Everything will eventually get back to normal.
  • Have you been ill? Illnesses, and the stress that goes with them, will mess with your mind and thought processes.
  • Is it around the holidays? When we get busy with Thanksgiving and/or Christmas menu planning, shopping, decorating, and so on, it’s natural for some things to get away from us.
  • Have you been under stress lately? Stress can make it difficult to think clearly.
  • Have you been losing sleep? A lack of sleep (like stress) messes with your mind.
  • Are you taking any new medications?

If any of the above situations apply to you, take heart. Normal is just around the corner. Take a deep breath and try not to add any stress to what’s already on your plate.

If these situations DO NOT apply to you, don’t hit the panic button just yet. In fact, your personal memory monster may be easier to slay!  You may need to arm yourself with a mere two words: Pay Attention.

We live in a very, very, very fast-paced society.  We’re often, literally, headed in two different directions at once.  If we’re PHYSICALLY this active, can you imagine the extra strain on our minds, just trying to keep up?  Somewhere along the way, someone placed a particular word on the mantel and gave it godlike status.  The word is “Multitask” and it, honestly doesn’t deserve the fame.

When we try to multitask, we’re basically splitting our mind in half.  We tell the halves, “YOU go this way and YOU go that way. Divide and conquer!”

Does that not leave us operating as halfwits?!  And we wonder why we forget things or lose our train of thought.  Isn’t that what halfwits do?  Obviously, we have to find a way to stop multitasking, start really living in the moment, and start paying attention to everything and everyone around us. I’m possibly the world’s biggest advocate of “In the Moment Living.” Just look at the words I’ve always used in my signature on this particular blog:  “Make each moment count double.”  I’ve been signing off and leading my life with these words for years.  My primary infatuation with the words was this: Life is too precious not to slow down and bear hug even a tiny moment.  After a while, I realized that this approach is as important to our health as it is to our happiness.  What’s more, it’s as vital to our brain’s MOOD as it is to its MODE.

The person who regularly multitasks is just begging for absentmindedness and forgetfulness.

Think about this scenario:  If I’m in the kitchen, baking my world-famous (well, they’re famous in my house anyway) buttermilk biscuits, which of the following will yield the tastiest biscuits:

  1. I stay in the kitchen, ever-mindful of the timer. I check on the biscuits a few minutes before the timer goes off.
  2. I try to squeeze everything I can out of the time by putting in a load of laundry, checking the mail, and feeding my cats.

Obviously, number 1 will lead to buttermilk biscuits that beg to be eaten.  Number 2 would lead to buttermilk biscuits that beg to be thrown out to the birds.

If you are, honestly, so busy and covered up with work that you feel multitasking is the only way you’ll get everything done – reexamine your approach, your schedule, and the things you think are so necessary. If you take an honest look at how you spend your time, you’ll realize that there are a lot of things you could cut out.

Don’t look now, but a new year is upon us.  Make a vow to start really and truly living in the moment and giving each task at hand your undivided attention – whether it’s reading the newspaper or brushing your teeth.  I think you’ll be amazed at how fast your absentmindedness clears up.

Make each moment count double,
~ Joi

The Ultimate List! 100 Ways to Keep Your Mind Sharp and Healthy

by Joi

How are pets beneficial when it comes to mental fitness and brain health? Read on to find out!

Mental fitness and brain health are… excuse the pun…. on everyone’s mind these days.  Not only are baby boomers actively searching for ways to keep their minds sharp and their brains healthy, other generations are seeking the fountain of youth for their minds as well.  You’re just as apt to see a 65 year old in the store, loading up on crossword puzzles as you are a 22 year old buying brain games.  I absolutely love that more and more people are waking up to the importance of good mental health and to the urgency of staying mentally fit.

Remember when we all believed that losing your memory was a part of aging. Thank goodness we know better now!

The time to start getting really serious about strengthening brain is today. Right now.  People with strong minds live healthier, happier, and more fulfilling lives.  What’s more, they retain their memories and abilities to process information much, much longer.

The following list, in no particular order, gives you our mental fitness blog‘s 10 favorite ways to keep your mind sharp and healthy.

Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. – Henry Ford

Get Plenty of Mental Exercise: 

Like any muscle, the brain can suffer atrophy.  If you keep that thought in the front of your mind, you’ll no doubt seek out ways to “work out” your brain each day.  Below are a few ways to sneak in fun workouts for your mind. Please remember to do one or more of these daily.

