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What can go wrong with our brains?

Lots. Broadly speaking, the brain is not a regenerative organ, like the skin or even the liver. You dont generally regenerate neuronstheyre kind of fixed. So you can have changes in the way the brain develops, and that can lead to neurodevelopmental disorders. You can have an injury, like a stroke, and lose neuronal cells. And then there are neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease, where your neurons become under attack and start to die off.

When we lose these neurons, what impact does it have?

I can give you a personal example. My younger sister had a traumatic brain injury, and she lost neurons in a region of the brain thats important for verbal communication. It was a small injury, and she was able to recoverbecause even though you lose neurons, the neurons around them can reconnect, which we broadly refer to as neuroplasticity. But my sister still has problems with speaking. The word school is problematic for her, because she cant connect the sounds to the letters, so shell say shul.The human brain is so interesting because it has this innate ability to rewire, kind of like an electrical circuit. But even small changes in neuronal loss can lead to pretty big impairments in function. And so depending on the region of the brain, you can have different types of impairments, whether that be vision or motor or cognition.

How does your work help with these sorts of impairments?

My lab studies astrocytes, which are really important for proper brain function: They fine-tune neuronal information, so they can make that information transmit further, or they can dampen it down. But after injury or disease, some types of astrocytes can become pathological and even start to kill neurons. One example was work out of Harvard on progressive multiple sclerosisand this was preclinical, in mice, not in humans. It showed that if you just removed astrocytes in this end stage, you got improved function.What we want to do in my lab is create new cells. Basically, you can take any mature cell and hit it with a bunch of genes that are important for its conversion to a new cell type. And so we started by reprogramming astrocytes into neurons. Again, this is preclinicalnothing to do with humansbut in mice after stroke, reprogramming improved mobility and gait to the level of an uninjured animal.

So you can transform the astrocytes that limit brain recovery into cells that are helpful instead?

I think the only way that reprogramming will work is if were able to generate really specific therapeutics. And thats where its important to understand the role that different astrocytes play in different types of diseases at different points in that disease. Imagine a scenario where weve identified Astrocyte Type A15, which happens at a certain time post-stroke and is really deleterious. We could go in, target it, change it into another type of cell and leave all the other cells that are important for recovery.

Are there different factors that influence how astrocytes respond to injury or disease?

Over the last couple of yearsthis is so excitingtheres been a clear link between the gut and the brain. We know that the bacteria that colonize your gut are really important in brain development, and also really important for neurodegenerative diseases and even injury. So after a stroke, for example, the bacteria in your gut gets altered. And we think this bacteria feeds back onto the brain and can affect the neuroimmune response. We have some really nice dataagain, preclinicalthat shows that just by using probiotics after stroke, it actually improves motor function. Its wild. So one of the cool things weve started looking at is how different types of bacteria in the gut change the astrocyte response in the brain. We think that could be important for developing really novel therapeutics for brain treatment that you could administer in the gut.

It sounds like this is leading to more and more bespoke therapeutics.

Thats what our lab is all about. I think were in an era of personalized medicine. Especially in a system like the brain, which is so precise, you need to think about bespoke therapeutics. Youre not going to want to take out all astrocytes, which are so important, and youre not going to want to put back all types of neurons. This allows us to be really specific.

And what are the benefits of such a specific approach?

I mean, were humans, right? Theres so much variation that there can never be a one-size-fits-all response. I think a lot of clinical trials and drugs have failed in that respect. Even if you just think about womens health, 50 percent of our population was almost never tested. And so many of the drugs that have traditionally worked in men dont work in women. Even if we could just conquer that, I think it would be amazing. But with personalized medicine, you start to make discoveries that are going to work no matter where youre from, or what your background is, or your genetics or your sex or your age. Thats where the next 10 to 15 years are going to be really exciting.

Is that what keeps you motivated in your work?

Science tends to be quite incremental. But I do think, within 10 to 15 years, we could actually make a big difference with cellular reprogramming. And that helps us keep focused and on track to do the next experiment thats going to take us to the next step thats going to make the biggest difference in peoples lives.Next: These Activities Help Prevent Dementia, According to a New Study

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Jigsaw puzzles require concentration, problem-solving skills and creativity, which mean theyre good for your cognition as well as your stress levels. Plus, you can have your pick of pretty, immersive designs.To improve your focus, try balancing and stacking these faceted oak blocksand be rewarded with a modern tabletop sculpture.Areaware Balancing Blocks, $72, Bergo Design, bergodesigns.caTackling a jigsaw puzzle can improve your memory and visual-spatial reasoning as it requires concentration, creativity and problem-solving. And there are endless inspiring designs to choose from.Areaware Dusen Dusen Pattern Puzzle, 500 pieces, $36. 313 Design Market, 313designmarket.comAreaware Gradient Puzzle, 1,000 pieces, Bergo Design, $52, bergodesigns.caVoyage 01 by Reena Mistry, 500 pieces, The Great Indoors Puzzle Co, $40, greatindoorspuzzleco.caFoliage Puzzle, 1,000 pieces, Winners, $15, winners.ca

Game Night

The best way to boost cognitive function is to incorporate a range of activities into your life. These beautiful puzzles and games will help you get a bit more playfuland liven up a Saturday night at home with family or friends.For the design-minded minimalist, this vibrant chess-and-checkers set is made from sustainably grown rubberwood.Moma 2-in-1 chess and checkers set, 313 Design Market, $75, 313designmarket.comInterior designer Jonathan Adlers eye-catching acrylic backgammon set doubles as a checkers board and comes in a velvet-lined glossy lacquer box.Jonathan Adler Checkerboard and Backgammon set, Bergo Design, $560, bergodesigns.caSpice up your group chats with this deck of cards that encourages you and your crew to debate current events, history and scandals.Agree to Disagree Card Game, Marshalls, $6, marshalls.caGrab your bean bag chair, fire up a Pink Floyd LP and chill out with this 70s-inspired backgammon set.Hitchcock Yellow Tabletop Backgammon Set, Hopson Grace, $395, hopsongrace.comStudies show that some video games can be beneficial to brain functionespecially when theres a memory test involved. The Big Brain Academy game for Nintendo Switch features tricky, fast and fun challenges that test your recall, visualization and analytical skills.Nintendo Switch, $380, nintendo.com; and Big Brain Academy: Brain vs Brain, $40, nintendo.comCrokinole, a game thought to have been invented in Canada in the 19th century, puts your dexterity and hand-eye coordination to the test. Flip over the board for a game of chess or checkers.Deluxe Crokinole, Chess and Checkers Board, Lee Valley, $179, leevalley.comThis wooden puzzle comprises 22 pieces and has multiple solutionsbuild a rectangle, a robot, a tea kettle, or a shape of your own creation.Wooden Puzzle, Etsy, $69, etsy.com

Smart art

Art therapy is the practice of engaging in activities such as painting and dancing for mental health benefitsstudies show it can help alleviate feelings of anxiety and depression and even prevent dementia and Alzheimers disease. Its easy to get started.This pottery kit contains the tools you need to sculpt, carve and paint plant pots, trinket dishes and more, no kiln required.Sculpd Pottery Kit, $79, sculpd.caCreate a dreamy landscape masterpiece with this paint-by-numbers set, which comes with acrylic paint pots, a cotton canvas, a mini easel and two paint brushes.Paint by Numbers kit, Etsy $30, etsy.comPractice mindfulness with this artful colouring book thats full of abstract, geometric patterns.Poketo Modernist Colouring Book, 313 Design Market, $25, 313designmarket.com

Grow for it

The benefits of being a plant mom go beyond pretty interiors. Studies show gardening, and even just observing nature (including your houseplants), can elevate your mood and reduce feelings of stress, sadness, anger and fear.Barebones Gardening tool set, Goodee, $118, goodeeworld.comMedium Rhonda Pot, Foli, $25, foli.caMedium Potted Monstera, Foli, $65, foli.caMedium Pothos Plant, Foli, $35, foli.caSmall Potted Jade Plant, Foli, $55, foli.caOrange watering can, $8, homesense.ca

What a treat

Experts agree baking inspires happiness and reduces stressit encourages people to express themselves creatively and can tame a ruminating mind. Plus, baking for others sparks feelings of wholeness, fulfillment and togetherness.Add rainbow-bright hues to your bakeware lineup with these colourful measuring cups.8 Piece Measuring Cup Set, $20, bedbathandbeyond.caNo matter your cookie preferencebe it sugar, ginger or shortbreadthese cutters will give your treats a professional edge.Our Table 30 Piece Tin Cookie Cutter Set, Bed Bath and Beyond, $25, bedbathbeyond.caNext: These Activities Help Prevent Dementia, According to a New Study

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Why do you think walking, gardening and making art and music offer the biggest cognitive health benefits?

What they have in common is they are challenging and don’t cause sufferingactivities that are too challenging, like strenuous physical activities, did not have positive results. Gardening, art and music don’t focus on one specific skill but call for a range of cognitive processes in the brain. And theres a clear output that can be reachedfor example, if you do bad gardening, you’re not going to get any veggies or flowers. These activities have a clear goal.

What about activities like reading, meditation or learning a new languagedid they also offer significant cognitive health benefits?

We tested reading and meditation, and the results didn’t come out as significant. We couldnt test for learning a language because our participants generally werent learning languages. But theres literature that shows learning a second language is positive for the brain of seniors.

How frequently would someone have to engage in one of these activities to benefit from it?

The rule of thumb we have in research right now is three times a week. Repeating the activity three times is important for the brain. Each time shouldnt be less than an hour. But the goal is for each individual to go at their own level of activitynot something too challenging, and not something too easy.

How groundbreaking are these findings?

First, its helpful to know this causal relationship between moderate-intensity physical activities and music and art classes and improved cognitive health because this is something people can start now. Second, the study pushes forward the idea of social prescribingthat a patient can be prescribed, for example, walking three times a weekinstead of taking drugs. That movement has started already in the UK and has shown tremendous success there. These scientific findings provide the background to show social prescribing workscertain activities will be beneficial for your brain health.

How long will it take doctors in North America to support and use social prescribing?

We need to spread the word. The more people ask their practitioners about social prescribing, the more likely these practitioners will get informed. The results are so successful in Europeits on its way here.

What can seniors start doing now?

I don’t think any doctors in Canada or the US offer social prescribing right now, but what seniors can do is whats in the studyjoin music classes or art classes. Dont hesitatelearn how to sing, join a choir, learn how to play an instrument.

Do these activities offer brain benefits for people under 60 as well?

They have tons of benefits for younger people. In particular, I’d like kids, like three-year-olds, to take music lessons for tremendous improvement in cognitive, language and attention skills. Our research shows that for the people who took music lessons as a child, and even if they stopped, we could see the changes in their brainthe benefits of those music lessonswhen theyre 60 years old.This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.Next: 38 Habits to Start Today to Keep Your Brain Healthy at 80

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How do you keep your brain young?

A rich new area of science is analyzing which healthy habits best keep your mind and memory healthy in the 40s and beyond. Kenneth S. Kosik, MD, co-director of the Neuroscience Research Institute at the University of California, Santa Barbara, has studied which habits most powerfully boost our cognitive function. Here, he shares the most up-to-date research from innovative labs plus the best brain-boosting tips from his book Outsmarting Alzheimer’s.

Play games with your frontal lobe

Whether you’re deliberating a chess move or bluffing at cards, you’re also giving the frontal lobe, the area of your brain that handles executive function, a workout. “The frontal lobe is particularly vulnerable to degeneration and the effects of aging,” says Dr. Kosik. A study published in 2015 in Brain Imaging Behavior found that adults in middle age who routinely worked on puzzles and played board games had higher brain volume in the area responsible for cognitive functions, including memory, than those who didn’t play games.(Did you know a jigsaw puzzle is also a great antidote for anxiety?)

Stay young with saa, taa, naa, and maa

Dharma Singh Khalsa, MD, president and medical director of the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation and author of Brain Longevity, has spent many years studying the meditative tradition called Kirtan Kriya and has found that daily 12-minute sessions of the practice can improve blood flow to the brain and possibly even increase levels of telomerase, an enzyme that slows cell aging. The practise is simple: While breathing deeply, chant the Sanskrit words saa, taa, naa, maa (which mean “my divine self”) while moving your thumb to touch your index, middle, ring, and pinkie fingers with each new sound. Like any meditation, it may help to lift anxiety and fatigue.(Keep in mind, this is how to make meditation a daily habit)

Protect your mind from your heart

Scientists surveyed volunteers about seven familiar heart-health factors and tested their cognitive performance at two points over eight years. The results, published in 2017 in the journal Stroke, found that the more heart-healthy habits people had, the less cognitive decline they showed. A stronger cardiovascular system means a stronger pipeline of nutrients to the brain, says lead author Hannah Gardener, ScD, an epidemiologist and assistant scientist in the Department of Neurology at the University of Miami. The seven heart-health ideals to strive for: Not smoking; maintaining a healthy BMI (body mass index); staying physically active (aim for at least 150 minutes per week); having healthy total cholesterol (under 200 mg/dL), blood pressure (under 120/80 mmHg), and blood sugar (under 100 mg/dL); and following an eating plan that’s rich in fruits, veggies, and whole grains, and low in sodium and sweets. They all may be familiar, if a little overwhelming, but “each one helps,” says Gardener.(Related:3 Stretches That Are Good For Your Heart)

Lift the quality of your white matter

As the brain ages, its white matter often develops small lesions because of disrupted blood flow, leading to impaired cognitive function and mobility. A study published in 2019 in the Journal of Applied Physiology suggests that strength training may help lessen cognitive decline. When study participants lifted weights, they got stronger, of course, but they also changed the cellular environment inside their brains, improving their ability to think. Key moves you can try at home (using soup cans for weight): biceps curls, triceps extensions, calf raises, mini squats, mini lunges, and lunge walks. Aim for 45 minutes a session.

Make moves directly against Alzheimer’s

Exercise benefits the brain by improving vascular healthbut a study published in 2014 in Inflammation and Cell Signaling suggests it also combats the chronic neuroinflammation seen in Alzheimer’s, depression, and other brain diseases. In such neurological conditions, the inflammation that normally clears tissue damage doesn’t shut off and starts to interfere with communication between neurons. Exercise has proven anti-inflammatory effectsagainst diseases like diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, so that could be why exercise protects brain health as well, says assistant professor Jonathan Little, PhD, associate professor in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences at The University of British Columbia. “Any type of moderate-intensity exercise, such as walking, cycling, and swimming, can have anti-inflammatory effects,” says Dr. Little. Aim for about 30 minutes a day.(Related:11 Workout Moves You Can Do With Everyday Objects You Have at Home)

Get your blood pumping

Although any exercise is good, aerobic workouts may be the best for brain health. A study published in 2018 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that older adults at risk for or who already have Alzheimer’s, aerobic exercise may be more effective than other types of exercise in preserving the ability to think and make decisions. “Research shows that aerobic exercise increases blood flow in the hippocampus, the memory region of the brain,” says neuroscientist Sandra Bond Chapman, PhD, founder and chief director of the Center for BrainHealth at the University of Texas at Dallas. “This is also the area most affected by Alzheimer’s, so you are strengthening a vulnerable part of the brain.”(Related: 7 Best Cardio Workouts You Can Do at Home)

Think deep thoughts

The brain relies on connections between neurons to function well, reports the National Institute on Aging. In Alzheimer’s, these connections begin to die off. Doing all you can now to help strengthen your neural connections will help protect your brain as you age. Use any opportunity in your daily routine for critical thought and analysis. “The strongest mental habit is to pursue deeper level thinking,” Dr. Chapman says. “This can happen in your everyday life, for instance abstracting themes from shows you see or books you read. Deeper-level thinking is like push-ups and sit-ups for the brain.” Joining a book club or even discussing your favourite episode of a TV showwith your partner is an excellent place to start.(Related: Here’s why reading is so important for your brain.)

Keep your mind working

Another way to keep those neurons strong is to encourage neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to rewire itself and form new connections. Research, including a study published in 2015 in Neuroscience, shows that cognitive stimulation actually helps improve brain plasticity. Any new tasks you try can help keep your brain active, motivated, and inspired. “The brain is quickly jaded on routine and goes to auto-pilot when it gets bored,” Dr. Chapman says. “Doing new thingsand improving things you’re already doingcan help your brain gain ground.”(Here are some more habits proven to boost your brain health.)

