6 Ways to Promote Healthy Brain

Published on: 19 February 2018 Last Updated on: 06 November 2024
Healthy Brain

While taking the necessary steps to keep our body toned and in shape, we often neglect the importance of mental health. There are many factors that leave both positive and negative impacts on the mind.

Knowing these factors is necessary if you want to promote the health of your brain. Plus, this way you will be able to eradicate those factors from your life that adversely impact the brain and adopt the habits that improve the overall mental health in the long run.

Here are some of the effective ways to promote a healthy brain:

Keep Your Mind Stimulated :

Brain stimulation is necessary for maintaining mental health. You can stimulate your mind by playing games that require mental focus, memory, and activity. Solve mathematical problems, puzzles, and other similar quests. You can also engage in activities that require a lot of focus and imagination like a painting.

Develop Relations :

Connecting with people is essential for strengthening emotional wellbeing and overall mental health. Sharing your thoughts and feelings with your loved ones and engaging with new people helps you stay composed. Plus, communicating with people with different perspectives help your mind to stimulate and strengthen up.

Cut Down on Smoking :

Cut Down on Smoking

As per the latest research, smoking nicotine does not only adversely affect the lungs but also causes a decline in memory. Therefore, if you want to retain your memory in the long run and do not want to end up with dementia, cut down on smoking. Either it is topnotch cannabis or plain cigarettes, avoid their use as much as possible for better mental health.

Keep a Positive Approach :

Training your mind to be positive and take out a positive stance from every situation helps keep your brain at peace and improves overall physical and mental health. Moreover, staying happy has a very positive impact on the mind itself. When you are happy and positive, the brain releases a hormone called endorphin that promotes mental and physical health and wellbeing.

Meditate :

Meditation involves steps like breathing techniques that do not only relax the mind but also improve mental focus and memory. It is greatly renowned for its benefits of relieving stress and other mental issues like depression.

Learn Something New :

If you believe that education is only up to the level of the university, you are probably mistaken. Educating yourself each day is essential for opening up the mind and expanding it. Read a thick book that you have been avoiding lately or learn a language that you think is tough. Test your limits and challenge your mind each day. It will help stimulate your brain and strengthen the nerves inside it. Engage in activities that involve using the brain. Our brain is just like a machine; the more we use it, the better it works without getting rusted.

Read More :

1. 5 Mental Health Benefits Of Massage Therapy That You Must Know

2. Health Tips For Hard Working Men

3. Unhealthy And Healthy Solutions For Coping With Stress

 