  • Crossword Puzzles.  Never underestimate just how mentally stimulating a crossword puzzle is.  The ones that run in newspapers are pretty challenging – and they make the cost of the newspaper EVEN more worth it.
  • Jumble Puzzles.  These often appear in newspapers as well, allowing you to get even more bang for your buck.
  • If you don’t buy or subscribe to the newspaper (something I urge you to do for many reasons, including supporting local businesses and neighbors), you can find many puzzles online.
  • Start calculating mentally rather than using pen and paper or a calculator. Whether you’re adding up bills or shopping, go as far as you can mentally before resorting to extra help.
  • Grocery Store Game: Mentally keep a running tab (rounding to the nearest dollar) of the amount of money you’re spending.  At the cash register, it’s fun to see how close you actually come.
  • Subscribe to National Geographic Magazine.  Each magazine provides amazing, exciting, and beautiful lessons.  Bonus Mental Work: After reading each article, mentally “pull out” 5  facts and memorize them. Throughout the week, quiz yourself on the facts from each article.
  • If you’re more of a visual learner, use the above advice with the National Geographic channel (as well as NatGeo, Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, The Travel Channel, etc.)
  • This goes back to newspapers (and is another excellent reason to subscribe or buy a local newspaper daily): Stay on top of local news.  Sadly, more people currently know more about celebrity news than they do world events. I recently overheard a conversation between two women in Starbucks. They were discussing the Kardashians and seemed to know more about them than most members of the infamous family does!  Then one literally said, “By the way, do you have any idea who Michele Bachmann is? My daughter asked me this morning and I was like, I dunno…“  They then proceeded to move their conversation back to Kim Kardashian and I was never more happy than the moment the barista called my name and handed me my Chai Tea Latte. I could escape!  Staying on top of current stimulates the mind.  At the very least, know who the players are!  You can’t really avoid celebrity or pop culture news and events. We’re surrounded by it, everywhere we look. But if your idea of current events is who the last pair was to leave Dancing With the Stars, you need to re-evaluate and stop, mentally, eating only junk food!
  • READ, READ, READ. Read books, magazines, shampoo bottles, blog posts, brochures, etc. Your brain LOVES to read and process information. Never deny it this delight.  Remember, bonus points are racked up when you read informational, educational, and “deep” content.
  • Play video games.  That’s right, I said it!  Did you know that many experts believe that video games can help keep you mentally active, keep your reflexes, reactions, and responses sharp, and (get this) can even help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease!  Now that doesn’t give you free range to play video games for hours on end each day. That would leave no time for other activities like reading, socializing, or stretching your mind in other ways.

We learn more by looking for the answer to a question and not finding it than we do from learning the answer itself. – Lloyd Alexander

Stay Creative

A strong and healthy mind is a well-rounded and creative mind. Never get stuck in a rut where you think about, talk about, or participate in the same things over and over again. Growth doesn’t happen in ruts. What’s more, creativity dies a slow death in ruts.

  • Write!  Buy a journal or even a great notebook and simply record your thoughts and feelings each day.  Bonus points: Every now and then, put your feelings in the form of a poem.
  • If you have family that lives far away, write to them often. Everyone, young or old, loves to get a letter in the mail.
  • Consider setting up a personal blog. You’ll learn something new (how to run your own blog) and you’ll have a wonderful place to let your creativity flow.
  • Head to a local crafts store or the craft section in your favorite department store. Buy a project that interests  you and let your creativity flow!
  • If you have small children around, don’t just read them stories, TELL them stories. When my girls were younger, they actually preferred the stories I made up to the ones I read.
  • Don’t read the same types of books or the same authors all the time. Mix things up!
  • On your next trip to the library or bookstore, grab a magazine about a subject you know nothing about.  If you don’t cook, grab a cooking magazine and read different recipes, tips, and cooking terms. If you aren’t familiar with birds, grab a magazine about birds and learn about the different beauties. Travel magazines are also fascinating.  Expose yourself to different subjects – when you do, you take your brain on fascinating  journeys.
  • Take up cooking. If you already cook, learn a new style or type of cooking each month.  One month you may specialize in Chinese cooking, the next month you may move on to authentic Mexican cooking or Amish recipes.  Mix things up and avoid the dreaded rut.  If you’re new to cooking, tune in often to the Food Network, visit food blogs, and buy popular cookbooks.
  • Listen to Classical Music. It’s relaxing, beautiful, and helps clear your head from thought overload. Bonus: Learn about the composers!
  • Do things differently.  Take different routes to regular destinations, eat with your opposite hand, use chopsticks in Japanese restaurants, etc. When you mix things up, you perk up regions of your mind that might otherwise be lulled to sleep. Do I even have to tell you how dangerous it is when these regions doze?!?!

Learning is like rowing upstream: not to advance is to drop back. – Chinese Proverb

Your Emotional State Matters Greatly

Everything is tied together in your body – your mind, emotions, heart, health, etc.  Each one affects the other greatly, so each one must be taken into consideration.

  • Breath. Practice deep breathing. It allows oxygen to reach every corner of your being – and since oxygen is our lifeline, this is essential.  However, it’s more than that. Deep breathing helps us remain calm and keeps us on an even keel.  Throughout the day, take random “checks” on your breathing. You’ll be surprised at the number of times you’re pretty much holding your breath!  Breath deeper and the rewards will pile up.
  • Laugh more! Find opportunities for laughter and approach them daily.  Whether it’s reruns of I Love Lucy, Sanford and Son, or Friends – find what makes you laugh and enjoy it as often as you possibly can. Laughter truly is the best medicine and it’s an excellent stress reducer.
  • Find ways that work for you when it comes to managing stressful moments. When something stressful happens or a disappointment pops up, deal with it immediately. It’s when we allow these to pile up on one another that we get into trouble.  Spring into action right away.  Some people swear by long hot baths while others love to escape with a great book or their favorite music. Personally? It may sound strange, but I like to soak my feet in a scented, warm, bubbly bath.  After they soak for 5 – 10 minutes, I use an exfoliating brush on my heels, dry them off, and top it all off with my favorite foot lotion and a soft pair of aloe vera socks.  I do all of this while playing relaxing sounds with an iPod app (my favorite is rain… maybe because I’m from Kentucky and Kentucky rain is infamous!).  At the end of the 10 minutes, whatever annoyed me is long gone and my feet and I feel marvelous.
  • Don’t overwhelm yourself or overload your plate. Some people try to do too much and it takes a toll with their emotional, physical, and mental health. If you feel overwhelmed by life, you need to take a good look at your life and prioritize what you need to do.   Never extend yourself further than you’re capable of stretching. If you do, you’ll snap.
  • Get plenty of sleep and rest. Everyone needs their own personal amount of sleep each night – some people require 8 hours or more while others feel best after about 6 or 7 hours of sleep. Your body will let you know when you need more.  Also, remember to rest during the day as well.  Sit back, put your feet up, and let your body and mind unwind.
  • Keep a positive attitude. When you feel yourself having negative thoughts, push them out of the way. Negativity never produces anything worthwhile.
  • Get pets! Having at least one pet is SO rewarding in so many ways. It’s impossible to feel lonely or sad when a precious pair of eyes are lovingly looking at you.  If you can’t have pets, take up squirrel and bird watching. Buy bird feeders, squirrel feeders, and bird houses and invite more pets into your life than you ever imagined!
  • Unwind with gentle stretching and even yoga. Put relaxing music on and unwind from your head to your toes.
  • Don’t try to take care of everyone. Never try to live other people’s lives or do other people’s jobs for them.  When we take care of our self, we soon realize that it’s such a full time job, we don’t have time for anyone else. Allow others to live their lives, make their choices, and find their way.  As you’re able to live your life, allow them to live their life.  They aren’t the only ones who benefit – you reduce SO much stress, anxiety, and worry from your life when you just concentrate on you.
  • Meditation and prayer don’t just work wonders for reducing stress, they are invaluable when it comes to staying focused.