Get brain circuits singing

Listening to or playing music can activate the motor cortex (touching a piano key or guitar string), the auditory cortex (hearing the notes you make), and the emotional center, or limbic system (feeling moved by a beautiful passage). “Circuits and networks are stimulated by these activities, which help keep the brain healthy,” says Dr. Kosik.(Related:21 Hidden Health Benefits Music Lovers Wish You Knew)

Try some acting

Learning lines for a production or an acting class engages the hippocampus, the temporal cortex, and the frontal lobe, says Dr. Kosik. In one seminal study published in Neuropsychology, Development, and Cognition, people who went to acting classes twice a week for four weeks boosted their ability to remember words, numbers, and short stories. A 2013 study published in Experimental Aging Research found that acting classes helped improve word fluency by 12 percent and word recall by 19 percent.(Relayed:17 Memory Strategies Youll Never Forget)

Draw out your neural connections

When you draw, paint, or sculpt, you have to make spatial calculations and focus attention on details, Dr. Kosik says. Engaging in these activities helps protect octogenarians from mild cognitive impairment, according to a study published in 2015 inNeurology.(Related:Do Brain Games Actually Work?)

MIND your eating habits

A study published in 2015 in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementiafound that combining elements of the Mediterranean diet and the heart-healthy DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is good for your brain. Following theMIND diet (short, for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) was found to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s up to 50 percent. “The food you eat provides the fuel for your brain, and the MIND diet produces the best kind of fuel,” Dr. Chapman says. “It includes such things as whole grains, leafy green vegetables, nuts, fish, berries, olive oil, beans, as well as limited amounts of cheese, wine, and dark chocolate.”(Also, these are thetop brain-enhancing supplements to add to your diet.)

Skip the fat

There has been debate over the role of dietary fat in Alzheimer’s. According to Dr. Chapman, “Fried foods and foods high in saturated fat should be avoided.” We already know these foods aren’t good for your health in general, so that’s another good reason to give them a pass. A high-fat diet can also cause weight gain, which is a risk factor for diabetesand diabetes, in turn, is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s. Although scientists aren’t sure exactly how diabetes and Alzheimer’s are linked, the Alzheimer’s Association suggests diabetes damages blood vessels in the brain, alters brain chemistry, and contributes to inflammation that harms brain cells.(Learn more on what a high-fat diet can do your brain.)

Take a probiotic

Scientists are just beginning to understand how the collection of good bacteria in your GI tract, known as the gut microbiome, influences your brain. “Feedback signals from the gut tell the brain about gastric and intestinal motility, gut hormone secretion, and gut inflammation,” says Linda Rinaman, PhD, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Florida State University who’s studied the gut-brain connection. Much of the research on the “gut-brain axis” in relation to the development of Alzheimer’s has been observed in rodents. But new studies in humans, including one published in 2017 in Scientific Reports, are also revealing a connection between the type of bacteria in the gut and the likelihood of Alzheimer’s. Although probiotics, which aim to balance your gut bacteria, haven’t yet been proven to protect brain health, it may be worth giving them a tryor eating probiotic-rich foods like yogurt or sauerkraut.

Get your sleep on

You know what a bad night’s sleep can do to your focus the next day. Over the years, regular sleep deprivation can raise your risk of dementia, suggests a study published in 2018 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.”During sleep, your brain literally cleans out some of the toxicity that has built up from stress or agitation,” Dr. Chapman says. “Without good sleep, we see increased anxiety and stress. Sleep is restorative, helping you be more mentally energetic and productive. Even a quick nap helps.” Just keep daytime snoozing to about an hour, as longer than an hour and a half may be detrimental to your noggin, according to a study published in 2016 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.(Not sleeping well? These before-bed habits may be keeping you from getting a good nights sleep.)

Accentuate the positive

Doctors have long known there’s a connection between depression and Alzheimer’s. Now, research, including a study published in 2015 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease,suggests that depression is actually a risk factor for the disease. In addition, stress and stress hormones in the brain have also been linked with dementia. On the other hand, a study published in 2018 in PLOS One found that a positive attitude about aging is actually associated with a lesser chance of developing dementia, even in the presence of other risk factors. If you’re depressed, it’s best to get help now. “Positivity always helps, but it’s just as important to embrace mistakes to learn from them and not be stuck,” Dr. Chapman says.(Related:5 Olympian-Worthy Coping Strategies to Use During the Pandemic)

Make new friends, and keep old ones

Socializing and maintaining friendships can protect against cognitive decline. “One of the most powerful things for brain health is relating to othersa shared sense of community is one of the top three factors associated with brain health as we age,” Dr. Chapman says. “Socialization also requires some of the most complex cognition because it requires us to constantly negotiate an understanding with those around us. For the brain, it’s like constantly solving a puzzle.” Keep in mind: It’s not the number of friends you have, she says, but rather the quality and depth of your connections.(Related:How to Keep Your ‘Big Friendships’ Alive, Especially During a Pandemic)

Don’t multitask

Trying to focus on several things at onceputs a strain on the brain and it negatively impacts memory, especially as we age, according to research, including a study published in 2014 in PLOS One.“Multitasking is as toxic to the brain as cigarette smoking is to the lungs, but the effects become apparent much more quickly,” Dr. Chapman says. “Multitasking, which is really the brain constantly switching between tasks, decreases memory function and reduces hippocampus size. It fatigues the system and breaks down your immune system.” All of these things combined make avoiding multitasking the number one thing people should do to maintain and enhance their brain health, she says.(Related:30 Amazing Facts About Your Brain That Will Blow Your Mind)

Skip sugar

Research has found a high-carb diet loaded with added sugars can muddy your thinking and your memory. You don’t have to have diabetes to have the kind of high blood sugar levels that can speed your brain’s cognitive decline, suggests several studies, including one published in 2018 in Diabetologia.”Although the brain relies on sugar for its main source of energy, too much sugar flooding into the brain at once from a high-sugar diet can overload the brain and cause negative effects such as lapses in concentration, learning, and even advanced aging of the cells,” says Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDCES, a registered dietitian, certified diabetes care and education specialist, and author of 2 Day Diabetes Diet. “By eating a diet low in added sugars, you can help to prevent spikes in blood glucose levels that may cause these damaging effects while making sure the brain still gets the energy it needs to function at its peak.”(Related: Here’s how to train your brain to hate junk food.)

Limit alcohol

A study published in 2018 inThe Lancet suggests that having more than three drinks a day for women or four for men substantially raises the risk for dementia, and particularly early-onset dementia. “Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can have a negative impact on the brainanother study(published in 2014 in Neurology) found excessive drinking may accelerate memory loss as we age,” Palinski-Wade says. The jury is still out on moderate drinking: Although a study published in 2017 in BMJ suggests it may be detrimental for your brain, the harm might be balanced by its heart benefits. If you do drink alcohol, stick to the recommended one drink a day for women, two for men.(Related:Meet Acid League, The Canadian Company Making Alcohol-Free Wines Even Wine Geeks Will Love)

Load up on fruits and veggies

You can get antioxidant compounds called flavonoids in most brightly coloured fruits and vegetablesand they can help keep your brain healthy. “Antioxidants fight against damage to cells caused by free radicals,” says Palinski-Wade. “When free radicals are present, they can harm cells, including brain cells, causing premature aging and raising your risk of disease. A high level of antioxidants in your diet can help fight against free radical damage and offer protective benefits to cells.”(Related:5 Budget-Friendly Vegetables That Are a Great Source of Fibre)

Spice it up

Curcumin, present in the curry spice turmeric, may have some antioxidant properties as well. A study published in 2014 in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism found that the compound curcumin in turmeric can increase brain levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a growth hormone. “Since diseases such as depression and Alzheimer’s disease have been linked to declining levels of BDNF, experts theorize that increasing levels this hormone may fight against these diseases of the brain,” Palinski-Wade says.(Related:11 Amazing Benefits of Turmeric That May Just Change Your Beauty Routine)

Drink coffee

Researchers have found that coffee appears to be a boon to brain health, according to a study published in 2014 in The Journal of Nutrition. “The brain benefits from coffee come mainly from caffeine, which stimulates the central nervous system,” says Palinski-Wade. “In moderate amounts, caffeine can enhance focus and concentration. Caffeine may also boost short-term memory.” Plus, antioxidants in coffee may help protect brain cells, she says. Just don’t overdo the java: “Excessive levels of caffeine can suppress the release of serotonin in the brain” over time, which messes with sleep, another important part of brain health, warns Palinski-Wade. “Aim to keep your overall caffeine intake to less than 400 mg [about four cups] per day,” Palinski-Wade says.

Protect your noggin from bumps

Wearing a helmet when bike riding isn’t just to save your lifeit’s actually important for your long-term brain health as well. The Alzheimer’s Association notes that head trauma is strongly linked with Alzheimer’s risk, and the earlier in life the injury occurs, the greater the chance of dementia later on. Wear a helmet when playing sports, a seat belt when driving, and take measures to prevent falls in your home such as installing non-skid carpets, railings on stairs, and keeping clutter and wires out of trafficked areas.(Related:Expert Tips on How to Buy a Bike Helmet)

Protect your hearing

Hearing loss can have a negative impact on your brain: A study published in 2019 in Auris, Nasus, Larynxsuggests a link betweenhearing loss and cognitive decline. Doctors don’t know exactly why, but it could have something to do with hearing keeping your brain active; social isolation (a risk factor for Alzheimer’s) caused by hearing loss could also be a factor. But the good news is that those who are treated for hearing loss, such as with hearing aids, may be able to improve their cognitive abilities, as a study published in 2018 in The Journals of Gerontologyfound.(Related:Sanjay Gupta Has Good News for Your Brain)

Use headphones

While the idea that cellphone related emissions could harm your brain seems highly unlikely, it may be decades before we learn the true impact of radiofrequency energy on the mind, says the National Cancer Institute. Experts advise staying on the safe side by using speakerphones or headphones. In 2017, the California department of health issued guidelines warning people to avoid putting phones next to their heads. Just keep the volume down to help protect your hearing.(Related:9 Important Things Your Brain Fog Is Trying to Tell You)

Go dancing

You’ve heard that exercise is good for your brain; you may also know that music is good for your brain. Then there’s the fact that socializing keeps your mind healthy. Put them all together and what do you get? Dancing! A landmark study in the New England Journal of Medicine found dancing to be one of the top leisure activities that can help reduce the risk of dementia. Recent research published in 2017 in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience backs this up: Regular dancers had fewer signs of aging in the brain. Dancing can also improve mood, which benefits the mind; learning and memorizing dance routines also present a healthy challenge to your thinking process.

Become bilingual

A number of large-scale studies have reported no definitive connection between knowing a second language and a later onset of Alzheimer’s and dementia. However, a study published in 2014 in Annals of Neurologysuggests that speaking a second language may protect against dementia.(Related:The Awesome Health Benefits of Awe Walking)

Get schooled

One reason learning a language might help save your brain is that more education can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s, according to astudy published in 2017 in The BMJ.And, it’s never too late to sign up for classes. Higher education leads to the development of new neurons and neural connections in the brain that can make up for age-related cognitive losses, according to a report published in a 2018 issue of Nature.(Related:6 Happiness Books that Mental Health Experts Trust)

Try out CBT

A study published in 2017 in Behavioural Brain Research suggests that a type of talk therapy called cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) may help prevent Alzheimer’s. How so?CBT can ease depression and improve sleeptwo risk factors for dementia. With CBT, you learn how to redirect your brain away from negative or distracting thoughts.(Related:Is Your Therapy Working? 9 Signs Your Therapist Is Helping You)

Get a pet

In the same vein of “what’s good for your heart is good for your brain,” dogs can help heal your mind. Having a canine companion can reduce cardiovascular risk, suggestsa study published in 2017 in Scientific Reports. Why? Probably because that dog is going to need walks.”I walk my dogs two times a day for a total of two to three miles,” says Aaron Ritter, MD, a neuropsychiatrist at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas. “Having eager and dependent exercise partners ensures that I cannot skip days. The exercise and meaningful companionship help keep me happy and healthy.”(Also, discover thebenefits of walking for just 15 minutes.)

Go outside

Here’s another way Fido can help your brainby getting you outdoors. A study published in 2015 in Landscape and Urban Planning shows that being in nature has apositive effect on cognitive function. Anyone who’s ever felt the need to “clear their head” can attest to the power of the outdoors in recharging thinking.(Read more on how naturecan boost your health.)

Laugh more

Laughter really is the best medicine when it comes to your brain health. The act of laughing lowers stress hormones while boosting your mood. In a study of older adults,published in 2014 inAdvances in Mind-Body Medicine, viewing a funny video boosted scores on memory tests while lowering levels of stress hormones.(Related:25 Comedies on Netflix Canada to Watch When You Need a Laugh)

Take up knitting

The meditative motion, the gentle clicking of needles, the relaxing knitting circlesit’s no wonder this craft is a stress-relieving hobby. And a study published in 2014 in Psychological Science has actually shown that engaging in crafts such as knitting or quilting can reduce the chance of developing mild cognitive impairmentby as much as 28 percent, according to a study published in 2017 in JAMA Neurology.(On the other hand, find out the habits you never knew were aging your brain.)

Go online

Using a computer was even more effective than crafting in reducing the risk of dementia risk, according to the 2017 JAMA Neurology study.Although the authors couldn’t say exactly why, they theorize that computers “require specific technical and manual skills and that these could be the factors that might be associated with a decreased risk of cognitive decline.”(Related:This Treatment Could Prevent the Tension Headache You Get From Staring at the Computer All Day)

Think quality, not quantity

Be wary of information overload on the internet: Trying to comprehend it all is just like multitaskingthe brain can’t figure out what’s important. A study published in 2019 in World Psychiatry found that high-levels of internet use has a negative impact on the brain. The never-ending stream of prompts and notifications encourages us to constantly divide our attention. Then, in turn, may reduce our capacity for maintaining concentration on a single task.(Related:3 Changes to Your Diet That Could Benefit Your Brain)

One good habit is not enough

Perhaps the best advice for brain health is that you can’t latch onto one thing and expect it to protect you from cognitive decline. A study published in 2015 in The Lancet suggests that a comprehensive program giving patients guidance on everything from diet and exercise to brain training and the management of metabolic risk factorscould better prevent cognitive decline. Compared to people in the control group (who lived life as they normally would), the intervention group scored 83 percent higher on tests of critical thinking, and they could problem solve 150 percent faster.(Related:30 Healthy Habits to Adopt Now, According to Every Type of Doctor)

Keep your body healthy to save your mind

A healthy lifestyle will protect your brain, so get regular checkups and treat any issues. For example, you may need to take medicine for blood pressure or cholesterol, get help for sleep apnea, or keep diabetes well managed. Research published in 2016 in Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences showshow personalized prevention planscan help with your current medical issues and your future brain health. Bottom line: There is no one-size-fits-all approach.Next, this is how mindfulness can ward off stress and anxiety.

The post 38 Habits to Start Today to Keep Your Brain Healthy at 80 appeared first on Best Health.

Botox injections are one of the newer prevention therapies for chronic migraine, a neurological disorder that affects millions of Canadians.

Botox a protein called onabotulinum toxin A, the same stuff used to fill lines and wrinkles can work for chronic migraine due to its effect on muscles and impact on brain mechanisms. Because she feels the migraine all over her head and neck, Welter-Nolan had to receive 32 injections. The most terrifying part was signing off on the potential side-effects, which, if they missed with one of the needles near my eyebrow, for example, could have left me with a droopy eye for the next three months, she says. I thought, ‘Like, thats all I need!’ But Welter-Nolan was willing to try just about anything to help her better manage the debilitating migraine attack she deals with at least once a week.

In Canada, we estimate there are about three and a half, maybe closer to five million people with migraine, says Dr. Christine Lay, a neurologist and director of the Centre for Headache atWomen’s College Hospital in Toronto. And of course, migraine affects women three times more than men.

(Related: Youre Being Judged For Having Migraines Heres Why)

Is my headache a migraine?

There are 300 different types of headaches, says Lay. And they each have distinguishing characteristics. Sinus headaches are caused by an infection or allergic reaction thats creating inflammation in the sinus and triggering pain and pressure in the cheeks and head. Cluster headaches typically occur on just one side of the head, around the eye, and are incredibly painful. (Theyve been described as the sensation of having a hot poker driven into ones eye and are statistically experienced by men more often than women.) There are also exertional headaches that can be triggered by a bad cough or even a fantastically good orgasm. (Yes, you read that right. Its called a coital headache.)