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

View all posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related

stop drinking

Good Reasons to Stop Drinking in your 40’s

There is no better time to quit alcohol than when you hit midlife. When you reach your 40’s, there is a feeling of urgency to evaluate how well you have been doing with the different aspects of your life. Your body is also sending signals that you can’t ignore. You could have arrived at this decision to quit drinking due to health reasons. You may have decided to stop because it is affecting your mental health and family life. Here are some specific explanations to encourage you to live sober. 1. No more morning breath Admit it, you’ve done it more times than you think. You get hammered, you fall asleep on the couch, and you wake up with bad breath. You forgot to brush your teeth last night! You forgot to take a shower, and now you absolutely stink. This is worse if you wake up with someone wonderful beside you. Alcohol makes your breath foul because it encourages the growth of harmful bacteria in the mouth and gums. The smell gets worse when the bacteria come into contact with certain foods such as cheese, onions, and garlic. 2. You won’t miss the hangovers  This is self-explanatory. 3. Your memory will improve, and so will your concentration One of the biggest reasons people drink alcohol is because they loosen up after a tipple. Alcohol is a sedative, and indeed, it does momentarily make you feel less anxious. Once you’ve decided to quit, one of the things you will miss the most would be a scene like this: You get home, put down your things, open the fridge, and get a drink. You will have to re-learn how to relax if you skip the alcohol. When you depend on alcohol to relax, the brain’s neurochemistry changes in such a way that you become forgetful.  However, after you quit and go through the initial stages of withdrawal, your brain will be able to adapt. Some people remark that when they stop drinking, a haze lifts. Suddenly, there is no mental fog. 4. You sleep better A lot of people depend on alcohol to lull themselves to sleep. Because alcohol has a sedative effect, we mistakenly think that it is a sleep aid. Wrong! Alcohol may help you fall asleep, but it will disrupt your sleep. According to health experts, when you drink alcohol before sleeping some of these things might happen: You wake up several times in the middle of the night You don’t feel refreshed—you don’t have “deep sleep”, instead it is as if you are awake while trying to sleep (“shallow sleep”) You wake up too early and can’t fall back to sleep Unfortunately, when you quit drinking, your insomnia may get a bit worse until your body adapts. Walking around in the middle of the night is a common complaint among people who are in withdrawal. But trust the system—you may begin to see improvements in as few as three days (or nights). 5. Weight loss Why do you lose weight when you quit? Because when you quit alcohol, you also quit the snacks and nibbles that go with the drinks. Alcohol messes up the metabolism of food in your body. When there is alcohol present, the body prioritizes its digestion before any other substance. This leads to a slower burn of fats and an accumulation of fats that weren’t burned in your buttocks (or gut). 6. You avoid cancer When you are in midlife, you worry about diseases such as cancer. We are not young and spry anymore, some of our bad habits seem to be catching up with us. We may even have friends who are in cancer treatment. Consider this: In a new study published recently in the American Journal of Public Health, people who drink more than three servings of alcoholic beverages have a higher chance of getting cancer. Particularly, they were affected by breast cancer, skin cancer, and ovarian cancer. Be forewarned. 7. Alcohol is not (really) good for the heart  The American Heart Association does not recommend people to start drinking because “it is good for the heart.” Early studies have linked the consumption of wine to good cholesterol levels, but these studies are not definitive. If you are using “good heart health” as an excuse not to get sober, it’s now time to drop it. 8. Better skin Dermatologists warn that alcohol’s dehydrating effects are to blame for acne and increased wrinkle production. Quitting gives your skin a chance to rehydrate. As moisture is the best friend of glowing skin, drink lots of water when you start abstaining so that your skin will heal better. Expect to see results in about a month. 9. Avoiding liver disease If you began drinking in your teens and you are still drinking now, you are at risk of liver disease. The facts are scary. According to the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission, men aged between 40 to 50 who identify themselves as “regular drinkers” are most at risk. 10. A mid-life reevaluation  We are all familiar with the term “midlife crisis”. Perhaps it is better to look at it as a sort of life evaluation. If you start to depend less on alcohol and more on your inner strength to go about life’s challenges, some surprising truths may emerge. Your goal at this stage of life is to answer the questions, “How am I doing so far in this lifetime?” “Are there things I want to change?” Forty (and above) seems to be a good time to start having more satisfying relationships and meaning in life. When you quit alcohol, sometimes you face the truth that you have been using it to dull your pains and disappointments, particularly with certain loved ones. Sober living sometimes leads us to make dramatic changes in our relationships—in the long run, it is good for our emotional and mental health. It is crucial to follow through the intention to live sober. Having the right support is vital if you are going to change the way you live for good. Being sober will affect how you connect with friends and family members. It will also mean you need to change the assumptions you have about yourself. You are never too old to learn new things, they say. Now go ahead and prove it. Read Also: 10 Reasons To Stop Drinking Alcohol Today 3 Alcohol Prevention Tips To Kick Your Old Drinking Habits To The Curb How To Quit Alcohol: Consider Non-Alcoholic Drinks