Your Physical Health Affects Your Mental Health

Making healthy decisions rewards you with improved physical health and mental health.  The heart and mind are so closely tied together, it’s actually amazing. What’s good for one is good for the other.

Man’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions. – Oliver Wendell Holmes

  • Get plenty of physical activity. Whether you walk daily, practice yoga, or workout to an exercise video – be certain to get your blood pumping daily.
  • Take part in your favorite sports and activities. The funner an activity is for us, the more often we’ll do it.
  • Jump on the Wii Fitness craze. It’s incredibly fun and more of a workout than you’re probably already getting.
  • If you’re overweight, lose the extra pounds. Your heart and mind will both thank you for your efforts.
  • Move more. It’s that simple. In stores, walk the longest possible route to what you need.  Go out of your way to take more steps during the day.  Find even simple ways to add more steps like putting the laundry up one item at a time. Any and every way you can add more steps is vital – they all add up.
  • Get fresh air. Even in winter, get outside each day. Find reasons to do so – whether it’s feeding birds, walking a dog, playing with cats, gardening, raking, shoveling, walking, or jogging.
  • Be safe!  Always wear seat belts and use common sense when driving or playing sports. Brain injuries should be avoided at all costs – yes, even if it means wearing a bicycle helmet. Think about it, is it worth the risk?
  • Absolutely, positively avoid illegal drugs of any kind. If it isn’t legal, don’t make excuses for it. Avoid it and you’ll protect your body and mind.  Again, nothing is worth your brain’s health or safety.
  • Avoid alcohol.  Heavy drinking is linked directly to memory loss. Personally, I plan on avoiding anything that poses a risk to my memories!
  • Don’t smoke.   Smoking, obviously, robs your body of precious oxygen. Oxygen is essential for a healthy brain. Essential!  Furthermore, studies show that Alzheimer’s Disease is twice as likely to occur in smokers than non-smokers.  Bonus: Avoid secondhand smoke for these same reasons.

Eat and Drink a Healthy Diet

You are what you eat and it’s never more true than when it comes to brain health. Eating is one of those things we do, often, without even thinking. It’s time to be more mindful about what we put into our mouths.

  • Eat and drink antioxidant-rich drinks and foods.  Drink tea rather than soft drinks for a simple and fast way to up your antioxidant count. Also, eat more fruits and vegetables, which are packed with antioxidants. Bonus: Green tea is PACKED with antioxidants.
  • When it comes to brain health, fish is a super hero.  Eat fish several times a week.  However, avoid mercury-laden fish.  Salmon is one of the best friends your brain could have.
  • Avocados are another delicious way to improve your brain’s health. Avocados increase blood flow, causing more blood flow to the brain. Obviously this is a glorious thing!
  • Two and a half servings of whole grains, daily, reduce your chance of having a stroke.  Strokes are devastating for the victim’s brain, so we should do all we can to prevent them. Look for whole grain cereals, bread, and even pasta.
  • Something I have in my kitchen, at all times, is Olive Oil. This healthy alternative to other oils has been shown to break up clots in capillaries. It also helps with blood flow in general.  Replace other oils, and often butter, with olive oil. I use mine for frying eggs and haven’t missed butter in the least.  When making “French bread” or “Italian bread,” instead of buttering the bread, simply bake it THEN serve it on a platter with a dipping bowl filled with olive oil. Grind black pepper on top of the olive oil and/or sprinkle fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, basil, or chives) on top.  I also like to slice tomatoes and mozzarella onto plates, then drizzle olive oil on top. Healthy and delicious!
  • Buy organic when possible. Organic means that you’ll have fewer toxins joining you and your food at the table.
  • Blueberries and Goji berries are ninjas  in the battle for brain health. Eat them as often as possible.
  • Drink coffee! Coffee drinkers are less likely to develop dementia or Alzheimer’s than non-coffee drinkers. However, you have to have quite a few cups a day.  Most experts say about 8 cups are the minimum.  In addition to my morning cups of coffee, I also enjoy iced coffee throughout the day.
  • Did you know that breakfast is considered to be the most important meal for your brain?  Another reason to start your day off with a good, healthy breakfast. Oatmeal, eggs, fruit, whole grain cereal, and (of course!) coffee will give you a great start.
  • Drink lots of water to keep your body and mind detoxified and oxygenated.
  • Avoid as much as possible: Fast food, white sugar, overly processed food, hydrogenated vegetable oils (higher cholesterol leads to less blood flow to the brain), high fructose corn syrup (even worse for you than white sugar),

Be Social and Involved in Life Around You

Even homebodies can become more social and involved by taking simple steps. The main objective is to realize that there’s more to life than just you and the space in which you live. Studies show that being more involved and socially active benefit your brain in ways you couldn’t imagine.