Tension headaches are the most common, characterized by a dull ache on one or both sides of your head, and/or tightening in the back of your neck. A walk outdoors, a round of meditation or some over-the-counter medication usually takes care of them. By and large, theyre not a big deal, says Lay. There is a subset of this headache type called a chronic daily tension headache, which obviously is more disabling because it occurs every day, but by definition a tension headache is rarely bothersome and often doesnt even need treatment, she says.

The second most common type of headache comes with a migraine attack, and as every person living with migraine knows, its so much more than just a really bad headache. In fact, a headache is considered just one aspect of a migraine attack. With migraine, there are neurobiological brain changes going on for 12 to 24 hours before the headache arrives, says Lay.

Migraine is actually considered a brain disorder. A persons predisposition to migraine is likely the result of the brains reaction to a complex intersection of causes, including genetics, hormonal fluctuations and environmental factors.

(Related: 6 Effective Pressure Points for Headaches)

Mighty migraine

Sure, a migraine can involve a painful throbbing on one or both sides of the head, but it comes with a wide range of other symptoms too, from sensitivity to light and noise to nausea and vomiting. Attacks tend to last for at least four hours but can go on for days, and they can be incapacitating. Some people also experience aura, which can include an array of visual or sensory disruptions, including blind spots, flashes of light, and tingling or numbness in the hands and face.

The other part of migraine is this neurobiology the brain chemical changes that go on in the 12 to 24 hours before the headache actually shows, says Lay. During this period, some people experience whats called a prodrome. Classic symptoms of this early migraine stage include excessive yawning, fatigue, food cravings and even feelings of sadness. In the other extreme, some women actually experience a great big boost of energy.

Understanding your triggers

When the migraine hits a day later, its all too easy to blame it on exhaustion from yesterdays baking marathon or epic closet clean-out when, in fact, that activity was simply a clue that a migraine attack was brewing. Same goes for that chocolate bar you just had to have last night. Some patients will say, I ate chocolate, and it gave me a headache, but what we think might be happening is the chocolate craving was part of the neurobiology of the migraine coming, says Lay. Understanding this prodromal phase can be helpful for gaining clarity on your migraine and your triggers, she says.

Its taken me a really long time to understand it. says Welter-Nolan. Over the years, shes tried acupuncture, naturopathy, elimination diets to pinpoint possible food triggers and much more. For many women, figuring out whats triggering their migraine can be a lengthy and frustrating process and that can easily turn into feelings of personal failure. Its not something youve done or something youre responsible for doing to yourself. I see a lot of women engaging in that type of shame-based thinking about their pain, says Welter-Nolan.

The confusion and frustration stems from the fact that triggers are varied and individual. A migraine attack can be triggered by stress, for example or even the relief after a very stressful event, like a job interview or closing a house purchase. (Thats called a post-stress letdown migraine.) Another common culprit is poor sleep, which, by the way, includes getting only not enough hours of sleep but also poor-quality sleep or even too much sleep. One of the biggest traps is trying to catch up on zzzs over the weekend, says Lay. (Sleeping in changes your usual breakfast timing or means you might skip the morning stretch or meditation you usually do Monday to Friday, for example, which can throw off your system and lead to a whopping headache.) For other women, loud noises, changes in barometric pressure, bright lights, strong smells, skipping meals and too much (or too little) caffeine can all potentially jump-start a migraine.

The hormonal roller coaster of womanhood is also to blame for many a migraine. Basically, any time estrogen levels change drastically, like right before your period, you could be at risk of developing a doozie. This is also why during pregnancy, when estrogen stays high and stable, people with migraine typically wont experience an attack.

(Related: 12 Foods That Can Make Your Headaches Worse)

Headache helpers

The most important thing is to get the right diagnosis, says Lay. Once we know its migraine, there are lifestyle factors, there are herbals and vitamins, and pharmacological therapies, she says. Theres a lot we can do to help.

The lifestyle factors maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, staying hydrated, eating well, getting enough exercise and staying on top of stress with mindfulness or meditation might not sound like a huge deal, but its actually a big task to manage, says Welter-Nolan. Managing migraine is like trying to live in peak health all of the time, so that when you get a migraine, it doesnt affect you as much, she says. But staying on top of it all is basically like having a part-time job.

In addition to top-notch self-care, a number of vitamins and supplements can be helpful when it comes to managing headaches and migraine. Backed by solid research, magnesium citrate, vitamin D, vitamin B2 (known as riboflavin) and coenzyme Q10 have been shown to minimize the frequency and severity of head-throbbing attacks. An herb called butterbur has been proven to reduce the number of migraine attacks, and the American Academy of Neurology even endorsed its use in 2012 but then did an about-face on this recommendation in 2015, due to concerns about possible liver damage. If youre considering trying butterbur, talk to your doctor to ensure its safe for you.

When it comes to acute therapies (also known as remedies that will get you through a migraine), over-the-counter pain relievers are typical and effective go-tos. But beware of using them more than once a week on a regular basis, because you could end up with what doctors call medication overuse headaches, a common subtype that can become a vicious cycle. Theres also a range of prescription meds designed for on-the-spot migraine treatment, including anti-inflammatories and a specific class called triptans. One new type of drug used to prevent migraine blocks a protein called calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), which is now believed to be a primary brain chemical involved in starting and perpetuating a migraine attack. And although its crucial to be able to manage a migraine in the moment, Welter-Nolan stresses the magnitude of having the ability to prevent or minimize your migraine attacks. Otherwise, how are you going to be able to live your life effectively? she says.

Prevention therapies include daily medication (which is mostly borrowed high blood pressure or antidepressant drugs that also work on migraine, but not perfectly, of course), gene therapy, injectable alternatives (like Botox, CGRP medication or occipital nerve blocks like Marcaine) and drug-free wearable devices such as CEFALY (which works by sending tiny electrical impulses to a key cranial nerve). These devices are a great option for someone who hasnt had enough of a result from drugs, or a pregnant woman who cant take medications or someone who cant take the medications because of certain health conditions, says Lay. All told, there are a lot of options when it comes to managing migraine attacks. The important thing is to realize that you dont have to suffer, she says.

What I wish I had known when I was younger is that its not my fault, says Welter-Nolan.

I wish somebody had told me sooner that its a disease, that its genetic, that its not something I did to myself, she says. And that its important for you to take care of yourself but its also important to give yourself a break.

Next: Sanjay Gupta Has Good News for Your Brain

The post Am I Having a Headache or a Migraine? And More Migraine Questions, Answered appeared first on Best Health.

Eat more flavonoids

A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition followed the eating habits of 600 Americans over the course of 20 years and showed that the people who ate more foods high in flavinoids had a 40 to 60 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer disease and related dementias.

What are flavonoids?

Flavonoids are a diverse group of phytonutrients (plant chemicals) found in almost all fruits and vegetables. Theyre associated with all kinds of excellent activity, including skin protection, brain function, blood-sugar and blood-pressure regulation, plus antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action. For this study, the intake of one type of flavonoid, anthocyanins, which are abundant in blueberries, strawberries and red wine, had the strongest association with lowered risk of dementia. Apples, pears, oranges, bananas and tea also contributed.The best part? A little goes a long way. The monthly average intake from the healthiest cohort was about seven half-cup servings of strawberries or blueberries, eight apples or pears, and 17 cups of tea.(Here are other healthy habits that’ll boost your brain health.)

Dip into those pickled capers

Researchers from the School of Medicine at the University of California, Irvine, published a new study that shows eating pickled capers is good for brain and heart health. They’re the richest known natural source of a bioflavonoid called quercetin, which regulates our potassium ion channelstheir dysfunction is linked to diabetes, cardiac arrhythmia, and epilepsy. Quercetin can also directly regulate proteins required for bodily processes such as heartbeat, thought, muscular contraction, and normal functioning of the thyroid, pancreas and gastrointestinal tract. Not bad work for an inconspicuous condiment.

Tap the protective power of fish

It irritates our eyes and throats, and damages our lungs, but air pollution also causes our brains to shrink and affects our memory and cognitive power as we age. A new study published in Neurology shows women who eat a diet high in omega 3s from fish can better withstand the detriment.Next, learn the habits you should start today to keep your brain healthy at 80.

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What are brain games, anyway?

Brain training games ask players to complete tasks that practice specific cognitive skills like memory, attention, logic, and quick thinking. However, “there are differing views on what exactly constitutes a ‘brain game,'” says Adam Gazzaley, MD, PhD, cofounder of Akili Interactive Labs, a company that develops therapeutic video games. “Games themselves are a vast genre, similar to other umbrella terms like ‘sports’ and ‘drugs.'” Generally speaking, brain training activities can range from video games to puzzles to brain teasers, Dr. Gazzaley says. (Psst: Heres what your brain fog is trying to tell you.)

Are the claims true? Do brain games actually work?

When it comes to our brains, very few things are black and whiteincluding the effectiveness of brain games for adults. “The answer is always ‘it depends,’ says Susanne Jaeggi, PhD, a neuroscientist at the University of California at Irvine. “It depends on what games, who plays them and for what purpose, and how long/how often/how intensely they are being played.” Jeaggi’s team at the Working Memory and Plasticity Laboratory has found that the response of individuals to brain training are often mixed; while some participants show cognitive improvement, others do not. More research is needed, experts say, to find the exact formula for brain-boosting success.

What are the known benefits of brain games?

Studies have shown that playing certain games like solitaire or chess will make you better at the skills required to play those games, according to Jaeggi. But “the key thing to remember is that the skill you are getting better at is often incredibly specific,” says Jonathan King, PhD, program director at the National Institute of Aging (NIA). For example, “your ability to remember the cards is trainable, and having card memory skills could be helpful in a variety of card games, but won’t really do anything to improve your chess game, or necessarily do anything to help you learn how to memorize other things more generally.”

How does brain training make our brains faster and stronger?

Although brain games might not have the magical benefits you hoped for, they are not a total wash. Turns out, by playing a certain game over and over again, you are actually changing the way your brain works. “The benefits engendered by video game play are often the result of neuroplasticity, the ability of the brain to modify its structure, chemistry, and function in response to a challenge,” Dr. Gazzaley says. “This phenomenon serves as the neural basis of learning.” Translation: As you play brain games, your brain is adapting and rewiring itself to improve its performance.

Can brain games improve memory?

Research on the benefits of brain games for memory are not conclusive. Most experts agree, however, that memory-boosting games can improve the skills you practice while playing. For example, “if I repeatedly test your ability to remember briefly presented visual patterns, you will indeed get better at remembering those patterns,” King says. To enhance your recall ability more generally, King recommends the so-called “method of loci,” a technique that trains you to picture specific items on a mental list of objects you own in the corner, space, or room where they are placed.

Can brain games reduce age-related cognitive decline?

Age-related cognitive decline is another area where brain training games could actually have some positive effect, research shows. In a decade-long clinical trial conducted by Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE), participants still benefited from the memory, reasoning, and speed of processing training five years later. Better yet, some people benefited from the speed of processing training 10 years later. Ready to get started? Here are habits to start now to keep your brain healthy at 80.

Can brain games prevent Alzheimer’s disease?

If you play brain games to try to stave off dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, challenging your mind with the occasional Sudoku puzzle may not be worth your time. “Unfortunately, that’s not a promise that we can make at this point (and probably never) given that Alzheimer’s disease results from several factors, only some of which are in our control,” Faeggi says.

What types of brain game programs work best?

There is not enough evidence for any of the currently available products to say which would work best, according to King. In fact, none of the major products that claim to improve your memory or intelligence have received FDA approval, and “only a very small number of products are currently pursuing FDA approval,” he says. (Also, here are three ways to train your brain for success.)

What other ways to keep our brains sharp?

Faeggi recommends incorporating more activities that require active thinking and problem solving into your daily routine, such as playing a musical instrument or board game, participating in a book club, or volunteering. Other lifestyle factorssuch as getting enough sleep, being physically active, and eating nutrient-rich foodsmight boost your brain, as well. Studies supported by the NIA are attempting to determine exactly which activities or lifestyle choices can help brains stay sharp, King says.

What’s ahead for brain games and cognitive research?

Researchers continue to explore what changes in the brain are caused by training, how we could make these training effects larger, and how to apply the training to all aspects of our lives, King says. The future of brain-boosting video games appears promising, too. “I am optimistic that continued high-level design and rigorous studies will support the use of custom-built, personalized, adaptive video games as effective tools to enhance and maintain brain function,” Dr. Gazzaley says. “I believe that digital medicine will be a big part of our future.”Next, check out these brain facts that’ll blow your mind.

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Test yourself

Take a few seconds every day for some simple quizzes. They’ll test your brain, your muscles, and your overall health. Climbing stairs, drawing clocks, and getting in and out of chairs might not seem all that difficult. But these DIY home tests can tell a lot about the state of your body and cognitive functioning. Ready to see how well you’re doing? Take the tests. (Also, check out these daily habits that can help keep your brain healthy.)

Climb stairs while talking or singing

You’ve probably heard that taking the stairs is a healthy alternative to the elevator. But your fitness level on the stairs can also be used to detect whether cardiovascular problems may be already present. Walk up one flight of stairs while talking or singing a simple song like “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” If you get so winded you can’t talk or sing, or feel a tightening in your chest, see your doctor. (Also, check out the health benefits of singing.)

“I like this test because it helps measure a number of things,” says Jennifer Caudle, DO, family physician, associate professor at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine. “Walking up a flight of stairs while singing or talking not only may tell us how well the heart is functioning, but it also can indicate how well the lungs are functioning.” Getting out of breath easily could also indicate asthma, bronchitis, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Balance on one leg

These daily exercises may improve your balance, which is one important measure of overall wellness. Time yourself as you stand on one leg with your eyes open. Hold this position for up to 60 seconds. If you wobble after just 20, you could possibly be at risk for future brain problems. In a Japanese study published in the journal Stroke, 30 percent of older adults who couldn’t balance for this long had microbleeds in the brain. These tiny drops of blood in the brain leaked from vessels are only detectable through MRI and are an early indication of risk for stroke or dementia. While these bleeds are a warning sign of bigger brain problems to come, they have an immediate impact on balance as well as a person’s memory and decision-making. (Also, check out these memory strategies you’ll never forget.)

Check your moles

You should know the difference between skin spots in order to find potentially dangerous diseases like skin cancer. “An easy way to decipher if a mole on your body is normal or potentially harmful is to use the ABCDEs,” says dermatologist Purvisha Patel, MD, creator of Visha Skin Care. This handy method stands for asymmetry, border, colour, diameter, and evolving, as outlined by the Canadian Cancer Society. The ABCDE rule will help you determine if you should schedule a screening with a dermatologist.

“When observing a mole on your skin the first thing you want to look at is its shape. Is the mole asymmetrical?” she says. If both halves are the same, it’s probably fine. Next, “An atypical mole will not have a defined border,” she says. If yours looks irregular, get it checked. “Notice if the colour of the mole is all one shade or if it varies. A healthy spot will be one consistent colour,” Dr. Patel says. “The diameter of melanoma [skin cancer] is usually greater than 6 millimetres, or the size of a pencil eraser.” Finally, “Is your mole evolving in size and/or shape?” she says. If so, have it checked by a medical professional.

(Also, here’s how to get rid of those bright red moles.)

Move from sitting to standing and back again

Sitting could be killing youand so could be not being able to get up from your seat. Do this chair-to-stand test 10 times, and watch the clock to see how long it takes. Doing well on the test requires lower-body muscle strength and power, balance, and coordination, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Researchers believe that low levels of performance in the test in mid-life could indicate the presence of underlying disease even before symptoms arise. Here are signs you need to move more.

Touch your toes

To test your flexibility, sit on the floor with your back and head pressed up against a wall. Bend forward and try to touch your toes. If they’re still far, far away from your fingers, you may be at risk for cardiovascular problems. Using this test, researchers at the University of North Texas found that a flexible body may be a predictor of flexible arteries.

The reverse was also true: People who were inflexible (and unable to touch their toes) had stiffer, less elastic arteries than those who were more able to bend. When arteries have some give to them, blood can flow easily. When arteries are stiff, due to inactivity or unhealthy habits like smoking, the heart must work harder to pump blood, potentially putting the body at risk for heart attack or stroke. (Here are some ballet moves that’ll improve your flexibility.)

