Do You Exercise Your Brain? : Brain Foods

Article by Gareth Green

You can think of your brain in the same way you think about your muscles. When it receives the stimulation it needs it can stay fit and healthy for many years. Several years ago science discovered, that for many of us, the exercise we got was not enough to keep our bodies (and especially our hearts) as fit and healthy as they needed to be. Of course today all of us are aware that we need to keep fit in order to maintain a healthy heart and body. Recently science has discovered the same is true of the brain.

In fact some studies have concluded there is a link between how we stimulate the brain and levels of cognitive function later in life. There are many forms of mental stimulation that have shown themselves to be helpful in improving and maintaining the brains performance. Fortunately many of them turn out to be good fun too. They can include learning a new skill, playing challenging games such as chess or cards or just filling out a particularly taxing crossword puzzle. Even playing games on your computer console can improve your mental performance.

These days there are even natural supplements designed to help improve cognitive performance. The most successful of these being Procera AVH. The creator of Procera AVH, Josh Reynolds, has also authored a book called 20/20/ Brain Power. In it Reynolds has developed brain exercises that have been widely used by the public and health care professionals alike. They have been designed to help stimulate the brain, so it is able to process information faster and with more clarity. Thus improving overall cognitive and mental performance.

It has been demonstrated that brain speed, or cognitive processing, is vital in how well the brains focus, memory, problem solving and decision making functions operate. In fact how fast our brain processes information has been linked to our IQ and even our longevity. In his book Reynolds has devised many fun games that can quickly have a positive impact on your brains processing abilities. This in turn can lead to faster thinking, better focus and concetration levels as well as a much improved ability to remember and recall information.

Another area Josh Reynold covers in his book is nutrition. Whilst his brain supplement Procera AVH can help give the brain the nutrients it needs, it is important that we eat the right diet in order to achieve optimal brain function. Did you know for instance that even though the brain only makes up 2% of your total weight, it can consume up to 50% of the energy your body needs. Yes I was surprised to learn that too, however it seems our brains are nearly ten times more metabolically active than the rest of our body. When you understan that fact alone we can quickly see the need for a good diet.

So when your thinking feels a little fuzzy, or you are struggling to remember facts that used to come to you easily, think about how you are treating your brain. Are you giving it the stimulation it needs to stay on top of its game? Are you feeding it the nutrients it needs to have the energy to perform optimally. By taking the time to give our brain a good workout, and eating a healthy diet with lots of good brain foods, we are giving ourselves the best chance to keep our cognitive funtions operating at their maximum level.

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