  • Develop and nurture e-mail relationships. If you haven’t heard from someone in a while, contact them with a warm, friendly e-mail.
  • Get a Twitter account and take part regularly. It’s easier to set up a Twitter account than it is to comment on most blogs!  (I’m on Twitter HERE!)  Twitter’s a great way to keep up with what’s happening in the world and the perfect opportunity to expose yourself to other people’s thoughts and opinions. After all, we already know our own, right?!
  • Take a class that interests you at your community college.
  • Go through “human” lines in stores rather than the ones where you check yourself out.
  • Don’t monopolize conversations – really listen to what others are saying. People can tell when you’re really interested in them and in their words.
  • Leave comments on blogs you visit.
  • Take part in forums devoted to subjects that interest you.  Google your subject (cats, fashion, bird watching, baseball, cooking, books, etc) + forum. Individual sport’s teams have lively and entertaining forums and cat lover’s forum are always a warm and wonderful place to visit and make friends.

Challenge Your Brain More Than You Are Today

Each day, be mindful of REALLY challenging your brain… BEYOND crossword puzzles, brain games, and reading. Yes, these things are essential, but for optimum brain health and fitness, you need to go further. You don’t have to do each of the things below, of course. They’re simply ideas to use and build upon.

  • Subscribe to a Word a Day e-mail service. You’ll learn a new word each day. Bonus: Learn and remember each word. Study and be able to define each at the end of the week, then at the end of the month.
  • Learn a new language, or at least enough to identify a great range of objects and carry on a casual conversation.  Actually, learning a little bit of several different languages can be one of the best mental workouts of all.
  • Take up a musical instrument such as piano, guitar, or even drums.
  • Learn to do something you always wished you knew how to do. You’re the only one stopping you. Learn to knit, read music, paint, cook, build computers, design websites, write, groom dogs, garden, do yoga, or anything that interests you.
  • Take up a fascinating hobby such as candle-making, pottery, crochet, or soap making.
  • Learn photography and really hone your craft. Read every book and magazine you can get your hands on and become the best photographer you can be.
  • Take a class at your local college in something such as cake decorating, computer repair, first aid, child care, etc.
  • Learn how to paint.
  • Buy paint by number kits.
  • Learn to identify all the different birds in your region (and even beyond).
  • Learn to identify all the different trees, plants, and flowers in your region and beyond.
  • Learn to identify all the different insects in your region and beyond.
  • Learn to play chess.
  • Become the best checkers player in your family.
  • Travel to different places. If you have certain places you always go, venture off in other directions. It’s only “so fun” to see the same sights over and over again. Broaden your boundaries.
  • Become an expert on the Civil War (or Revolutionary War, World War I, World War II, etc.)
  • Get a degree online.
  • Learn Feng Shui.
  • Learn everything there is to know about vitamins and minerals. Become a walking encyclopedia of healthy information.
  • Learn about the healing power of herbs.
  • Take a subject you feel extremely weak in (for me, it’s definitely math) and hit it head on. Go to tutorial websites, buy workbooks, and really push yourself until you no longer feel weak!
  • Here’s a mantra to keep in mind: If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always know what you’ve always known.

 

A Few Extras Brain Healthy Tips

  • Gardening is excellent for stress reduction PLUS learning new gardening techniques increases your knowledge. Bonus: Read every gardening book and magazine you can get your hands on. Bonus #2: Take part on gardening forums and blogs!
  • Take an Omega-3 supplement. Omega-3 amino acids are one of the best brain supplements you could possibly take. They’re also incredibly healthy for your heart.
  • Another supplement you should consider is B Vitamins. Vitamin B complex supplements are known to be incredible brain boosters!
  • If you have a breathing disorder, be certain to do all you can to keep your airways open. The more oxygen your brain gets, the better your brain will function.
  • Get plenty of Vitamin C in your diet. Vitamin C can help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease. It’ll also help keep colds at arm’s length.
  • Nuts are great for the brain. Walnuts, pecans, and pistachios… they’re healthy, delicious, and your brain loves them.
  • Matcha is a powdered form of green tea. It’s like green tea on steroids! It is beyond excellent for mental health.
  • Learn to visualize for quick stress reduction and to quickly release anxiety.  Think of a place that defines peace and contentment for you.  When you’re stressed, annoyed, anxious, or down, close your eyes (if possible) and visualize this place. What sounds do you hear, what can you see, are there any particular smells, how do you feel when you’re here…. If you can’t close your eyes, simply think about the setting and ask yourself the same questions.  (Warning: If you’re driving or at work, please pay attention to what’s going on around you for your safety as well as the safety of others.  If possible, wait until you’re elsewhere to “escape.”)
  • Grape Seed Extract has been shown to prevent the onset of dementia.
  • A great way to keep your memories alive is to think about them often.  If you’re one of the lucky ones, you’ve kept journals over the years and can go back and re-live what happened. If not, consult old pictures.
  • Smells often conjure up memories more than anything else.  Make a habit of smelling different perfumes, foods, flowers, etc – ask yourself what the scent reminds you of and “where the scent takes you.” There’s a particular perfume (Sand and Sable) that takes me back to the first years of my marriage, when my husband was in the military.  Enjoying the scent allows me to relive a lot of beautiful memories.
  • It’s worth repeating, eat more fish! Researchers from Purdue University have proven that those who consume baked or broiled fish at least once weekly have more gray matter in areas of the brain that are at risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Brain health is associated with volume of gray matter in the brain; the more gray matter one has in the brain, the healthier one’s brain is.
  • If you have an iPhone or iPod, find educational and mentally challenging apps. A few of my favorites are Scrabble, Brain Trainer (from Lumosity), Brain2 Free, Math Ninja, Scramble CE, and Word Search, sudoku2, and Crossword.
  • Name Quiz (State Capitals) is a fun app – a great way to remind yourself of the state capitals.
  • Visit eHow often and venture off in different directions each time. The articles read fast and you’ll learn a lot of different cool things.
  • When working puzzles or solving problems, don’t worry about coming up with the correct answer and don’t sweat it when you don’t get something “right.”  The brain is benefited by the challenge, itself. When we ponder over a problem or spend time THINKING, we challenge our brain.  THIS is where the growth occurs – a correct answer is simply icing on the cake.
  • Your brain does not want to be in a rut. There’s no challenge or growth for it there. Remember to take it in different directions, show it different things, and expose it to different challenges and thoughts.  Throw different subjects into the mix, it positively loves it when you catch it by surprise!
  • You HAVE to check out Marbles the Brain Store. The website, the design, the information, the products, the blog… there’s nothing about this site I don’t love and highly, highly recommend.
  • Lumosity is a wonderful, inexpensive, and highly effective way to improve Your Memory. Click here for a Free Trial.