Go from lying down to standing

One of the signs of iron deficiency you might be ignoring is dizziness upon standing. (You may need to eat more foods that are high in iron.) You’ve probably experienced that vertigo-type feeling occasionally when getting out of bed. But if it happens frequently, it could be a sign of anemia, as well as low blood pressure, dehydration, or other conditions. “Changing positionssuch as changing from lying down to sitting to standinginvolves many systems in the body,” Dr. Caudle says. “The heart, brain, nervous system, inner ear, and many other systems are involved in the process of changing positions.” Experiencing symptoms like dizziness or lightheadedness when rising can be a sign of problems related to these areas of the body. When it comes to low blood pressure, the condition itself isn’t a problem according to the Government of Canada, but if it’s accompanied by dizziness or other symptoms, it’s worth getting checked out.

Touch your feet with a pencil

One of the silent diabetes symptoms you may be missing could be numbness in your feet. Such nerve damage can also occur with autoimmune diseases like lupus and infections such as Lyme disease. This numbness could be too subtle to realize on your own, so have a partner test the feeling in your extremities with a pencil. Can you tell without looking if you’re being gently poked with the point or the eraser?

“Touching toes and feet with a sharp but safe object often tells us how well our nerves and sensation is,” Dr. Caudle says. “This is particularly important in patients with diabetes and other conditions which affect the nerves. If you don’t feel sharp objects appropriately at your toes it can be a sign that you have nerve damagethe next thing to figure out is why.” See your doctor to perform further testing. Check out the foods that may help prevent diabetes.

Place a paper on the backs of your hands

One of the early symptoms of Parkinson’s that’s easy to miss might be a slight hand tremor. Although we associate shaky hands with that disease, there are other conditions that could cause this unintentional movement, like overactive thyroid. “Shaking, or tremour, can be caused by many conditions, including neurological conditions [like Parkinson’s], vitamin deficiencies, hormone problems, and more,” Dr. Caudle says. To see if you’re subtly shaking, place a piece of paper over the backs of your hands as you hold them out in front of you. The paper will allow you to see any tremour much more clearly. “This is a surefire way to see if you shake,” Dr. Caudle says.

Look at the creases in your palm with fingers stretched

Your hands might predict surprising diseases that could be written on your palmbut this is a different kind of palm reading. “Looking at the creases of the palm can be an important way to help identify severe anemia,” Dr. Caudle says. “With anemia, or low blood counts, it is common for tissues to become pale because the body is lacking blood, or hemoglobin. When the creases of the palm are unusually pale, it could be a sign of low blood counts.” Hold your hand with fingers outstretched and examine if the creases are darker and easy to see. If they’re not, you may be anemic. This test of “palmar creases” is an evidence-based tool doctors themselves use in diagnosing anemia. (Check out the silent signs you’re not taking good care of yourself.)

Ask yourself two questions

The hidden signs of depression to watch out for may make themselves clear with two simple questions. Known as the “Whooley questions” for the researcher who developed them, they are: “During the past month, have you often been bothered by feeling down, depressed, or hopeless?” and “During the past month, have you often been bothered by little interest or pleasure in doing things?” If you answer yes to either, further evaluation by a doctor is advised.

Although there are many effective online depression screening tests, a meta-analysis published in BMJ Open showed these two questions are highly sensitive in detecting depression. “Mental health screening tests people take online are enormously helpfulfor many, it helps to put a name to their suffering, and for others, it’s a confirmation of what they already know they’re experiencing,” says psychologist Deborah Serani, PsyD, author of Depression in Later Life. “A screening or simple test is not a full diagnosis though, so make sure you follow up with a depression screening by a professional.” She even suggests printing out the test and taking it to your appointment, so you have talking points already highlighted to discuss.

Draw a clock

There are treatable causes of dementia you can recognize before it’s too late, so catching it early can help. One simple DIY test to see if your mind is functioning properly is the clock drawing test. See if you can draw a clock reading 11:10 (or another time can be used as well). Ask a friend to review your clock. If there are errors like missing numbers or the wrong time, it’s cause for calling the doctor.

“This test measures some aspects of visuospatial and executive skills, so people with cognitive impairments involving those parts of the brain may have difficulties with this test,” says Douglas Scharre, MD, director of the Division of Cognitive Neurology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “Certain dementias including Alzheimer’s disease will cause people to have trouble performing this test, but it is not diagnostic of any specific cognitive disorder.” (Here’s another sign you might be at risk for dementia.)

See if you are SAGE

We’re not talking about wisdom, but rather a slightly more extensive dementia test that still only takes less than 15 minutes. The Self-Administered Gerocognitive Exam (SAGE) was developed by researchers at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center to detect early signs of mental impairments. “Those who take the SAGE test are tested on orientationmonth, date, and year; languageverbal fluency and picture naming; reasoning and computation; visuospatialthree-dimensional construction and clock drawing; executive problem-solving and memory abilities,” says Dr. Scharre. “The SAGE test can help detect memory problems earlier, which is important since treatments for Alzheimer’s and dementia are more effective when started in the earliest stage of the disease.” Although it includes the clock test, Dr. Scharre says SAGE is a “multi-domain, more global assessment of brain function.” Take the test at home, then bring it in to show your doctor if there are any concerning results. (Learn if you can avoid dementia by brushing your teeth.)

Do at-home testing kits

Here’s what happened when one user tried an at-home STD testing kitand now there are tons more home kits you can take as well. But which ones are most worth it? An easy pee-on strip can help test for painful urinary tract infections easily and quickly without waiting for a doctor’s appointment or urgent care visit. But if it’s positive, you still have to go in to get a script for antibiotics. Some HIV home kits require a finger prick with the blood sent away to a lab, but another tests saliva with a mouth swab, with results ready at home in 20 minutes. Another home test to consider is hepatitis Cespecially if you’re a Baby Boomer, because people of that generation are at greater risk for the disease, according to the CDC. It’s actually known as “Boomer’s Disease.”

Complete the sitting to rising test

See if you can do the sitting to rising test (SRT). Stand up straight and then lower yourself into a cross-legged position without using your hands or resting on your knees. Then, also without using your hands or resting on your knees, stand back up again. Developed by researchers in Brazil, the test results reflected mortality in their study. In a follow-up, those participants who could perform the test with less support from hands or knees lived longer.

“The sitting-rising test does not require specific equipment and is safe, easy to apply in a short time periodless than 2 minutesand reliably scored,” study author Dr. Claudio Gil Arajo of the ClinimexExercise Medicine Clinic in Rio de Janeiro said in a press release. “It is well known that aerobic fitness is strongly related to survival, but our study also shows that maintaining high levels of body flexibility, muscle strength, power-to-body weight ratio, and coordination are not only good for performing daily activities but have a favorable influence on life expectancy.”

Next, learn the health conditions that could increase your risk of osteoporosis.

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Brain fog it happens to the best of us.

Hopefully for you, it wasnt in the middle of a pitch to your boss or in front of your 10-year-old, who will inevitably find a way to mimic your struggles at every turn. There is good news, though: You can take the steps now to manage it, once and for all.Start with foods that are high in antioxidants called polyphenols, which protect your brain from stress. Blueberries, green tea, colourful veggies and, yes, even dark chocolate and coffee are rich in these brain-healthy compounds.Fuel your brain with simple, satisfying meals that are full of beneficial fats from olives, avocados, nuts and choline-rich eggs. Your brain is 60 percent fat. Eating these healthy fats supercharges your brain to help you power up your life. (Keep in mind, thesehealthy habits are proven to boost your brain healthas well.)For those who need more of a lift than food alone can deliver, here are some of the top brain-enhancing supplements to choose from, based on your individual goals.

Lion’s Mane Mushrooms

In the adaptogenic category (an adaptogen supports your bodys ability to adapt to stress), lions mane mushrooms are a cognitive powerhouse. Multiple studies on lions mane reveal its neurogenerative benefits, even for those with cognitive impairment. Add teaspoon (one gram) of organic lions mane powder to a daily protein shake for a mental lift.

Nicotinamide Riboside

Wondering which B vitamin to choose for your brain? Relatively new on the scene, nicotinamide riboside (NR) is a variation that helps you recover from energy dips caused by aging or overtraining at the gym. Recent studies have shown that, of all the B vitamins, NR uses the least amount of your bodys energy to support your nervous system and brain.

Omega-3 and Astaxanthin

The brain favours two key omega-3 fatty acids: DHA and EPA. Seaweed, algae (such as spirulina and chlorella) and cold-water fish are excellent sources of this dietary fat. Like omega-3, marine-based astaxanthin is a powerful brain-stimulating anti-oxidant thats found in fatty fish. For a one-two punch, look for krill oil capsules, which contain both omega-3 and astaxanthin. (Check out these secrets nutritionists won’t tell you for free.)

Turmeric

Turmeric, which has been used for thousands of years in Ayurveda, is rich in neuron-boosting turmerone and anti-inflammatory curcumin. Freshly ground turmeric is delicious in salads, cooking and golden milk. Consider a fermented option, and ensure that your turmeric supplement contains piperine (a compound found in pepper) for increased absorption.

Vitamin D3

Vitamin D deficiencies, which are linked to low mood and cognitive decline, are common, especially for those who work indoors or live in colder climates. Vitamin D3 is recommended over vitamin D2 because it elevates vitamin D in the blood almost twice as much.Remember, too, the other important tenets of good health. Prioritize quality sleep to flush waste from your brain, and amp up your grey matter with regular workouts. A walk or nature hike, especially shared with positive friends, enhances brain healing. Restorative sleep, consistent exercise and a supportive peer group, combined with brain foods and supplements, will put you at the top of your (mind) game.Paige Purvis is an integrative nutrition health coach and CEO of Radiant Self Wellness.Now that you know the best supplements for brain health, check out which supplements every woman can benefit from.

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Palermo’s symptoms only got worse

“The twitching continued, and my speech was slurring. It sounded like my mouth was filled with marbles. Then I started having trouble sleeping.” The psychiatrist put Palermo on anti-anxiety and antidepressant medication, and once her insomnia began, heavy sleep aids. Nothing worked. “It felt as if I had sleep paralysis. My body would be unable to move, but my brain never turned off. I would wake in the morning with my heart racing, feeling as though I was in the middle of a panic attack.” At one point, she had not slept in 25 days. She began hallucinating, hearing voices, and drifting in and out of lucidness.Her psychiatrist prescribed more sleep meds, but nothing eased her insomnia. When asked if she was suicidal, Palermo replied that she wasand that led to a short stint in a psychiatric facility. ” I knew I didn’t need to be there, and my parents checked me out after a few days. I spent that entire month in our basement. I didn’t want to leave the house or speak to anyone.”

One morning Palermo awoke to a bruised tongue; she thought she may have bit it in her sleep.

The truth was much more disturbing: During a family dinner at a restaurant, she had a seizure. “My parents tell me I began rocking back and forth, making repetitive sounds. I didn’t recognize my mom or my dad. I have no memory of any of it. It was then they knew something was truly wrong.”Palermo’s psychiatrist put her through some basic mental tests: “I couldn’t write my name or read. I couldn’t recognize simple shapes. She watched me walk, and I had deteriorated so much by then I had to hold on to things to get around.” The psychiatrist referred Palermo to The Johns Hopkins Hospital, where, because of her previous admission to a psychiatric facility, she was sent immediately to the psychiatric department. “They said I was possibly schizophrenicbut I knew that wasn’t the problem at all.”

Desperate for the truth

Palermo’s parents got her discharged from the hospital and made an appointment with neurologist James F. Wolf, MD. For the first time in a long time, Palermo felt hope. “Dr. Wolf looked at me and said ‘I believe you and I will diagnose you. This is not a psychiatric problem.'”After two normal MRI scans, Dr. Wolf suspected Palermo was suffering from some form of encephalitisbrain inflammationand ordered blood tests. When the results came back, Dr. Wolf gave Palermo a thumbs up; his hunch was correct. “I felt like everything was going to be alright once I saw that.”Palermo was diagnosed in August 2018, with anti-NMDAR encephalitis, an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s defenses mistakenly attack the brain, triggering inflammation. Researchers aren’t sure why the immune system turns on the brain, but some believe it may be the result of chronic infections such as the herpes simplex virus.”The illness starts with flu-like symptoms,” explains Ava Easton, PhD, chief executive officer of the Encephalitis Society, “and is followed by the development of psychotic symptoms, seizures, memory issues, and decreased consciousness. Most patients present to the hospital in the psychotic stage. Three-quarters of them have seen by a psychiatrist and nearly half of them are misdiagnosed with a psychiatric condition.”Palermo’s treating physician, Arun Venkatesan, MD, PhD, director of the Johns Hopkins Encephalitis Center and a member of the Encephalitis Society Scientific Advisory Panel, explains to Reader’s Digest: “Treatment involves quieting down the immune system since this is a condition in which the patient’s own immune system is attacking their brain cells. There are a number of ways to do this, including oral medications, and IV infusions.” Palermo was treated with steroid medications and infusions in the hospital; over the next few months, she began to regain her mental and physical abilities. (Note: These everyday habits cannaturally boost your immune system.)Today, Palermo has made a full recovery and she’s attending college. She hopes to one day become a nurse. For now, she has one message: “I want others with this to know that it will take time and patience, but things will get better.”Medically reviewed byRenata Chalfin, MD.

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Your brain is extremely powerful

The human brain is responsible for keeping your body running all day long. It not only helps people think and learn new things, but it also controls your movement and speech, too. The brain is part of the central nervous system and receives tons of information.Make some room in your noggin for these surprising brain facts you need to know.

The brain itself can’t feel pain

Ever wonder how brain surgeons are able to perform surgeries on patients while they’re awake? Beth McQuiston, MD, a neurologist and the medical director of the diagnostics division at the health-care company Abbott, explains that even though the brain has layers of coverings and blood vessels that contain pain receptors, the brain itself has zero. When a person has a headache, for example, it’s often thought of as pain stemming from the brain, but this is actually not the case. The muscles and skin surrounding the brain, however, can feel pain.

Your brain is greedy

Your brain might account for only about 3 percent of your body weight, but it receives about 30 percent of the blood being pumped by your heart. This shows how much attention and support it requires in comparison to the other seemingly important areas of your body. “The brain is like a spoiled and demanding child, but yet it is extremely smart and efficient,” explains Bennet Omalu,MD, a forensic pathologist, neuropathologist, epidemiologist, clinical professor at the University of California, Davis, and author of Truth Doesn’t Have a Side. “It takes the brain about 1/10,000th of a second to respond to something and generate an action.”

You actually do use most of your brain, most of the time

The film Limitless with Bradley Cooper is just the latest version of the myth that we only use 10 percent of our brain. “This misconception came about because the brain is so adaptable that sometimes minor damage causes only subtle problems,” explains Brett Wingeier, PhD, engineer, neuroscientist, and co-founder of Halo Neuroscience. “The fact is, most of your brain is constantly workingto sense, process, think, move, and even dream.” Even when you head to sleep at night, your brain is still hard at work. (Don’t miss theseresearch-backed ways to train your brain for success.)

Brain waves are even more active while you’re dreaming

When you’re fast asleep, you might think that your brain is “shut off,” but it’s actually doing a whole lot more than when you’re walking, talking, eating, and thinking. “When awake, people utilize alpha and beta waves, which gives us day wakefulness,” explains Brandon Brock, a certified family nurse practitioner and staff clinician at Foundation Physicians Group. “Sleep, however, especially in the initial stages, uses Theta activity, which is greater in amplitude than Beta.”

Adult brains still make new neurons

While most of our neurons have been with us since birth, and age does take a toll, your brain still makes new neurons. “This process, known as neurogenesis, occurs in a special region called the dentate gyrus,” explains Wingeier. “These neurons are thought to be important for learning, memory, and responding to stress.” These brain facts have been highly debated, buta 2019 study published in the journal Nature Medicinethat looked at the brain tissue of 58 recently deceased people found that theadult brain can indeed generate new neurons. How can you boost neurogenesis in your own brain? Wingeier says through healthy livingthings like sleep, exercise, and a balanced diet.

Almost half of a child’s energy goes to fuel his or her brain

In order for the brain to stay running at top-notch, it requires significant amounts of energy. And this is even more true for young children who are still learning, processing, and developing at a fast rate. “Scientists at Northwestern University discovered recently that in the preschool years, when a child’s brain development is faster, physical growth is slower, possibly to save more energy for the developing brain,” explains Wingeier. “Conversely, during puberty, when physical growth is faster, brain development is slowerwhich may come as no surprise to parents of teenagers.”

The majority of brain cells aren’t neurons

Did you know that for all the neurons in the brain, there are at least as many glial cells that support and protect these neurons? “These microscopic unsung heroes make sure neurons have a constant supply of nutrients and oxygen, insulate neurons from each other, and even help clean up after neural damage,” says Wingeier. “They even help optimize communication between neurons.”