READ MOREDetails
Dark Chocolate

8 Awesome Health Benefits Of Dark Chocolate

Chocolate is the world’s favorite sweet indulgence. In fact, the average person will consume about 12 pounds of chocolate each year. Chocolate is often considered a treat or a dessert, but did you know that chocolate actually provides great health benefits too? Some of this has to do with the amount of lecithin in chocolate. Chocolate truly brings together the best of both worlds: a yummy treat that is also good for you in moderation. Checkout 8 Awesome Health Benefits Of Dark Chocolate: Let’s take a look at some of the ways chocolate can actually help you stay healthy. Not All Chocolate Is Created Equal It is important to remember that not all chocolate is created equal. Dark chocolate is actually the only form of chocolate that can really benefit your health. The reason for this is that dark chocolate does not have tons of added sugar. In fact, the darker the chocolate the less sugar is added. So, if you want to really reap the health benefits, always choose dark chocolate. 1. Antioxidant Within our bodies are chemicals and compounds referred to as free radicals. These chemicals and compounds are created by cellular processes. You can think of them as waste products that are created as our body processes toxins and other invaders. These free radicals can have a negative impact on our health over time. To fight free radicals, you need antioxidants present in your body. Antioxidants are compounds that kill off the free radicals and keep your body clean. Dark chocolate is a wonderful source of antioxidants. A regular dose of dark chocolate will help keep free radicals down in your body. 2. Cancer Prevention Cancer research scientists have a growing body of research that supports the existence of cancer-fighting properties in dark chocolate. This is due to the presence of antioxidants and flavonoids found in the chocolate. Tests have shown that these compounds successfully reduce the number of colon cancer cells in rats. 3. Heart Health The flavonoids found in dark chocolate are primarily of the type called flavonols. These compounds have a powerful effect on heart health, including blood pressure reduction and improving blood flow to the heart. Some tests also show that flavanols can also improve blood flow to the brain as well, which could improve cognitive function. 4. Improves Cholesterol Cholesterol levels can have a significant impact on heart health and overall well-being. The cocoa butter that is found in chocolate contains healthy fats and polyphenols. These both work together to improve the lipid profile of the body. This means that it can help to decrease bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol. Cholesterol profiles can affect how well the heart can pump blood throughout the body. High cholesterol levels can greatly increase the risk of heart disease and heart attack. 5. Improved Cognitive Function Dark chocolate has a powerful impact on how blood can move through the body. This includes increasing blood flow to the brain. When the brain does not have sufficient blood flow, it will start to impact cognitive function. This can include memory, task management, time management, mood, and more. Improving blood flow to the brain is one of the best ways to improve cognitive function. Doctors have tested Alzheimer’s patients who were given flavonoid-rich foods to see if the increase in these compounds in the diet could improve cognitive function factors. Positive results have been recorded in these tests. Because dark chocolate is considered a flavonoid-rich food, it can be added to a flavonoid-rich diet to help with cognitive function. 6. Blood Pressure Blood pressure issues can be a huge contributor to the risk of heart disease. There are medications that can be used to control blood pressure problems, but there are also natural ways to help blood pressure as well. Adding dark chocolate to your diet has been shown to reduce blood pressure levels. However, you should note that if you are being treated for blood pressure issues under a doctor’s care, you should follow all instructions from your doctor. Talk with your doctor about natural ways to improve blood pressure. 7. Improves Vision Vitamins and nutrients found in dark chocolate have also been shown to help improve vision. Although natural methods of vision improvement, such as diet modifications, cannot cure all vision problems, it is good to know which food products you can add to your diet to boost vision. 8. Improves Skin The rich flavanol content of dark chocolate may also be able to improve your skin. When flavanols are rich in the body, they can help to protect your skin from sun damage. Sun damage is a leading cause of skin cancer. Flavanol can also help to improve skin smoothness as well. Some Final Considerations If you decide to start adding more dark chocolate to your diet, be sure to remember that dark chocolate should be added in moderation. You should choose chocolate that has very little added sugar. The darker the better. The many health benefits of dark chocolate can be primarily attributed to a large amount of flavonoid content. If you are interested in more health benefits, you can research other flavonoid rich foods. Adding these foods into your diet can increase these health benefits. It is important to note that you should always consult your doctor concerning current treatments and not make sudden changes to your treatments without consulting your doctor. Read Also: Essential Health Benefits Of Coconut OilThe Health Benefits of Drinking Black Coffee6 Delicious Cakes That You Must Try This Winter

READ MOREDetails
Dental Plaque

Dr. Maria Luong Discusses on Ways to Avoid Dental Problems by Keeping Dental Plaque and Tartar Away