Brain Games

Improve Your Memory and Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease One Bite at a Time

by Joi

What’s something we do every day, without fail? In fact, woe be unto the person who tries to stand between us and this activity?!

Unless we have a stomach virus from Hell, we eat and drink each and every day. Without fail. In fact, we eat and drink pretty much throughout the day. If you were to count the number of bites and sips over the course of a day, it’d be pretty amazing. Then if you counted them all up at the end of the week, you’d be astounded.

That’s a lot of bites and drinks! What’s really worth spending a little time thinking about is this: Each of these bites and each of these drinks is either ADDING to your overall health and well-being or they’re TAKING AWAY from your overall health and well being. If we’re going to allow so many foods and drinks to pass our lips, doesn’t it make sense to choose wisely?

I spend a great deal of time researching healthy foods for the body and mind. Not only do I do research for this mental fitness blog, I also do research for my food blog and self help blog. The same super foods turn up again and again. I’ve often said that what’s good for your heart is also good for your brain and when it comes to food, this is abundantly true. Did you know that the foods that are unhealthy for your heart (such as salt) are even unhealthy for your brain?

For example, Omega 3 Fatty Acids (cold water fish) help protect your brain from dementia and improve your memory. If you don’t typically eat a lot of salmon, trout, and mackerel – the time to start is now. Make a point of having these amazingly delicious and healthy fish several times a week.  Your brain will thank you for it, as will the rest of your body.

The following are just some of the foods that are known to improve your memory, protect your brain, and help prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease:

  • Walnuts
  • Avocados
  • Peanuts
  • Olive Oil
  • Salmon
  • Trout
  • Vitamin E
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin B12
  • Whole Grains
  • Blueberries
  • Cherries
  • Plums
  • Broccoli
  • Eggplant
  • Corn
  • Asparagus
  • Onions
  • Strawberries
  • Bell Peppers

From Everyday Health:

Give yourself a memory boost with dark berries that help keep blood vessels in the brain clear and protect brain cells from damage. Eat fruits like blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries. Blueberries and similar foods have been shown to actually reverse age-related memory shortfalls in humans and animals. Oranges, cherries, plums, and red grapes are also great memory food. – Everyday Health

Make each moment count double,

~ Joi

Brain Games and Puzzles: Your Brain Craves These Challenges!

by Joi

Brain Games

I buy each and every booklet and book Brain Games comes out with.  They’re fun, challenging, mentally stimulating, and downright addictive.  You can find their booklets in just about any store for less than $4.00 – they’re usually up front near the registers or in the magazine aisle.

Brain Games also has OUTSTANDING lines of books on the market. My advice? My approach?  Keep an eye on Amazon and consistently buy each book you see that you don’t already have.

Yes, as a matter of fact, they’re that good.

To keep your mind sharp, your memory sound, and to do all that you can to prevent Alzheimer’s or Dementia, provide your mind with as much stimulation and with as many challenges as possible.  Having plenty of workbooks and books around will provide you with the easiest way of ensuring you’re doing all you can for your mind.  In addition to physical exercise, a good, healthy diet (remember, anything good for your heart is good for your brain), stress management, and healthy sleep, brain puzzles are fuel your brain needs and even craves.

Below is a brain challenge from the most recent issue of Brain Games (shown above with my trusty pen):

Say What?
Below are a group of words that, when properly arranged in the blanks, reveal a quote from Virginia Woolf.

  • details
  • passionate
  • solitude
  • our
  • lives

“In __________ we give __________ attention to our __________, to __________ memories, to the __________ around us.”


 

Click below for the answer…. after you’ve worked on it sufficiently!

[click to continue…]

Unplug Yourself! Relax, Recharge, and Refresh Your Body and Mind

by Joi

Magnolia

Less than zero. That’s how much I know about electronics. My skills pretty much lie in knowing how to turn things on and turn them off when I’m through.  At least I can handle a task that experts say is good for conserving energy. They say we should unplug appliances when they aren’t in use.

I can do that.

I thought about this today when I made myself  like one of these appliances and unplugged myself. I was at the computer in my home office, working like a mad woman, when I took a look around.  Remnants of a long weekend were everywhere. One husband and a houseful of young people had left a house looking like it’d hosted a long party. Which it pretty much had. A three day party.

Anyway, I decided to get up – trading online for offline – for an hour. About 30 minutes later, it struck me: Unplugging is something most of us don’t do nearly often enough.  By unplugging, of course, I mean getting up from the computer and not taking any part of it with you (Twitter, Facebook, e-mail notifications, etc.).

Unplugging.