Exercise is just as good for your brain as it is for your body

Professional athletes know how important fueling their brain is to ensure they’re able to put maximum effort and energy into their workouts. “This is because of the mental stimulation that comes with exercise, but also because a healthy cardiovascular system means better plumbing for the brain,” says Wingeier. Especially when you try a new fitness class or regimen for the first time, your brain is working hard at learning the motions and controlling your muscles. (Check out these otherhealthy habits that can boost your brain health.)

You can “see” through your ears

Neuroplasticity, or the brain’s ability to reorganize and change itself throughout a person’s lifetime, is a truly remarkable thing. In one 2011 study published in theProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, University of Montreal researchers compared the brain activity of individuals who were born blind and those who had normal vision. They found that the part of the brain that’s normally wired to work with our eyes can instead rewire itself to process sound information instead of visual perception. Pretty cool, right?

The visual areas of the brain are in the very back

These brain facts might sound counterintuitive, considering your eyes are in the front of your head, but the part of your brain responsible for vision, the occipital lobe, is located in the back. “Bang someone on the back of the head and they will see stars, not sounds,” says Henry Soper, PhD, a former clinical psychology faculty member in the School of Psychology at Fielding Graduate University. Similarly, the left side of your brain controls the vision on your right side and vice versa. The same goes for how our brain processes soundon opposite sides of the head. “Although evolutionary theories have been proposed, the bottom line is we really do not know why,” Soper says.

Brain scans can “light up” when a person is in love

Some may think that being “in love” is only an idea or merely a term people use, but brain scans reveal otherwise. “For people who are romantically in love, functional MRI brain scans can show activity where dopamine, the ‘feel-good’ neurotransmitter, is present,” says Dr. McQuiston. “Other areas in the brain associated with pleasure and reward can also show greater activity for people who have fallen in love.” (Psst: Here’s what happens to your brain when you have sex.)

Your brain activity is as unique as your fingerprints

Research published in the journal Nature Neuroscience suggests that a person’s brain activity may be as unique as his or her own fingerprints. To reach their conclusion, scientists used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to create “connectivity profiles,” which allowed researchers to identify the brain activity of more than 100 individuals. “Learning about individual brain connections offered scientists specific insights about an individual’s intelligence or personality,” explains Dr. McQuiston. “This could have implications for how scanning brains might be used in the future to one day help individualize care for each unique person.”

Your brain is smaller than your ancestors’

This might be one of the scariest of these brain facts when you really think about it, but paleoanthropological research suggests that our brains are shrinking. Skeletal evidence from every inhabited continent backs up this theory. Some scientists suggest that this may be related to the fact that the average body size of humans has also shrunk in size over the last 10,000 years. “A larger body requires a larger nervous system, so, as our bodies grew smaller, so did our brains in response,” suggests Donald Krieff, DO, a board-certified neurosurgeon.

The brain has more cell types than any other tissue in our body

Unlike the liver or certain muscles in our body where most of the cells are the same type, the brain is composed of a variety of complicated, interconnected types of cells, one being neurons, explains Hermona Soreq, PhD, professor of molecular neuroscience at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences. (To prevent memory loss and sharpen your mind, try these mini-mental workout exercises.)

When you’re awake, yourbrain produces enough electricity to power a small light bulb

According to computer scientists at Stanford University, a robot with a processor that is virtually as intelligent as the human brain would need at least 10 megawatts of electricity to work properly. “Neurons in the brain do make enough electricity to run a light bulb100 billions of cells generate this amount of energy,” explains Brock. And the brain works fast, tooso fast that it’s speedier than the world’s greatest computer. “The information going to your brain from your arms and legs travels at 150 miles per hour.”

The brain waves of two musicians can synchronize when performing together

There’s a scientific reason why your favourite bands and musicians blend together harmoniously. A team of scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin, Germany, used electrodes to record the brain waves of 16 pairs of guitarists as they played the same musical sequence. Even though the two individuals in each pair played different parts, their brain waves synchronized. “This study suggests that there’s a neural blueprint for coordinating actions with others,” explains Brock. “Brainwaves, neurochemicals, and some say even heartbeats start to sync and become similar in those singing together or in choirs.”

“Brain freeze” is actually your brain recognizing a drop in temperature

It’s true. In an effort to save you from freezing to death, your brain leaps into action when it senses a drop in temperature on your palate. “Your brain quickly increases blood pressure in an effort to tell you to slow down or take it easy,” says Brock. “The scientific term is sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia and is a way for your brain to say that it is turning up the brakes on what you are doing to prevent unwanted changes due to temperature.”

Reading aloud uses different brain circuits than reading silently

Researchers have long understood that children first learn to read by speaking words out loud and only once that knowledge has been established can they learn to read to themselves. “Environmental noise versus chaotic noise versus noise discrimination all use different channels,” explains Brock. In the same vein, noise in the form of music is processed differently than regular speech, various pitches and frequencies, and different harmonies, as well. (Learnwhy reading is so important for your brain.)

Your brain is mostlyfat

Yepyour thinking cap is the fattiest organ in your body, consisting of a minimum of 60 percent fat. This is why a diet rich in healthy fats, such as omega-3s and omega-6s, is vital for brain and overall body health. “Fat stabilizes the cell walls in the brain and carries, absorbs, and stores fat-soluble vitamins in your bloodstream,” explains Brock. “It also reduces inflammation and helps the immune system regulate and function properly.”

Brain cells can only survive on oxygen and glucose

These two nutrients are incredibly vital to the functioning and survival of the human brain. It takes the brain anywhere from three to five minutes to suffer irreversible damage when it is starved of oxygen or glucose. As Dr. Omalu explains, the brain controls and drives the heart and lungs and controls our consciousness. This is why most deaths are never instant. “Even if a human being is decapitated, the brain does not suffer irreversible damage and death until several minutes after decapitation.”

The brain is not permanently arranged at birth

Nopethose nerve cells in your noggin continue to change based on how often they’re used and stimulated in the first year of life. This is especially true for speech and language. “Some toddlers have to undergo extensive brain resections for medical reasons, and these procedures may, unfortunately, mean removing the primary language center in the brain,” explains Jennifer Bickel, MD, pediatric neurologist and director of the Comprehensive Headache Clinic at Children’s Mercy Kansas City. “If adults undergo a similar procedure, they are often unable to communicate through written or verbal language. However, [a young child’s] brain is so adaptable that it will reorganize itself and the ability to use language will be retained.” It’s this ongoing ability of the brain to adapt that is the reason why young children require regular exposure to language.

Reading allows your brain to directly download information

“Although the headsets of science fiction are still far off, technologylike the printing presshas been amplifying human abilities and helping us learn, process, and communicate for centuries now,” explains Wingeier. But why does this count as a brain-machine interface? When you learned to read, your brain had to change and restructure itself so your visual and language systems could transfer information from the page into your working memory. “Now, we’re augmenting our brains further with smartphones and Google searches,” he says. “And, just like the science-fiction headsets, it’s up to us to use them wisely.”

The harder your brain is working, the smaller your brain waves

As it’s working, your brain is creating electric fields. “The fields are measured on your scalp, called the electroencephalogram (EEG), and are often larger when your brain is doing less,” explains Wingeier. “This is because idle neurons sync up by defaultso like a crowd chanting in unison, they can be ‘heard’ from far away.” Neurons processing more information sync up in more complex patterns, so like a crowd in which people are having a thousand different conversations, they’re harder to “hear” clearly.

Dinosaurs lacked the ability to think and reason

There’s plenty that scientists are still discovering about the long-lost reptiles that roamed the earth 65 million years ago. But what they do know is that dinosaurs couldn’t think or reason the way humans can. “Dinosaurs had no neocortex, which we use for thinking and such, and no frontal lobes, which we use for planning and problem-solving,” says Soper. “Dinosaur thinking is more along the lines of chicken thinking: They could learn certain things, but minimally compared to mammals.” They did, however, have a killer sense of smell that was far, far better than we humans have.

While weslow down as we age, much of ourbrain stays intact

“As many civilizations have said, the older folk know more because of their experience, even though their memory may not be as good,” says Soper. “With regard to aging, the mind that stays active and exercises will not show the decline that others may show.” Of course, this involves exercising the brain daily, which is why crossword puzzles and games like Sudoku, bingo,and mahjong can be incredibly helpful for the elderly. “If the elderly pick up mental exercises, their intelligence may actually go up,” explains Soper, “and the same is true of the body and its exercises.” (FYI: Thesehabits age your brain.)

Your brain’s storage capacity is virtually unlimited

There’s no such thing as knowing too muchor learning so much that you can’t retain any more information (though it can certainly feel that way after sitting through a long board meeting). “Your brain doesn’t get ‘used up’ like the data storage in your computer or smartphone,” says Dr. Krieff. “There is endless brain power! Although lack of sleep can affect your brain’s ability to create more memories.”

Use it or lose it

The brain is similar to a muscle, explains Shirley Newell, MD, former chief medical officer at Aegis Living. “You can build up your ‘cognitive reserve,’ or your brain’s innate ability to get a job done, through different types of learning and or through new experiences.” People with a stronger and healthier cognitive reserveone that’s been strengthened with learned experiencehave been shown to be more capable of coping with unexpected life events.

Short-term memory generally lasts around 20 to 30 seconds

Ever wonder how you can say something, get distracted briefly, and then completely forget what you were about to say? This has to do with your brain’s capacity for holding small amounts of information in the active mind. It keeps that information in an available state for easy access, but only does so for a period of around a half a minute. Brock notes that when recalling numbers, specifically, most people hold the memory for around 7.3 seconds on the average and 9.3 seconds on average for letters. (Learn the powerful way meditation can change your brain.)

Surgical removal of almost half our brain is possible with little or no effect on personality or memory

These brain facts might sound crazy, but a hemispherectomy, or the surgical removal of half of the brain, can and does happen. It’s a very rare neurosurgical procedure that is used to treat a variety of seizure disorders. However, this type of procedure, as one would imagine, is not done without impact. “Some traits are very specific to one hemisphere, thus it can give us very subtle differences,” says Brock. “Usually memory, humour, and personality will recover, but cognition might change a little.”

Sleep deprivation can affect the brain in many ways

There’s a reason that a solid seven to nine hours of sleep per night is recommended: Your body and your brain require rest in order to function properly, retain memory, and react in a timely manner. Judgment is even impaired when a human has not had a proper night’s rest. “Sleep deprivation kills brain cells, can create psychosis if long enough, and will reduce the ability of the body and the brain to heal,” says Brock. “All of these things can impact cognition, judgment, or reaction time.”If you found these brain facts mind-boggling, next learn how to train your brain to hate junk food.

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Dont ignore fuzzy thinking

If youve ever felt spaced out, absent-minded, cognitively off, or unable to focus for an extended period of time, youve probably experienced the kind of mental fatigue known as brain fog. Medical professionals warn that brain fog could indicate a more serious underlying health issueso instead of simply tolerating your fuzzy thinking, consult a doctor to either rule out or address these common causes.

You might have depression

Clinical depression is a familiar trigger for the cognitive dysfunction associated with brain fog. Depression can compromise your mental clarity, reaction time, and mood. According to the World Health Organization, 300 million people around the world live with clinical depression. If you have a hunch you might be one of them, make an appointment with your general practitioner to get screened. Your GP will run blood tests and other laboratory tests and refer you to a specialist, including a psychiatrist, if necessary. If youve already been diagnosed with the condition and prescribed an antidepressant to treat it, ask your doctor whether brain fog could actually be a side effect from the medication. Brain fog is not even the most bizarre side effect of common medications. It may be a good idea to take a mental health day.

Your sleep could be suffering

Burning the midnight oil? Adults require between seven and nine hours of shut-eye, so if youre not getting enoughor youre one of up to 70 million U.S. adults who has a disruptive sleep disorder, like insomnia or sleep apnea, according to the American Sleep Associationthen sleep deprivation could be the culprit of your brain fog. Overnight, your brain restores itselfand scientists have discovered that not getting enough sleep literally impedes your brains ability to fire neurons the way its supposed to. It can leave you scatterbrained and moody and limit your attention span. To upgrade the quality of your snooze, the Better Sleep Council suggests adopting and being consistent with healthy habits like banning personal electronics from your bedroom, keeping the room temperature between 65 and 67 degrees, and hanging onto your mattress for no longer than seven years before replacing it. Here are other hacks to ensure you get your vitamin Zzz.

Your hormone levels might be changing

A common trigger for brain fog in women of all ages is the bodys delicate and ever-shifting balance of hormones. The condition can be most pronounced during menopause and perimenopause, the years leading up to the change. Proper cognitive functioning is the norm, regardless of age, according to Aviva Romm, MD, a faculty member with the Center for Mind-Body Medicine and author of The Adrenal Thyroid Revolution. Brain fog during this period could indicate fluctuations in estrogen and other hormones, leaving you with a cloudy head and trouble concentrating. But pregnancy, PMS, and menstruationespecially when accompanied by severe cramps or endometriosiscan contribute to brain fog in women of reproductive age, too. If this all sounds painfully familiar, its smart to make an appointment with an endocrinologist, who can run blood tests to diagnose an imbalance and determine a treatment plan to restore your hormonal health. Here’s how to deal with hormones that are out of control.

It could be poor eating habits

Your confusion, indecisiveness, and anxiety could be rooted in a very fundamental aspect of your overall healthyour diet, warns Dr. Romm. For instance, consuming too much sugar, caffeine, and alcohol over a long period of time can put you at an increased risk of brain fog. Caffeine may give you a spike in alertness, but when it wears off, irritability, fatigue, and a lack of focus can set in, causing a mid-day crash, a sign that youre drinking too much caffeine; ditto for too much sugar. Studies indicate that people who were once heavy drinkers and either curbed or stopped their long-term alcohol consumption felt their brain fog lift. Gluten and dairy sensitivities can also cloud your thinking, as can eating too much protein. Your doctor can use tools like skin tests and blood tests to identify food intolerances and allergies. John E. Lewis, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, suggests putting an emphasis on an organic whole-food, plant-based diet with a wide range of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and legumes while minimizing animal, processed, fatty, sugary, and GMO foods.

Are you getting enough exercise?

If you visit a doctor complaining of brain fogand you have no underlying medical conditionsa doctor will probably evaluate your physical fitness status, including your strength, aerobic capacity, flexibility, and neuromotor function, says Lewis. If someone is sedentary, he says, then a comprehensive exercise routine should be initiated at the proper starting level and adjusted over time as the body adapts and responds to training. And its not just your physique that reacts to exerciseall of your internal organs, including your brain, get a workout too. Physical activity reduces inflammation, releases feel-good endorphins, and can even help you cope with grief or depression.

Consider testing for a vitamin deficiency

Lewis cautions that a vitamin B12 deficiency or insufficiency is related to memory problems and central nervous system dysfunction, particularly in seniors. (Here are othersigns you’re not getting enough B12.) But thats not the only vitamin deficiency to look for. If your body lacks folate, thiamine, niacin, and vitamin B6, you could also experience brain fog. The brain also uses vitamin C to fight inflammation, a notorious cognitive fog culprit. Blood tests can determine whether or not there is cause for concern. Some doctors recommend taking supplements to meet your vitamin intake needs, but most agree that you can get all the vitamins and nutrients you need from nutrition. You would need to evaluate your daily dietary habits and tailor your diet to your needs.

Fibromyalgia might be to blame

The chronic condition called fibromyalgia is marked by chronic muscle pain, tender joints, fatigue, and sleep disturbances. Brain fog is so common in people living with the syndrome that its often referred to as fibro fog. Symptoms include short-term memory loss, fuzzy thinking, distractibility, and difficulty carrying on conversations, according to the Arthritis Foundation. A doctor will ask you about your familys medical history and run diagnostic tests to find out if your brain fog could be rooted in fibromyalgia. There is no cure for the condition, but medication combined with lifestyle changes can make it more manageable.

Get tested for hypothyroidism

Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located in your neck; its responsible for almost every function in your body, including hormone production and regulation, heart and digestion function, and muscle control. It can also impact your mood and contributes to brain development, according to the Society of Endocrinology. If your brain fog is thyroid-related, it could become a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, which means the gland is unable to produce enough thyroid hormones. A doctor will run blood tests to determine whether you suffer from this fairly common affliction. If you do, you may be prescribed prescription medication and encouraged to modify your diet. Heres how to tell if you have a hidden thyroid problem.

