Easy 10 Natural Ways to Exercising the Brain

Regular exercise is the key to healthy muscles, bones, and body systems. Physical training plays an essential role in antiaging stress busting: people who exercise report better moods and more energy than those who don’t, and they suffer less insomnia and stress-related symptoms.

Exercise also keeps the brain functioning in a youthful way, by boosting circulation and right-left brain coordination. Mentally challenging activities, from bridge to Sudoku, keep the memory sharp and build connections between brain cells that help keep your reasoning sharp. Here are top 10 natural ways to do brain exercise:

1 Cook with sage

Sage is traditionally associated with improving memory. Research has shown that people who take sage oil in capsule form before memory tests perform better than those who take a placebo. The purple variety is best—uses it to flavor roasts and sauces or make a cup of surprisingly drinkable tea.

2 Switch hands

Use your “wrong” hand to manipulate the mouse, brush teeth and hair, and open doors. This expands the circuits in the part of the brain that processes that hand.

3 Rearrange familiar objects

Move objects you habitually reach for without thinking in the morning: alarm clock, toothbrush, cutlery, breakfast cereal. This forces your brain to shift into gear early on and may make mornings more wakeful.

4 Build up to daily meditation

Find 10 to 20 minutes a day to sit quietly. Researchers found that daily meditation may slow age related brain deterioration by altering the physical structure of the brain. People who meditated for 40 minutes a day had a denser cerebral cortex than people who did not. In other studies, practitioners of Transcendental Meditation demonstrated cognitive, perceptual and physical abilities equivalent to people up to 10 years their junior.

5 Enjoy family and friends

Make time to enjoy the company of friends and family. In one study of older people, those with emotional support from a strong social network were more likely to retain memory, abstract thinking and language skills, even if the relationships were testing!

6 Vacation senses

Choose a new scented soap for a vacation or weekend away. This will stimulate memories of your break when you use it again at home.

7 Dine on fish

Eating fish at least once a week can slow the rate of cognitive decline in older people by up to 13 percent per year, reports one study. Other research suggests omega-3 fatty acids in oily fish are vital for the functioning of brain-cell receptors. Eat different varieties—mackerel, sardines, and organically farmed trout—two or three times a week.

8 Include iron

Anemia may cloud the memory with age because iron helps transport oxygen to the brain. For iron, eat red meat, poultry, fish, and eggs, and if vegetarian, plenty of legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, dark leafy greens, apricots and dark chocolate. For maximum absorption, accompany with a source of vitamin C, such as freshly squeezed orange juice, and the B vitamins found in yeast extract.

9 Try stimulating teas

Incorporate new herbal teas into your day. Lemon balm seems to help the brain store and retrieve information. Green and black teas are associated with preventing memory loss with age. Peppermint tea stimulates the brain, promoting concentration and alertness.

10 Play games

Games such as chess and checkers that force you to think ahead, plan alternative strategies, and preguess others’ moves are very valuable. They also advance spatial awareness (useful for reading maps).