When we unplug, we put ourselves into a whole other world for a while. A peaceful place that has no problem with being still or quiet.  The internet, social media, information overload – these things are wonderful and certainly have a billion benefits.  However, they haven’t an inkling of what it means to be peaceful and are less “still” and less “quiet” than a hyperactive two year old.  When we stay plugged into the online world, we aren’t still or quiet either. We’re constantly looking for updates – forever on duty, afraid that we’re sure to miss something.

We don’t realize it, at the time, of course. In fact, sometimes this process can be relaxing in itself.

However, there’s a lot to be said for unplugging (completely unplugging) and basking in the state of complete quiet and stillness.  It’s a beautiful, wonderful thing and most of us keep it at arms length far too often.  I have no doubt that being constantly switched ON is as bad for us as it is the appliances and technology we rely on.

When my hour was up, and the timer let me know that it was time to get back to work, I turned the timer off and we struck a deal: I’d take 30 more minutes and enjoy an Agatha Christie mystery and neither of us would feel the least bit guilty about it.  I sat on the sofa in a house that was so quiet I could almost hear my cat sleep, and read and relaxed for about 2o minutes.  I spent the last 1o minutes visiting with and petting my outside cats – something we all enjoyed.

When I plugged myself back in and picked up where I left off, I realized something kind of unexpected:  I worked faster and more efficiently with zero distractions.  It’s as though I recharged myself just in time!

I strongly recommend unplugging yourself each day – completely. Don’t cheat!  Leave the online world and the social circle completely behind and enjoy yourself and the world around you.  It’s great for the mind and the spirit – you’ll find yourself so relaxed and recharged that you’ll look forward to the same experience the next day.  And the next, and the next…

If you have kids, it’d be a great idea to make them unplug each day as well.

By the way, bath time, suppertime, and bedtime don’t count! You have to unplug yourself at other times as well.  That’s the whole idea, you see – unplug and do nothing but enjoy the peace and quiet. So many people don’t even recognize peace and quiet anymore.

Some ways to make the world stand still while you’re unplugged:

  • Read a book
  • Photograph flowers, trees, and other wonders in nature
  • Work a crossword puzzle
  • Spend time with your pet
  • Take a slow walk around the yard
  • Play solitaire
  • Try a new recipe
  • Sit and do absolutely nothing but soak in the quiet

I’d love to see more people realize just how relaxing, enjoyable, and healing absolute stillness and quiet are.  Try it, you’ll be singing its praises with me!

Make each still moment count double!
~ Joi

Why You Should Be Eating More Vegetables!

by Joi

Vegetables can prevent cognitive decline and help with preventing Alzheimer's Disease and dementia.

Your mom was right (again).  You should be eating your fruits, vegetables, and wearing clean underwear.  But let’s focus on the veggies for now. They’re excellent for you, head to toe, and it turns out they’re very important for your brain’s health.

Do you think you’re eating enough vegetables for your brain’s health? You may be surprised… grab a couple of carrots and read on.

A new study shows that people who eat 3 servings or more of vegetables daily have a slower rate of cognitive decline as they grow older.  There are plenty of things we can do to lessen our odds of getting dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, or memory loss.  You’ve read about many of them here on Out of Bounds.

Eating vegetables is a delicious addition to the preventative list, so make a point of working more vegetables into your daily routine. Below are a few tips to get you started.

  1. Don’t just make a sandwich – make a healthy Dagwood sandwich. Add spinach or dark leafy lettuce, red onion, red peppers, and even cucumbers. The extra crunch makes the sandwich funner as well as tastier and healthier.
  2. Make salads and/or vegetable soup a frequent guest at lunch.  When having a salad, don’t stop at lettuce and tomatoes. The more vegetables you pack in, the more servings you’re getting.
  3. When it comes to noshing during football, baseball, soccer, or basketball games (we all do it, after all) – try trays of fresh baby vegetables. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and watch them disappear. If you MUST, have a little ranch dressing for dipping. I won’t tell anyone.
  4. Fill omelets or scrambled eggs with red and green peppers, red or green onions, tomatoes, broccoli (trust me, broccoli and eggs are outstanding together), asparagus, chopped spinach, etc.  Up the veggies, up the servings.
  5. Steamed baby carrots with a little butter and honey are never anything but delectable.
  6. Keep chopped vegetables in a container in the refrigerator for when the munchies hit.

Here’s a link to a delicious roasted cauliflower recipe. It’s Bob Blumer’s Popcorn Cauliflower and you won’t feel anything less than mad love for it.

 

Brain Games? There are Apps for That!

by Joi

Word Scramble Challenge App

I’ve fallen in love with brain games and I’ve THRILLED to see the number of mentally challenging games that are available as apps.  One of my favorite brain challenges doesn’t even advertise itself as a brain game, but it definitely fits the bill.

The Word Scramble Challenge Edition by Zynga is challenging, fun, educational, and downright addictive.  It helps you with an important aspect of mental fitness: Speed! You have a specific amount of time (which you can set in the settings) to find words in a jumbled grid.

The game isn’t JUST fun and doesn’t just challenge your brain to think and react faster – when all of the answers are shown to you (after time has run out), you’ll defintiely learn new words.

Brain game app

I’ll add more brain games and mentally challenging apps and app reviews to the Brain Gym each week. But, for now, you’ll have your hands full with this one!

The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Mental Fitness

by Joi

Sleeping Cheetah

The following is a guest post from Allie.

While you toss and turn in bed, the numbers on the clock are inching slowly forward, creeping closer to the morning alarm. With each passing minute, your anxiety increases, making sleep even more elusive. You roll out of bed to start your day feeling groggy and disoriented. You are not alone. According to the American Psychological Association, 60 percent of adults report having trouble sleeping a few nights per week or more, and it doesn’t take a psychology degree to know that living a groggy life can’t be good for your mental fitness. Over 40 million Americans have a sleep disorder that affects their health.