It could be coming from chronic stress

Alleviating the stress in your life has been known to clear up brain fog when all other factors have been eliminated. Lack of stress management can negatively impact the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, which dysregulates cortisol and other hormones that could also increase the occurrence of brain fog, says Lewis. Of course, cutting out stress is easier said than done, but there are effective ways to manage the stress you deal with on the daily. Making changes to many of the factors already discussedincluding your exercise, eating, and sleeping habitscan have an incredible impact. Meditation has also been embraced by Western medicine in recent years for its reported ability to ease mental stress. If stress feels out of your control, a visit to a mental health professional can arm you with effective tips for leading a happy, healthy, and fog-free life.Medically reviewed by Oscar H. Cingolani, MD.Now that you’ve learned the causes of your brain fog, check out which habits can boost your brain health.

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You have a messy desk

Intelligence is difficult to definepsychologists have been arguing about it for years. According to Cornell professor Robert J. Sternberg, PhD, intelligence is the ability “to learn from experience, adapt to new situations, understand and handle abstract concepts, and use knowledge to manipulate one’s environment.” You’d think someone who was intelligent would be organized and have everything in their workspace arranged neatlybut that’s not the case. In an experiment from the University of Minnesota, people in a messy setting came up with more creative ideas than those in a neat space. “Disorderly environments seem to inspire breaking free of tradition, which can produce fresh insights,” says study author Kathleen Vohs, PhD. “Orderly environments, in contrast, encourage convention and playing it safe.” Creativity is one of the traits that smarter people tend to possessand so conversely, it may actually lead to messiness, adds Jonathan Wai, PhD, a research scientist at the Duke University Talent Identification Program (TIP). “I’d guess that it’s not messiness that helps creativity, but creativity which may create messiness,” he says. “Such people tend to get lost in thought focusing on a problem or issue, and cleanliness becomes of less importance than focusing on the problem at hand.”

You stay up late

In movies, the creative genius always works late into the wee hours of the night by candlelightand perhaps this stereotype is rooted in fact. A study from the London School of Economics and Political Science found that people who tend to go to bed later have higher IQs. The study authors believe the root of why this is lies in our evolutionbecause nighttime was a more dangerous place, our ancestors who ventured into it instead of going to sleep needed to be more intelligent. Also, staying awake into the night was a new idea that was attractive to curious minds. Today, our varying circadian rhythms still may reflect this. “Perhaps [some smart people] stay up later because their internal clocks are simply different,” Dr. Wai says. “Or, perhaps they stay up later because they tend to be introverted, and like being up late at night without distractions to think and solve problems.” But if you are a night owl, remember to still get your seven to nine hours of sleep. Here’s how your sleep could be affecting your brain.

You swear

It’s commonly thought that swearing is a reflection of low education and intelligencethe theory that when people can’t think of the right adjective, they resort to slang, including curses. But a study by renowned expert in cursing Timothy Jay, PhD, and colleagues found that people who could come up with more curse words had a larger vocabulary in general. “Taboo or ‘swear word’ fluency is positively correlated with overall verbal fluency,” Dr. Jay told Medical Daily. “The more words you generated in one category meant the more words you generated in another category, orally and verbally.” Linguistic ability is one of the traits of people with higher intelligence possess, according to Dr. Wai, so it shouldn’t be surprising that smart people know more curseseven if they don’t use them all the time. “It’s part of your emotional intelligence to know how and when to use these words,” Dr. Jay says. Check out these body parts that can actually reveal how smart you are.

You like cold showers

You may have heard of the trend of taking cold showers or swimming in cold water to give your body an energizing jolt. Although there isn’t a ton of scientific info on this yet, the authors of one study from Finland, where winter swimming is common, note “adaptation to cold water was associated with a significant decrease in tension and fatigue, and an improvement in mood and memory.” These are all things that can boost brain function and productivity. In addition, stepping out of your comfort zone and getting up the courage to turn the knob down might inspire you for the rest of your day, according to a New York Times article on cold showers. So if you’ve joined the Polar Bear Club, your habit may be giving your brain a burst of energy every day.Don’t miss these habits of successful people plus, how to incorporate them into your life.

The sound of chewing annoys you

Have you ever been really aggravated when dining with a loud chewer? Or wished the person next to you on the bus would stop smacking their gum? Well, there’s a scientific reason behind itand it might just mean you’re smart. A study from Northwestern University found that people who tested high in creative cognition tended to have an inability to filter out irrelevant sensory informationthey have “leaky sensory gating.” This means you’re taking it all in, sometimes to a fault. “Leaky sensory gating may help people integrate ideas that are outside of the focus of attention, leading to creativity in the real world,” the study authors wrote. Dr. Wai surmises that this might connect to the same reason smarties tend to stay up latethey like to work without distraction. Interestingly, other studies have shown that chewing gum yourself improves intellectual performance. Try eating these foods to give your memory a boost.

You doodle

Another habit of smart people is doodlingso if you enjoy this pastime, it may mean you’re intelligent, too. According to Sunni Brown, author of The Doodle Revolution, it’s a thinking tool that can affect the processing of information and problem-solving. This notion is backed up by scientific researcha study from the United Kingdomfound that people were able to recall 29 percent more information if they were doodling. Scribbling mindlessly has a benefit for memory, and also gives the brain a visual way to express concepts and emotions. Dr. Wai has a theory as to why: “Perhaps it’s not the actual act of doodling, but the act of taking a break of any kind that matters,” he says. “For example, the idea that your mind works unconsciously in the background even when you aren’t overtly focusing on a problem.” Don’t miss these signs you might be smarter than you think.

You criticize yourself

We tend to think that intelligent people are confidentwhy wouldn’t they be, when they’re so smart? But research suggests that might not be the case. In a landmark 1999 study from Cornell University, scientists found that incompetent people couldn’t recognize their own incompetence, which led to inflated self-assessments. This has become known as the Dunning-Kruger effect. “For poor performers to recognize their ineptitude would require them to possess the very expertise they lack,” study author David Dunning, PhD, recently wrote in the Pacific Standard. “To know how skilled or unskilled you are at using the rules of grammar, for instance, you must have a good working knowledge of those rules, an impossibility among the incompetent. Poor performers,” he adds, “fail to see the flaws in their thinking or the answers they lack.” The study also found that highly competent people tended to underestimate their abilities. Smarties can recognize when they don’t know somethingin fact, they know just how much more knowledge is out there. Instead of being overconfident, they tend to be self-critical. Try and avoid these habits that could be aging your brain.

You daydream

Although scientists have previously thought mind-wandering negatively affected the brain’s performance, new research suggests that may not be the case. A study from the University of California found that when given a demanding task, participants who took a break for undemanding tasks fared better at the original assignment. The researchers theorize that giving the brain an “incubation period,” by allowing it to wander during a mindless task, boosts problem-solving and creativity. Like doodling, this is “related to that working on a problem in the back of your mind even when you aren’t directly thinking about it,” Dr. Wai says. “Some stories of scientific discovery have mentioned the importance of stepping away from the problem, getting a change of scenery, and how that can help your mind encounter different ways of viewing a problem and potentially enhance creativity.” So if daydreaming is one of your habits, you may have higher creative and problem-solving skills. Start doing these 14 weird brain exercises that actually help you get smarter.

You talk to yourself

You may think that mumbling to yourself makes you seem crazy, but in reality, it might be a sign of higher thinking, memory, and perception skills. In a study from the University of Wisconsin and the University of Pennsylvania, researchers asked participants to remember and find objects. They were better able to recall the list of items to look for if they had said the names of the objects out loud. “Language is not just a system of communication, but I’m arguing that it can augment perception, augment thinking,” study author Gary Lupyan, PhD, told Live Science. By vocalizing the names of familiar objects, “you’re activating visual properties in the brain to help you find them.”

You like to be a loner

Researchers England and Singapore asked 15,000 people between the ages of 18 to 28 to take a survey and an IQ test. They found that highly intelligent people were not as happy with their life if they socialized with their friends more often. The authors theorized that this disconnect is due to evolutionary friction between our brain and social environment. Our ancestors lived as hunter-gatherers in small bands of about 150 individuals, the study authors told the Independent. In such settings, having frequent contact with lifelong friends and allies was likely necessary for survival and reproduction for both sexes. Today, we still rely on tight-knit social groups but its possible that our brains havent caught up yet to the dozens of social interactions we face every day. Carol Graham, a Brookings Institution researcher not associated with the study, also thinks the findings suggest that, Those with more intelligence and the capacity to use it are less likely to spend so much time socializing because they are focused on some other longer-term objective. Need a mental boost? Do these brain workouts.

Youre a couch potato

Apparently, laziness may be a sign of intelligence! In a study from 2016, researchers at the Florida Gulf Coast University divided 60 students into two groups as thinkers and non-thinkers. The researchers measured who was a thinker and a non-thinker by using a survey that asked the students questions about whether they thought thinking was fun or if they enjoyed tasks that required minimal thinking power. The authors then monitored the students physical activity for one week. They found that the non-thinkers were much more physically active than the thinkers. The authors believe this may be because the thinkers are perfectly content with entertaining themselves mentally while the non-thinkers tend to get bored more easily and associate mental stimulation as a negative experience. Don’t miss these hidden benefits of procrastination.

You meditate daily

Starting or ending your day with 12 to15 minutes of om time may be just the boost your brain needs, according to the New England Journal of Medicine. In fact, many studies show that meditation can help improve your fluid intelligenceyour ability to be more creative, innovative, and visionary. One researcher found that people who used brainwave training (a specific form of meditation) gained an average of 23 percent in their IQ. Plus, the improved IQ even lasted a year later in a follow-up study. They even showed gains in creativity and concentration. Another study also showed that 20 minutes of meditation a day helped improve memory, cognition, and reduced stress levels. Next, check out the health secrets your hands are trying to tell you.

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Neurobic exercises are like cross-training for your brain

Giving your brain new experiences that combine physical sensesvision, smell, touch, taste, and hearingwith emotional sense stimulates more connections between different brain areas, causes nerve cells to produce natural brain nutrients that dramatically help memory, and makes surrounding cells stronger and more resistant to the effects of aging. Try these brain exercises during your morning routine or your down time and see if you feel the difference.

Brush teeth with your non-dominant hand

Research has shown that using the opposite side of your brain (as in this exercise) can result in a rapid and substantial expansion of in the parts of the cortex that control and process tactile information from the hand. Brain exercise: Brush, and don’t forget to open the tube and apply toothpaste in reverse, too. Here are more morning brain boosters to do before work.

Shower with your eyes closed

Your hands will probably notice varied textures of your own body you don’t see, and will send messages back to your brain. Brain exercise: Try using just your tactile senses (although, use common sense to avoid burn or injury). Locate the taps solely by feel, and adjust the temperature. Then wash, shave, and so on with your eyes shut. Here are 9 more simple daily tasks that will sharpen your memory.

Switch around your morning activities

Brain imaging studies show that novel tasks exercise large areas of the cortex, indicating increased levels of brain activity in several distinct areas. This activity declines when the task becomes routine and automatic. Brain exercise: Get dressed after breakfast, walk the dog on a new route, or change your TV or news station. Even watching a kids’ program like Sesame Street, for example, may arouse the brain to notice how much of what you take for granted is explored in depth by children. Don’t miss these habits you never knew were aging your brain.

Turn familiar objects upside down (literally)

When you look at things right-side up, your left verbal brain quickly labels it and diverts your attention elsewhere. When they’re upside down, your right brain networks kick in, trying to interpret the shapes, colors, and relationships of a puzzling picture. Brain exercise: Turn pictures of your family, your desk clock, or an illustrated calendar upside down. Here’s what happens to your brain when you have sex.

Switch seats at the table

In most families, everyone has his or her own seat, but your brain benefits from new experiences. Brain exercise: Switch seats to change whose position you occupy, who you relate to, your view of the room, and even how you reach for salt and pepper. Serve some of these brain-boosting foods for an even smarter meal.

Make a new connection with your nose

You probably don’t remember when you learned to associate the smell of coffee with the start of a day. However, by linking a new odorsay, vanilla, citrus, or peppermintto an activity, you’ll alert new neural pathways. Brain exercise: Keep an extract of your favorite scent near your bed for a week. Open it and inhale when you first wake up, and then again as you bathe and dress. Don’t miss these 22 other brain-boosting habits.

Open the car window

The hippocampus, an area of your brain that processes memories, is especially involved in associating odors, sounds, and sights to construct mental maps. Brain exercise: Try to identify new smells and sounds on your route. Opening the windows provides these circuits with more raw material.

Play with spare change

Because our brains regularly rely on visual cues to distinguish between objects, using touch to identify subtly different things increases activation in cortical areas that process tactile information and leads to stronger synapses. (Similarly, adults who lose their sight learn to distinguish Braille letters because their brain devotes more pathways to processing fine touch.) Brain exercise: Place a cup full of coins in your cars drink holder. While at a stoplight, try to determine the denominations by feel alone. You can also put coins in your pocket, and identify them when you stop at a corner. Fun fact: These body parts could reveal how smart you are.

Play 10 Things

Forcing your brain to think of alternates to the everyday will help keep it strong. Brain exercise: Someone hands you an ordinary object, and you must demonstrate 10 different things that the object might be. Example: A fly swatter might be a tennis racket, a golf club, a fan, a baton, a drumstick, a violin, a shovel, a microphone, a baseball bat, or a canoe paddle.

Scan at the supermarket

Stores are designed to have the most profitable items at eye level, and when you shop you dont really see everything there. Brain exercise: Stop in any aisle and look at the shelves, top to bottom. If theres something youve never seen before, pick it up, read the ingredients, and think about it. You dont have to buy it to benefit; youve broken your routine and experienced something new. Check out these 10 signs you’re smarter than you realize.

Do an art project in a group

Art activates the nonverbal and emotional parts of the cerebral cortex. When you create art, you draw on parts of your brain interested in forms, colors, and textures, as well as thought processes very different from the logical, linear thinking that occupies most of your day. Brain exercise: Ask each person to draw something associated with a specific theme like a season, an emotion, or a current event.This art activity has also been found to be a great stress-busting activity for adults.

Make more social connections during your day

Scientific research has repeatedly proved that social deprivation has severe negative effects on overall cognitive abilities. Brain exercise: Thirsty? Buy a drink from a person rather than a vending machine. Need gas? Pay the clerk at the counter rather than just swiping your credit card at the pump. Don’t miss these other ways work friends are good for you.

Read differently

When we read aloud or listen to reading, we use very different brain circuits than when we read silently to ourselves. Brain exercise: Read aloud with your partner or a friend, alternating roles of reader and listener. It may be slow to get through a book, but as a bonus you’ll spend quality time together.Looking for a good book? Check out these new reads for summer.

Eat unfamiliar foods

Your olfactory system can distinguish millions of odors by activating unique combinations of receptors in your nose. There’s a direct link to the emotional center of your brain, so new odors may evoke unexpected feelings and associations. Brain exercise: Choose a cuisine unfamiliar to you, and browse the variety of novel vegetables, seasonings, and packaged goods.

Get More Brain Workouts

Keep Your Brain Alive, by neurobiologist Lawrence C. Katz, PhD, and Manning Rubin, is packed with 83 neurobic exercises to increase mental fitness and help prevent memory loss. Next, discover 10 crucial health tweaks you need to make by your 50s.

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What exactly is a brain aneurysm?

A brain aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel in the brain, according to the Mayo Clinic. It’s been described as looking like a berry hanging from a stem. While most aneurysms don’t rupture or create health problems, those that do trigger bleeding into the brain result in a hemorrhagic stroke. Strokes can lead to serious consequences and are life-threatening. Make sure you’re aware of the easy-to-miss signs of a stroke.If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, immediately call an ambulance or have someone take you to the ERdon’t drive yourself.

Sudden, severe headache

Headaches may often signal something serious. In an aneurysm, it can be really bad: “It’s often described as the worst headache of your life,” says Mark McLaughlin, MD, FACS, who practices neurological surgery at Princeton Brain and Spine. What’s happening? “The leakage of blood is irritating to the brain coverings, causing the pain.” It’s unlike regular headaches in that the pain comes on so abruptly, and it’s severe and intense.

Onset of double vision or droopy eyelid

“This can be caused by an enlarging aneurysm that is pushing on the nerve that moves your eye,” says Dr. McLaughlin. If you suddenly have eye problemsdouble vision, your eyelids start to droopyou should call 911 immediately. “This is not a ‘wait and see what happens’ situation,” says Dr. McLaughlin. These are the stroke symptoms in women that they’re likely to ignore.