Dental plaque and tartar are the main cause of tooth decay and tooth loss, but many people do not brush enough to keep them away. Even if you brush twice a day, you may be missing areas by using the wrong brushing technique or even the wrong toothbrush, causing almost as many problems as you fix. By controlling plaque and tartar properly, you can prevent tooth decay or tooth loss. Plaque is a sticky biofilm of bacteria that grows on your teeth, where it can destroy the enamel, leading to cavities and infections. Plaque is soft, making it relatively easy to remove at home with the right brushing and flossing techniques. However, within a few days, this plaque starts to harden into a calcified deposit known as tartar, which only a dental professional can remove. Without professional dental cleaning, tartar creates a perfect environment for more bacteria. This results in receding gums and bone loss as bacteria can grow below the gum line. Therefore, Dr. Maria Luong shares five ways to keep dental plaque and tartar from causing gum disease and tooth decay. Use the Right Toothbrush in the Right Way: Even if you already brush the recommended twice a day, you may still be missing areas, giving plaque time to attack your teeth and harden into tartar. To avoid this, make sure you're brushing with the right technique. Hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle towards your gums and lightly brush or massage your teeth and gum with short, circular strokes, as recommended by the American Dental Association (mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/b/brushing-your-teeth). Don't hold your toothbrush flat against your teeth while brushing it roughly over the tooth surface. This approach misses unwanted debris between your teeth while hurting your gums. Holding the brush at a 45-degree angle makes it easier for the bristles to move between teeth, and brushing along the gum line lets the bristles reach under the gums to remove food and plaque that's hiding. Make sure to use a soft toothbrush. By using a medium or firm bristled toothbrushes, it can risk damaging your enamel and can irritate your gums. Clean Between Your Teeth: Everyone hates flossing. It's awkward and doesn't do anything visible, so most people avoid it. However, if you are skipping on flossing, you risk getting cavities and infections in between your teeth, increasing damage and cost to repair your teeth. If you have trouble with flossing, consider using a water flosser or a floss pick to get at hard-to-reach areas of your mouth. You'll thank yourself when your dentist doesn't have to go drilling for cavities in your teeth. Get Regular Dental Cleanings: Even with perfect brushing and flossing techniques, everyone is going to miss a little bit of plaque that hardens into tartar. It is essential to see your dentist every six months or more so that they can clean away the hard tartar before it starts causing problems. It's less expensive to visit a dentist for a routine checkup and cleaning every six months than have your teeth destroyed by cavities because you avoided seeing a dentist. Rinsing with a Mouthwash: For a full-mouth clean, commercial mouthwash rinse will also help wash away bits of food, along with destroying bacteria. It's important as brushing and flossing. Mouthwash is effective in killing bacteria that cause decay and gum disease. Not all mouthwashes are created equal, so make sure what you're buying is approved by your local dental association, usually by looking for their association logo on the label. For instance, the American Dental Association has a seal of approval that proves the claims on the bottle (ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-topics/mouth rinse). In addition, some dental associations, such as the Australian Dental Association, list approved mouthwashes on their website (ada.org/en/science-research/ada-seal-of-acceptance/ada-seal-products/product-category?supercategory=Mouthrinses). Reduce Sticky, Acidic and High-Carb Foods: Everyone knows that sugar i.e. sweets contribute to tooth decay, but that's only part of the story. Sugar leads to tooth decay because it provides an excellent high-energy food source for the bacteria that live in your mouth. This can produce acid that wears away at the protective enamel of your teeth. Bacteria can eat more than just sugar. Any high-carb food, from bread to French fries, is a perfect food for bacteria. Also, like the acid produced by bacteria, acidic foods and beverages can damage tooth enamel. These helpful hygiene habits do not mean you have to avoid these foods entirely but remember to brush your teeth relatively soon after eating sticky, acidic and high-carb foods, especially foods like potato chips that can get stuck on teeth. However, while it's good to brush soon after eating, wait at least 30 minutes to make sure the enamel hasn’t weakened from the acidic foods. Taking good care of your teeth may sometime seem like a hassle. By taking the time to brush and floss, and getting regular dental checkups, this will save you a lot of toothaches and expensive dental work in the future. “It is often those who avoid the dentist or have poor dental hygiene practices over long periods of time, end up having to deal with dental-related health problems – it is important to do your research and find a dentist you feel comfortable working with,” said Dr. Maria Luong. Read Also: 5 Dental Hygiene Tips For A Healthier Smile How To Choose The Best Fort Lauderdale Dental Office Dental Health: 6 Essential Dental Care Tips You Need To Know Essential Things To Consider Before Getting Dental Implants

READ MOREDetails