The amount of sleep needed to function properly varies from person to person, but a study by the National Sleep Foundation found that most people need at least seven hours of sleep per night, though we average only six and a half. When a person doesn’t get enough sleep to suit their body’s needs, they create a sleep debt that is often times not satisfied. This leads to fatigue and an inability to function at an optimum level.

The brain haze that most people experience after a poor night’s sleep is not something that can be alleviated with a few lattes. In fact, an inadequate amount of sleep, even for just one night, has a substantial impact on your mental focus. One startling finding by the CDC has shown that “insufficient sleep is responsible for motor vehicle and machinery-related crashes, causing substantial injury and disability each year. In short, drowsy driving can be as dangerous — and preventable— as driving while intoxicated.” This is because sleep deprivation slows reaction time and impairs hand-eye coordination.

Not only does lack of sleep affect motor skills, it also diminishes concentration. The foggy feeling that comes with a sleepless night, is partially due to a decline in alertness and concentration. Without the capability to pay attention, an individual becomes confused and has difficulty with complex thought. The ability to learn and process information is also hindered because of this lack of concentration. Focusing on complicated tasks is challenging and sleepy individuals often have a difficult time blocking out distractions.

Inadequate sleep impacts decision making skills as well. The brain’s executive functioning ability deteriorates with sleeplessness. A study at Duke University in which subjects completed economic decision-making tasks after being deprived of sleep, concluded that sleep deprivation caused people to overestimate the likelihood of positive outcomes and underestimate the likelihood of negative outcomes. This lead to a distorted risk perception, inciting subjects to make risky, and usually poor, economic choices. One of the study’s co-authors likened the findings to the evidence that medical residents made more mistakes after long work hours. In occupations that require strong decision-making skills, overly risky behavior caused by sleep deprivation can lead to job loss, financial issues, and harm to employees, customers, or co-workers.

Memory also relies heavily on sleep. The nerve connections in the brain that make new memories are strengthened during sleep. When the sleep cycles are disrupted, the memory is impaired. Sleep is needed to process what you have learned during the day. Researchers at Harvard Medical School performed memorization tests on healthy subjects. After half of the subjects were deprived of sleep, they were shown 150 slides of various people and objects and told to memorize them. 24 hours later, even after catching up on sleep, the sleep deprived subjects still performed poorly when asked to recall which slides they had memorized the day before. Furthermore, this memory deficiency wreaks havoc on language skills. Not only do individuals often experience slow or slightly slurred speech, but finding the correct word becomes an arduous task.

In a fast-paced world, multi-tasking and creativity are often essential to productivity. Sleep deficiency decreases the ability the ability to multi-task and stifles creativity. These effects are likely related to the inability to the loss of mental focus associated with sleep deprivation. Producing new ideas or creative solutions can be seemingly impossible, as the portion of the brain responsible for creativity is affected. A recent study showed that the ability to attend to multiple tasks simultaneously, the flexibility to alter one’s focus, the ability to follow multi-step instructions, the use of complex reasoning, and the ability to employ creative problem solving skills were diminished by sleep deprivation.

Cognitive functions are not the only thing affected by sleep deprivation. According to the National Sleep Foundation, emotions also tend to go haywire. One of the first signs of sleep deprivation is irritability. If an individual does not sleep after the initial symptoms, it can lead to flattened emotional responses, apathy, anger, or depression. This in turn can lead to an increase in risk taking behaviors, such as drug and alcohol abuse, and further impairment of cognitive abilities.

While research indicates that sleep deprivation leads to a deterioration in mental fitness, a select few claim to thrive on an inadequate amount of sleep. An MSN news article discussed “creative insomnia” and cited the theory that sleeplessness leads to an altered state of consciousness. Mild insomnia can help a minority of artists disassociate from reality and at times this can produce works of genius. Severe insomnia often results in hallucinations, which some argue brings out dream imagery. However, even those that hold this theory to be true, admit that the majority of people are more creative after a satisfying night’s sleep.

An overwhelming amount of research suggests that sleep deprivation is not only harmful to individuals’ health, but also has a considerable impact on mental fitness. National Geographic reported that sleeplessness in the United States has accounted for an estimated 50 billion dollars in lost productivity. Yet, it’s the personal costs that cause the most harm. Whether you are a shift worker, new parent, student, or insomniac, finding a way to get adequate sleep is integral to your quality of life.

How Writing Prompts Can Be Just the Creative Outlet Your Brain Needs

by Joi

365 Things to Write About Writing Journal

365 Things to Write About!
I was sent the writing journal, above, to review on my self help blog, Self Help Daily. As I began using it, it occurred to me that its benefits were twofold:

  1. As a writer, I know that the more you write, the better you write. So having daily writing exercises only makes me better at what I do.
  2. As someone utterly fascinated with and committed to brain health and mental fitness, I know that getting in touch with your creative side each day is like caffeine for the brain.

Naturally, it’s the second benefit that I want to concentrate here!  If, however, you are a blogger, writer, or student – you might want to read my review of 365 Things to Write About.  Trust me, it’ll do wonders for your creative flow.

Our minds need frequent stimulation.  The more we challenge them, the more benefits they reap.  However, it’s important to keep in mind (literally) that our brains need DIFFERENT kinds of stimulation.  We have to “address” each part of our brain (reasoning, literal, creative, problem solving…).  That’s why the individual who reads novels and considers herself to be doing all that she possibly can for mental fitness is sadly mistaken. While it’s wonderful to read, it simply isn’t enough.