Weakness or numbness on one side of the body or face

Another sign is when half your face or only one side of your body starts to go numb. “This comes from tiny clots leaking out of the aneurysm that are clogging small vessels going to important areas of the brain,” says Dr. McLaughlin. He explains that an aneurysm is like a blister with a thin wall that can pop and leak blood, wreaking havoc along the way. Here’s more proof you’re never too young to be concerned with brain health.

Gastrointestinal issues

“When you have a brain aneurysm, nausea or vomiting can take place,” says Ronald Benitez, MD, chief of endovascular neurosurgery, Atlantic Health System at Overlook Medical Center, Summit, New Jersey. “The bleeding and headache causes this.” So the headache starts first and then you may experience nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.Dr. Benitez says other common symptoms include: bleeding, dizziness, light sensitivity, and stiff neck. “These are all related to the bleeding or in some cases pressure in the head or the aneurysm pressing on related structures,” he explains. Make sure you know the best foods to eat for good brain health.

Risk factors

According to Dr. Benitez, risk factors that doctors and researchers believe contribute to the formation of brain aneurysms include:

• Smoking
• High blood pressure or hypertension
• Family history of brain aneurysms
• Age over 40
• Genderwomen compared with men have an increased incidence of aneurysms at a ratio of 3:2
• Having other disorders: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Polycystic Kidney Disease, Marfan Syndrome, and Fibromuscular Dysplasia (FMD)
• Drug use, particularly cocaine
• Infection
• Tumors
• Traumatic head injury

Treatment for brain aneurysm

“Some aneurysms that are not leaking can be watched,” says Dr. McLaughlin. “Others need to be packed off with minimally invasive surgery. Still, others need an open operation to clip off the weakness.”He explains that treatment depends on severity. “Treatments for an unruptured aneurysm include medications to control blood pressure and procedures to prevent a future rupture,” says Dr. McLaughlin. “Emergency medical care is needed for a ruptured aneurysm.” Plus, don’t miss these 15 habits you never knew were aging your brain.

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Brain regions affected by PTSD

There are some common brain regions that are most commonly impacted by PTSD. Melanie Greenberg, PhD, a clinical psychologist in Mill Valley, CA and author of The Stress-Proof Brain, says that the amygdala acts as the brain’s threat-detection center and is responsible for responding to a threat or danger. The hippocampus is another region implicated, which is associated with storing memories in an organized way. The prefrontal cortexmore specifically, the medial prefrontal cortexis yet another region often altered by PTSD; its role, Breur explains, is to “modulate emotional responsiveness.”

The amygdala grows

So, what exactly does your brain look like with PTSD? Greenberg explains that if you have PTSD, you may overreact to threats. This is where the amygdala enters the picture. “The amygdala is the brain’s threat detection center,” she adds. It’s in this fight-or-flight brain region where it’s not unusual for a PTSD brain to show an increase in volume, says Greenberg. If you’re feeling like you’re in “fight” mode more often than not, here are some reasons why you might be more stressed than you realize.

The hippocampus shrinks

The hippocampus is the brain’s center for verbal memory and is where you store memories, Greenberg says. With PTSD, in some cases it will decrease in size, she notes. The result may be that memories may surface but often only in fragments; for example, if you were sexually abused, you may sometimes see a related image, but the memory isn’t fully formed. Therefore, you can’t understand the memory or experience in its entirety. Interestingly, a study published in 2018 in PLOS ONE reports that “the right hippocampus seems to be more strongly associated with PTSD than the left.”

The prefrontal cortex contracts

This area of the brain can calm the amygdala, says Greenberg, but it can lose volume in people with PTSD. That can result in interference with judgment and decision making.

Each PTSD brain varies

While these are the main brain regions that Dr. Liberzon says tend to be implicated in a “vast majority of PTSD individuals,” he notes that each PTSD individual can have brain variations. In other words, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all image for everyone with the condition. He says that for each person, there are different combinations regarding the deficiencies in each brain area.

Therapies to help manage PTSD

“A PTSD brain can improve,” Breur states. “The hippocampus can begin regulating memories again, the amygdala can calm down, and the medial prefrontal cortex can revert from reactive to restorative mode.” Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), she says, is one kind of treatment that’s been “proven to increase hippocampus volume in PTSD sufferers.”Additionally, mindfulness may help. Greenberg writes in her Psychology Today blog, The Mindful Self-Express, that mindfulness interventions”lasting ten to 12 weeks have been shown to decrease amygdala volume and increase the connectivity between the amygdala and PFC. Mindfulness seems to make the amygdala less reactive and the PFC more able to calm down the threat response.” Here arefour simple ways to practice mindfulness even on the busiest of mornings.Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy (EMDR) may also help with PTSD. The American Psychological Association explains that it works by using eye movements in conjunction with rhythmic left-right stimulation such as tones or taps. “While clients briefly focus on the trauma memory and simultaneously experience bilateral stimulation (BLS), the vividness and emotion of the memory are reduced.” Medication can also be beneficial; the Mayo Clinic notes that antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications may manage PTSD symptoms.

Can ecstasy help manage PTSD?

Interestingly, there is even some research indicating that MDMA, also known as ecstasy, can decrease PTSD symptoms when used together with psychotherapy treatment. Information published in a 2019 issue of Psychopharmacology states that studies conducted by experts at the University of British Columbia Okanagan campus have found “significant symptom reductions in a large sample of participants with PTSD treated with active doses of MDMA combined with psychotherapy.” More studies need to be done before the FDA can approve it, though some sources suggest that could be as soon as 2021.Next, find out which diseases strike women more than men.

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What is a brain aneurysm?

A brain aneurysm is a bulge or balloon-like pouch on a blood vessel in the brainit actually looks a lot like a berry hanging on a stem on a brain scan image. If the aneurysm leaks or ruptures, it can cause bleeding in the brain, otherwise known as a hemorrhagic stroke, which can quickly become life-threatening and need immediate treatment. As scary as that sounds, most brain aneurysms will never rupture, cause symptoms, or create health problems.Only about 30,000 brain aneurysms will rupture each year in the 10 to 15 million Americans with aneurysms, according to the Harvard Heart Letter. We are born with weak spots in the arteries; this is when the inner layer pushes out from the side wall of the arteries, says David Miller, MD, endovascular neuroradiologist at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Some people will develop aneurysms from these weak spots. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons states that scientists have yet to uncover the exact mechanism behind why brain aneurysms emerge or grow. But they have identified some of the brain aneurysm risk factors that you can prevent, while others are out of your control.

High blood pressure

Hypertension can lead to many health conditions, like heart attacks, strokes, and even brain aneurysms. When the blood is pounding at a higher pressure onto a weak spot in the arteries, an aneurysm is more likely to develop and grow, says Miller. And if the aneurysm is bigger, it can bleed from the pressure changes. High blood pressure can damage and weaken the arteries, which makes someone more susceptible to getting a brain aneurysm. In fact, an animal study from the journal Stroke found that stabilizing blood pressure levels after brain aneurysms formed helped prevent them from rupturing in mice. New guidelines from the American Heart Association recommend blood pressure to be less than 130/80. Eating a well-balanced diet thats low in salt (less than 1500 milligrams per day) and exercising for at least 150 minutes weekly are a few ways you can manage a healthy blood pressure level.

Smoking

Its nothing new to hear that smoking cigarettes is bad for your health. Not only can it ruin your teeth and increase your risk for lung cancer, but it can also up your risk for developing a brain aneurysm. An estimated 70 to 80 percent of people who have aneurysms are current or former smokers, Joseph P. Broderick, MD, director of the University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute,told sciencedaily.com. Smoking is a triple threat risk factor for brain aneurysms in all aspects, including development, rupturing, and rate of recurrence. University of Michigan researchers found nearly a threefold increase in brain aneurysm recurrence for former and current smokers at a rate of more than 25 percent. Bear in mind that all of the subjects had undergone endovascular treatment, which helps reduce blood flow to a brain aneurysm in an effort to prevent rupturing or damage from a rupture. Nicotine in smoking causes blood vessels to constrict, says Dr. Miller. You can get high blood pressure from smoking, which weakens the vessels and makes your arteries weaker.

Drug abuse

Using cocaine or amphetamines are two of the biggest risk factors for a brain aneurysm because the drugs raise your blood pressure to dangerous levels. We see aneurysm ruptures in young people and smaller ruptures in people with drug use, says Dr. Miller. There are lots of little malformations in the brain called venous malformations that rarely, if ever, bleed that we see in people who have done drugs because of the tremendous increase in blood pressure. For more information on how you can treat a drug addiction, visit drugabuse.gov. You should also become aware of these 15 habits that are aging your brain.

Risks you cant control: Your genetics

Its true that most aneurysms are not associated with families, partly because lots of people have them. If you look at everything, many people dont have a family history of aneurysms, says Dr. Miller. But we do know that some of these people have a family member who has a brain aneurysm. Familial aneurysms occur when an individual with a brain aneurysm has two or more first-degree relatives, like a sibling or parent, that have a brain aneurysm or suffered from a ruptured aneurysm at some point. A Familial Intracranial Aneurysm study found that nearly 20 percent of patients with a brain aneurysm reported having a first-degree relative with a brain aneurysm or a hemorrhagic stroke. If you have a family history of brain aneurysms, Dr. Miller recommends getting your brain scanned in your 20s. Back in the day, a brain aneurysm had to bleed in order to [be found], but now we find them with an MRI, says Dr. Miller. If theres not a brain aneurysm in sight, theres no need to test again until your 40s when aneurysms are more common.

Your gender

Women over the age of 55 are about 1.5 times more likely to have a brain aneurysm rupture than a man from the same age group, according to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation. But the medical world has yet to figure out why women tend to get brain aneurysms more often and far much worse than their male counterparts. A literature review from the Frontiers in Neurology looked at the gender differences in brain aneurysm location and found that women between the ages of 50 and 59 had an increase in cerebral aneurysms and more hemorrhagic strokes. This was in correlation with the fall in estrogen levels that accompanies menopausal and post-menopausal women. I suspect theres a little bit of an estrogen effect with the blood vessels and weakening but one really knows why, says Dr. Miller. Theres no evidence that shows that staying on estrogen post-menopause or not staying on estrogen has an effect on aneurysms. As a woman, it’s best to keep an eye out for these stroke symptoms you should never ignore, too.

Your age

More people who are older have aneurysms because it takes a while for these things to develop, says Dr. Miller. The rate of [hemorrhagic stroke] aneurysms goes up as you get older, too; it starts showing in your 40s and 50s. There are even higher brain aneurysm growth rates in the 50+ age groupnearly 4 percent each year, according to a 2016 meta-analysis on brain aneurysm growth.

Inherited disorders

Polycystic kidney disease, a disorder where your kidney sacs are filled with fluid, can increase your blood pressure and put you at risk for developing a brain aneurysm. Aneurysms show up a little earlier in people that have polycystic kidney disease and bleed a bit more than the usual aneurysm that youd find in someone else, he says.Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and Marfans syndrome are two connective tissue disorders in which the middle layer of the arteries doesnt form as well, so these people have weakened artery walls. People with these disorders have all types of aneurysms that arent just limited to their brain but their chest and abdomen as well.If you think you’re at risk, you should also make sure you’re aware of these everyday things that can cause a stroke.

The post Brain Aneurysm Risk Factors You Can and Can’t Control appeared first on Best Health.

You’re not taking steps to save your mind

There’s no getting around the fact that normal aging brings brain changes that slow cognitive function: Some brain regions shrink, communication between neurons may decrease, blood flow in the brain may lessen, and inflammation could increase, says the National Institute on Aging (NIA). But certain daily habits may accelerate this brain agingand there is something you can do about that. While researchers haven’t confirmed a specific “prescription” for ideal cognitive health, says Marie A. Bernard, MD, deputy director of the NIA, a growing body of researchincluding a 2017 report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicinesuggests practices that are healthy in general may also be beneficial for cognition. “In other words, physical activity, managing the risk factors for cardiovascular disease (i.e., high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking), getting sufficient sleep, are all good for other health reasons and may be helpful for the brain,” Dr. Bernard said in an email. “Additional practices such as staying socially active, treating depression, and avoiding excessive alcohol consumption may also be beneficial.”

You’re not protecting your hearing

Hearing loss is linked to dementia: A 2011 study by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the National Institute on Aging found that senior citizens with hearing loss were “significantly more likely to develop dementia.” It’s possible that the strain of struggling to hear could overburden the brain or that hearing loss could lead to social isolation, which is an acknowledged risk factor for dementia. Whatever the reason, study volunteers with mild, moderate, and severe hearing loss exhibited a twofold, threefold, and fivefoldrespectivelyincrease in the risk of developing dementia over a period of years. Doing these simple everyday tasks can actually boost your memory and improve your brain health.

You drink too much

As far as your brain is concerned, there’s a big difference between enjoying a glass of wine with dinner and bingeing on a Saturday night. A 2012 study from Rutgers University used rats to model “moderate to heavy drinking” defined as a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent. In these “drunk” rodents, the production of nerve cells in the brain’s hippocampusthe region involved in certain types of learningdropped by almost 40 percent. “In the long term this type of behavior could have an adverse effect on learning and memory,” graduate student and lead author Megan Anderson said in a Rutgers press release.These 5 countries are aging the best (and these 5 are aging the worst).

You’re not caring for your heart

Common sense says heart health is directly connected to brain health. “We know what’s good for your heart is good for your brain,” says James A. Hendrix, PhD, director of Global Science Initiatives at the Alzheimer’s Association. “If your heart is stressed and strained and your brain is not getting proper blood flow, it’s going to age more rapidly.” Indeed, a 2017 study in JAMA Neurology contributed to the body of research reaffirming this link. It found that middle-aged individuals with vascular risk factorslike hypertension or diabeteswere more likely to develop dementia as they got older.It’s memory test time! Read up on these common memory lapses and what they mean.

You don’t wear a helmet while cycling or skiing

New research is finding that the severity of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the age at which it’s sustained can impact dementia risk down the road. A 2018 study in The Lancet Psychology found that people with a history of TBI had a 24 percent greater dementia risk than people without that history. “What surprised us was that even a single mild TBI was associated with a significantly higher risk of dementia,” lead author Jesse Fann, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine, said in a press release. The study also found that if you sustain a brain injury in your 20’s, your risk of having dementia in your 50s jumps by about 60 percent. Fann hoped the study would prompt people with a history of TBI to adopt brain-health habits, such as getting more exercise and using less tobacco and alcohol.Listen up! Here are 35 health secrets your body is trying to tell you.

You prefer the couch to the gym

Hendrix warns against letting concerns about certain sports lead to a sedentary lifestyle, because lack of exercise is another risk factor for dementia. In a 2018 study in the journal Neurology, for example, researchers tested women’s fitness by studying their performance on stationary bikes; women with “high cardiovascular fitness” had a dementia risk that was 88 percent lower than a “moderately fit” group of women, CNN reported. In addition, the study found that dementia symptoms began 11 years later in the “high fitness” group over the “medium fitness” group.

You veg out in front of the TV

When it comes to saving your brain, your mental muscle could benefit from regular workouts, as well. A 2017 study in Alzheimer’s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions reported that older adults who had undergone a computer-based cognitive training program called “speed of processing” reduced their risk of dementia by 29 percent. “There is some promising research that has shown that cognitive training in specific realmsfor example, processing information or memoryslows down cognitive decline for at least a couple of years after the training,” says Dr. Bernard. “However, it is not clear how this translates into currently available brain games. Importantly, there is not sufficient evidence that brain games can prevent cognitive decline or conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.” Still, challenging your mindsuch as reading and doing crossword or Sudoku puzzlescouldn’t hurt and might, in fact, help.Here’s how Canadians feel about their mental health, ranked by province.

You don’t like learning new things

It turns out people with higher levels of education have lower rates of dementia. “One of the best predictors of who is protected against Alzheimer’s disease and dementia as they age is how much education they have,” says Dr. Hendrix. “As you learn things you develop new connections and this gives you more resilience. It’s like you’ve put more money in your retirement account, and as you retire and your brain starts to slow down you can draw on that.”Make sure you’re aware of these signs a loved one’s forgetfulness could be Alzheimer’s.

You put off taking steps to protect your mind

Between high school sports and educational choices, young people have plenty of opportunities to protect themselves against dementia decades later. “Brain health is a life course,” Dr. Hendrix says. “It’s not something to think about only because you just turned 65 and you’re retiring. That’s why we need to support education, so our children and grandchildren are set up with that resilience so when they become seniors their brains are better protected.” Avoid these exercise mistakes which can actually make you look older.

You let old friendships and family connections slide away

Just like shopping for shoes or jogging around the neighborhood, keeping your mind sharp and engaged is easier when you involve friends. A 2011 study in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society assigned senior citizens a score based on their level of social activityfrom visiting family members to attending sporting events. The researchers found that each one-point increase in their social activity score corresponded to a 47 percent decrease in their rate of cognitive decline, Time reported. “Socializing relieves stress, and there’s a huge connection between stress and problems with the brain as we get older,” postdoctoral fellow at the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center in Chicago and lead study author Bryan James, said in the magazine.Don’t miss these 50 health secrets women over 50 should know.

You don’t practice relaxing

The toll stress takes on the brain is frightening: A 2014 study in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry reported that among people already diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), those also experiencing anxiety had a higher risk of quicker cognitive decline. In fact, the chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease increased by 33 percent among people with mild anxiety, by 78 percent for people with moderate anxiety, and by 135 percent for people with severe anxiety. “Our findings suggest that clinicians should routinely screen for anxiety in people who have memory problems because anxiety signals that these people are at greater risk for developing Alzheimer’s,” Linda Mah, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto and principal study investigator said in a press release. Meditation can help and has actually been proven to change your brain structure.

You regularly sleep less than seven hours a night

If you’re an older adult, the less sleep you get, the faster your brain ages. Using brain scans, neuropsychological assessments, and records of sleep duration, a 2014 study from Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore found that “those who slept fewer hours showed evidence of faster ventricle enlargement and a decline in cognitive performance,” according to a Duke-NUS Medical School press release. “Work done elsewhere suggests that seven hours a day for adults seems to be the sweet spot for optimal performance on computer-based cognitive tests,” lead author and Duke-NUS Research Fellow June Lo, PhD, said in the release. Feeling a little off? You probably didn’t know these symptoms are linked to stress.

You eat crummy food

As far as your brain is concerned, you definitely are what you eat. A 2015 paper in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association found that the MIND diet reduced the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by as much as 53 percent in people who followed the diet “rigorously,” and by approximately 35 percent in people who adhered to it “moderately well.” The MIND diet calls for eating at least three servings of salad and another vegetable every day, and it promotes these 10 foods for brain health: Green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, nuts, berries, beans, fish, poultry, healthy fats like olive oil, and wine (in moderation). And one of those foods deserves a special shout-out: “Blueberries are one of the more potent foods in terms of protecting the brain,” Martha Clare Morris, PhD, the Rush University nutritional epidemiologist who developed the diet with her colleagues said in a press release. You should also avoid these sneaky foods that can raise your blood pressure.

You smoke

If you want to do everything possible to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, put out the cigarettes for good. A 2010 analysis by University of California San Francisco researchers found that among studies without tobacco industry affiliation, smoking nearly doubled the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Interestingly, studies that did have tobacco industry affiliations put the risk factor at less than one.

You live near a major highway

Highways cause high levels of pollution, which research says can be bad news for our brains. A 2015 study in the journal Stroke looked at people who lived near major roadways and concluded that exposure to the “fine particulate matter” in air pollution is cause for significant concern. “Higher long-term exposures to ambient air pollution are associated with structural changes in the brain that could precede cognitive impairment and overt cerebrovascular damage,” researchers wrote. Next, find out 7 reasons why you might have to pee all the time.

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We’ve all done it: kept on eating when we’ve already had enough.

But some people do it all the time because their brains don’t seem to register that they’ve overeatenand it can lead to obesity. Now researchers believe they know why: A high-fat diet can cripple fullness receptors in the brain.When you eat, your fat reserves release a hormone called leptin that travels to your brain. When enough leptin reaches the hypothalamus area of the brain, it signals to the body that your stomach is full. Researchers have known for a while that although obese people have normal levels of leptin, their bodies don’t register the “full” signal; the problem is called leptin resistance. But until now, scientists didn’t know why. Find out the 14 healthy foods that are always in this dietitian’s fridge.A team of researchers led by research scientist Rafi Mazor at the department of bioengineering at the University of California, San Diego, set out to discover the reason; their results have been published in Science Translational Medicine. The team fed mice a high-fat diet, tracking their leptin levels and how the mice’s brains responded. They discovered that the high-fat diet also encouraged the production of an enzyme called MMP-2. This enzyme altered the surface of the brain cells in the hypothalamusit clipped the cells so that leptin couldn’t bind to receptors. This meant the neurons couldn’t sound the alarm when the stomach became full.The scientists then genetically modified a group of mice so that they didn’t produce MMP-2. They found that despite the high-fat diet, these mice remained sensitive to leptin and their weight remained stable. The scientists found that when MMP-2 was blocked, the leptin could bind successfully to the receptors and send the “full” signals, according to Science Daily.

What a high-fat diet can actually do to your brain health

The bottom line is that a high-fat diet actually damages the body’s ability to send signals that the stomach is full. This could have important implications for how obesity is treated. For example, it could be that people who are beginning to put on a lot of weight have impaired receptors but their neural pathways are still undamaged. If researchers can develop a treatment to block MMP-2, they may be able to prevent obesity.Of course, the research is in the early stages. But this groundbreaking study could be an important step toward finding an effective treatment for obesity. In the meantime, give these 15 diet tricks a try to help you sleep better.

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Load up on B vitamins

When you think of the brain, think of the letter Bas in B vitamins.Many people think of Bvitamins for the way they can boost energy.But in the brain, they do more than just that.Thisis especially true if you’re suffering from brain drain.Stress candeplete B6 and folate (alsoknown as vitamin B9) stores. Those vitamins, along with B12 and thiamin, are essential formaking brain-balancing neurotransmitters and regulating cortisol and mood. (Be sure to watch for these silent signs you’re not getting enough vitamin B12.) So for brain drainedindividuals, they can actually help you with 3 things: 1) they will boost your energy, 2) help youdeal with stress, and 3) help you manufacture feel-good neurotransmitters naturally!

Schedule long jogs

If you are severely brain drained, you may want to practice power yoga or long jogs.I often tellmy patients, “You are the true expert of you.”In my book Heal Your Drained Brain, I describe the4 subtypes of drained brains.If your brain is healing after trauma or you have been diagnosedwith chronic fatigue, interval training may not the form of exercise I’d start with.If you’ve had along, stressful day, I’d also say that’s a day for yoga or a long jog.Meditative movement (e.g.,yoga, tai chi) can help heal your mind and body.You can even jog mindfully.As you’re jogging,bring your attention to your five senses.Can you feel the temperature of the air on your cheek?This can help reset your brain after a stressful dayor even for those who are recovering frommore intense stress like losing a jog.

Move with intention

When researchers looked at different types of exercise, aerobic exercise was the best asincreasing the size of the hippocampus.(This can help to undo some of the damage that yearsof too much sugar has done to the brainsince sugar can shrink this part of the brain.)Exercisealso helps to improve sleep quality.And to all those people wearing wearable devices that trackyour activity, that’s great.But there’s something even better about “intentional” exercise.Ifyou’re a new mom running up and down the stairs or a businessperson running across town frommeeting to meeting, researchers found you’re not getting all the benefits of “intentional” exercise.”Intentional” exercise means you are setting aside 30 or 60 minutes aside just for you.Someoneis watching your child.Your phone is off.You’re at the gym, in that yoga class, or running by thatlake.These forms of exercise are more healing for the brain that just the “unintentional” movingthat comes from being busy.

Fake it til its real

In Heal Your Drained Brain, I created a form of therapy called energy-based cognitive therapy(EBCT).It combines traditional cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with bodily-based poses fromyoga.Here’s why: bodily poses can interrupt the circuits in the brain that get “stuck” in negativethinking.Examples of poses include: Breaking out a smile when feeling pessimistic and cuppingyour eyes and visualizing a positive light at the end the tunnel. Combining these moves while”talking back” to negative thoughts is my novel way of combining cognitive behavioral tools withposes that can change your neurochemistry.Interestingly, this has been proven in research.Subjects getting Botox (and, thus, could no longer frown) reported feeling happier.Another studyhad subjects hold a chopstick in their mouth in a way that forced a smile on their faces.Then,mood was assessed.When you’re smiling, you “trick” the brain into thinking it’s happy.Goodnews: You don’t need to see a dermatologist.You just need to put a half-smile on your face andremember all the ways in which you are innately worthy. Need help? Try these simple strategies to remind yourself you’re worthy.Next, learn about 13 secrets psychologists wish you knew about happiness.

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If you’re going to rethink any food item in your kitchen because of Alzheimer’s disease ties, avoid purchasing this one

With the number of people with Alzheimers disease growing fast, its never too late (nor too early!) to assess your risk. One of the best places to start? Your own plate. But before you stock up on the best foods for your brain, there’s one surprising item you might want to avoid and it’s probably in your kitchen right now. Canola oil couldincrease your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study published in the journal Scientific Reports.To study the cognitive effects of this vegetable-based fat, researchers at Temple University split lab mice into two groups: While the first group ate a normal diet for six months, the others had about two tablespoons of canola oil added to their diets each day. Then, the mice ran a maze to test their cognitive skills.Based on the mice’s performance, the researchers reported a sharp reduction in the memories of the canola-eating mice compared to the first group. The canola oil group also gained more weight than their counterparts.But the mice’s weight gain didn’t cause their bad recall skills. Turns out, canola oil consumption also lowered levels of a dementia-fighting protein called amyloid beta 1-40 in the mice’s brains, according to researchers. This protein deficiency allowed amyloid plaque to surround their brains’ neurons, which decreased and damaged the neural connections. The mices memories suffered, as a result.Learn why women are at a greater risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease.In light of this, you might want to ban canola oil from your pantry.”Even though canola oil is a vegetable oil, we need to be careful before we say that it is healthy,” saidDomenico Pratic, MD, a senior investigator on the study. “Based on the evidence from this study, canola oil should not be thought of as being equivalent to oils with proven health benefits.”Granted, this study used mice instead of humans as subjects, so the jury’s still out on the true effect of canola oil on human brains. But it can’t hurt to swap canola witholive oil, in the meantime. Nutritionists tout and scientific research confirms the benefits of this heart and brain-healthy superfood. Trust us, your noggin will thank you.How the MIND Diet can reduce your risk ofAlzheimer’s disease.

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Is the growing popularity of alt-milks a good thing?

Theres no denying that theres a reason people drink milk alternatives.Statistically speaking, you probably have some sort of difficulty digesting dairy.According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, approximately 65 per cent of the worlds population has a reduced ability to digest lactose, a sugar commonly found in dairy products.There are plenty of alternatives out there, whether its almond milk, cashew milk, or just plain malk, so lactose intolerance is far from a dietary death sentence. But there might be reason to be cautious when making the switch.

The downside of dairy-free

As reported by the Independent, people who opt for milk alternatives run the risk of developing an iodine deficiency.Iodine is commonly found in dairy products, seafood, and, go figure, iodized table salt. The mineral plays a key role in stimulating your thyroid glands in hormone development and the hormones, in turn, play a key role in cognitive growth and functionso much so that the World Health Organization considers iodine deficiency as the most preventable cause of brain damage.The findings are based on new research from the University of Surrey which examined the iodine content of 47 milk-alternative drinks. The milk alternatives, including soya, almond, coconut, rice, oat, hazelnut, and hemp, had, on average, just two per cent of the iodine content of regular cows milk.

Whats the deal with iodine?

Many people are unaware of the need for this vital dietary mineral, Margaret Rayman, a professor of nutritional medicine at the University of Surrey told the Independent.It is important that people who consume milk-alternative drinks realize that they will not be replacing the iodine from cows milk, which is the main U.K. source of iodine.Rayman went on to explain that milk alternatives only provide two micro milligrams of iodine per serving, just a fraction of the recommended daily consumption for adults, which 150 micro milligrams.She also explained that pregnant women, in particular, should take notice, because their recommended iodine consumption is up to 200 micro milligrams per day. Iodine plays a crucial role in fetal cognitive development, according to the World Health Organization.A way to solve this iodine problem is through supplementing your diet with other iodine-rich foods or by taking a vitamins just make sure not to make these vitamin mistakes.There are plenty of things to keep an eye on health-wise, so its best to stay informed about what can happen to your body when you dont consume dairy.

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Too young for brain health?

Youre young. Youre beautiful. You dont need to worry about brain health issues like Alzheimers and dementia, right? But, youre also smart. So, youll appreciate the advice from The Telus Health Brain Projects Dr. William Reichman, president and chief executive officer of Baycrest Health Sciences, and professor of psychiatry on the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. Find out why he says now is the right time to start thinking more about your noggin.

The mistakes of your youth

The brain doctor says: You would be right to think that the brain is developed when we are young.Brains begin to develop within the first few weeks of pregnancy and continue to grow and change throughout the course of a persons life, says Reichman. This means that brain health should begin with good prenatal care and continue with a brain healthy lifestyle every day of our lives. While genetics do play a role, the choices we make as young adults have a major impact on our futures.So, our bad habits, like smoking, drinking alcohol frequently and a poor diet that lacks supporting the brain with the nutrients it needs can have a negative impact on our overall health, including the brain. So instead of regretting those bad habits, make good ones now, as committing to a healthy lifestyle is never too late.Recent studies have told us that things such as our diets, education, physical activities, and social connections can help to delay the onset of dementia, which is why its so important to keep brain health top of mind from an early age, says Reichman.

Consider these brain-healthy foods

The brain doctor says: There is a growing body of evidence that healthy eating is associated with retention of cognitive function, says Reichman. The recently published Canadian Brain Health Food Guide recommends focusing on an overall pattern of healthy eating, not one specific superfood for brain health, eating fish, beans and nuts several times a week, healthy fats from olive oil, nuts and fish, and embracing balance, moderation and variety.

Youre never too busy for a brain-boosting hobby

 The brain doctor says: Learning how to play an instrument or speak a new language has been shown to make us less vulnerable to losing cognitive functions as we age, says Reichman. A study by researchers at the Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest showed that learning a new language can also delay the onset of Alzheimers disease.For some brain teasing games, check our game centre.

Its time exercise your body-mind connection

The brain doctor says: Both strength and endurance-building exercises offer great brain health benefits, especially when you can add social and cognitively stimulating elements to the activity, says Reichman. Dancing, team sports and group fitness classes are great ways to keep your mind and body active. The bottom line is that anything thats good for the heart is also good for the brain.

Find out whats in yourgenes

The brain doctor says: Our family histories can give us a sense of our potential risk of developing a cognitive impairment, says Reichman. Research has shown that those with a parent or sibling with Alzheimers disease are more likely to develop the disease themselves. Heredity, genetics and environmental factors both play a role, so when were assessing someones risk of developing a cognitive impairment, its important to consider all of the elements that can impact brain health.

It affects our lives right now

 The brain doctor says: The effects of brain health are big.People of all ages can be impacted by brain health challenges, either directly or as a caregiver. Dementia impacts people of all ethnicities, all religions, all ages, and all socioeconomics groups, says Reichman. Despite nearly 40 years of substantial private and public investment, society has not come up with any meaningful medication to help those with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.He shares some stats: Close to 750,000 people in Canada have some form of cognitive impairment and this number is projected to grow in 15 years to 1.4 million as the population ages. Simply put, medical breakthroughs are not keeping pace with the growth of people with dementia.

How to talk to your doctor or health-care provider

The brain doctor says: Keeping our brains healthy is a life long journey. It begins with good prenatal care during the earliest days of life and continues with healthy lifestyle choices as we age, says Reichman. Forgetfulness can be a normal part of aging, but for some, memory problems can be a sign of a serious problem, such as mild cognitive impairment or dementia. If youre concerned that you or someone you know may have a memory or mental health problem, talk with your doctor.

You want more about brain health thats a good thing!

The brain doctor says: You read this story, and that is a great first step. To learn more check out this brain health public awareness campaign.The Telus Health Brain Project, which is now in its second year, allows us to continue a public conversation about the importance of brain health and reflect on the impact brain health challenges can have on our lives and the lives of our loved ones, says Reichman. If you’re in Toronto, you may have noticed the effort through brain sculptures around the city.In addition to adding beauty and interest to the streets of Toronto, the Telus Health Brain Project will keep brain health top of mind while raising funds for Baycrest Health Sciences, a global leader in brain health and aging.

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