To give our brains the workouts they crave, we have to do more than just read books.  We have to actively pursue knowledge and we need to consistently push ourselves beyond our comfort zone.  A wonderful way to do this is to write. Don’t JUST read other people’s words all the time, write your own.  It’s a wonderful way to give the creative part of your brain a workout. It keeps him on his toes!

At the risk of jumping off track for a minute, I want you to think about your arms.  Let’s say you worked out your right arm each day for an hour.  You varied your routine, because your clever like that, but every day included strength training, yoga, and even kettle bells… but just for the right  arm. Now lets say you neglected the left arm, completely ignoring it.

At the end of the year, the right arm will be the stuff dreams are made of! Michelle Obama and Lance Armstrong would have arm envy over that arm.  However, the left arm would be spongy, soft, out of shape – a sad victim of mindless neglect.  Sadly, as in tragically, that’s the approach most people take when it comes to physical health (right arm) and mental health (left arm).  As incidences of memory loss, dementia, and even Alzheimer’s climb, it’s safe to say we’re paying the toll.

I urge you – perhaps even beg you – to begin being JUST as mindful of your mind as you are your body. While it’s important to be physically fit, it’s at least as important to be mentally fit.

I’m beginning a new section here on the mental fitness blog called the Brain Gym. In this area, you’ll find resources, brain games, mental exercises, books, quotes, and more.  Basically, I’ll include anything and everything to do just what you’d expect a Brain Gym to do – give your brain the workout it not only needs, but craves.

The 365 Things to Write About! writing journal has the distinction of being the first “workout” in the Brain Gym.  I hope you’ll order your copy today. The paperback edition is just a little over $10 now on Amazon and, you’ll love this, the Kindle edition is under $1!  Click through the link to learn more.

I’m assuming you’ll be ordering your own copy of this writing journal, but I’m eager for you to start getting your creative juices flowing.  Below, you’ll find 2 words or phrases from the book.  Over the next 2 days, use each word to write a poem, short story, or dissertation.  Let your brain run amok!

On the third day, write a short story using BOTH words… and, yes, I did choose two that I thought would be particularly challenging for that!

  1. 24 Hour Diner
  2. Taj Mahal

Bonus use of this writing journal: Not only are the writing prompts beneficial to the creative corners of your mind, you’ll have the opportunity to read, learn, and grow. When you come to a word, name, or phrase (such as Taj Mahal) that you want to know more about, do a little research. You can feel your brain cells buzzing.  As I was working through the writing journal, I chose Medusa to write a story about. I realized that it’d been quite a few years since I’d read about the lovely lady (shhh, let’s not let her know she’s earth-shatteringly unattractive).  I realized that I couldn’t name 10 facts about her (my personal test for judging how well I know something or someone), so I set off on a journey of research.

It’s funny, when I was in school, the thought of spending an hour researching made me coil in horror but now few things are funner than seeking out information, writing it down, and then launching off into other areas of exploration. Each time I read someone else’s name I wasn’t familiar with, he or she got the research treatment.

Suffice to say, I got a great deal of mental stimulation – all from one writing prompt.

Make each moment count double!

~ Joi

Coming Tomorrow: I’ll give you my favorite Mentally Challenging apps for brain fitness.  Get this, they’re free AND fun!

Be Mind-Ful of Heart Health!

by Joi

Salmon is loaded with Omega 3's which are great for your heart AND your mind!

Research shows that, beyond any shadow of doubt, brain health and heart health are directly linked. It goes without saying, but I’ll probably say it anyway, what’s good for your heart is good for your mind.   There are many ways you can incorporate heart-healthy habits and lifestyle changes into each day. When you do so, your heart AND your brain will become healthier.

That may be the best two-for-one deal I’ve ever heard of!

  •   Studies have found that eating the king of all omega-3 fatty acid super foods, fish, is associated with a reduced risk of cognitive decline or dementia. Omega 3′s are also, of course, the cornerstone of all heart healthy diets.
  • Eat to live, don’t live to eat. At the risk of being blunt, get your weight under control NOW. Study after study shows that people who are obese in middle age were twice as likely to develop dementia in later life. Those who also had high cholesterol and high blood pressure had six times the risk of dementia.
  • Get some sort of activity (such as walking) for 30 minutes each day.
  • Reduce your intake of fat and cholesterol. Countless studies have shown that high intake of saturated fat and cholesterol clogs the arteries and is associated with higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Use mono- and polyunsaturated fats, such as olive oil, for example. Bake, steam, or grill your food instead of frying. Find alternative seasonings to help your taste buds adapt.  An example: I LOVE fried fish – to absolute distraction. However, I’ve found that if I use a Blackened Fish seasoning, I honestly like it just as much grilled or baked. I’ve been grilling fish on my George Foreman grill and, honestly, can’t remember the last time I fried fish. I simply don’t miss it at all.
  • Don’t smoke. If you smoke… stop.  If you don’t smoke, don’t start. Smoking interferes with blood flow and oxygen to the brain and is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

From the Alzheimer’s Association:

Some of the strongest evidence about maintaining your brain links brain health to heart health. Even though you can’t feel your brain working, it’s one of the most active organs in your body. Your heart pumps about 20 percent of your blood to your brain, where billions of cells use about 20 percent of the blood’s oxygen and fuel.

If your heart isn’t pumping well — or if your brain’s blood vessels are damaged — your brain cells have trouble getting all the food and oxygen they need. Any condition that damages your heart or blood vessels can affect your brain’s blood supply.

 Off-Site articles you’ll find interesting:

Can Vitamin B12 Lower your risk of Alzheimer’s Disease?

Walking 6 to 9 Miles a Week May Help Memory

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

← Previous Entries

Brain Games