Time-saving tools and technologies
Good Health No-Brainers
These days, it seems that everything is bad for your health. While there
are a number of foods, exercises, technologies and supplements that
remain open for debate, a few things are certain: Diet, exercise, sleep
and mental stimulation are important to maintaining a healthy, happy
brain and body.
1EAT foods that are good for the brain. Each day, the brain absorbs 20 grams of your daily calories and emands a constant supply of glucose, which is primarily
obtained from carbohydrates. But don’t reach for a candy bar—high glucose levels
can damage cells. The brain works best with about 25 grams of glucose – the amount
found in a banana. Brain “superfoods” include blueberries, wild salmon, avocados,
whole grains, nuts, beans, pomegranate juice, freshly brewed tea and dark chocolate.
TRY: Eating more frequent but smaller meals to maintain healthy glucose levels.
BUY: Neuro Drinks®
Neuro Drinks® provide natural ingredients and essential vitamins, minerals and botanicals in each colorful bottle. Choose from eight varieties, including
NeuroSonic®, which is said to increase mental functioning, and NeuroBliss®, which
helps alleviate stress and promote happiness. $36.99 for a 12-pack of 14. 5 oz.
bottles. www.drinkneuro.com.
2STIMULATE your mind with brain teasers and other activities that provide
variety, diversity and complexity. The human brain begins to slow down as early as
age 25, but it can be improved at any age. Just as exercise increases muscle growth,
working the brain causes its circuits to expand.
TRY: Learning to play a musical instrument, studying a new language or playing chess.
BUY: Kakuzu
If you enjoy Sudoku, you’ll love Kakuzu,
a strategic multi-player board game that
begins with all numbers covered by
stones. Players draw numbers from
a pouch and try to find them
on the board. If the number is
found, the player keeps the
stone and takes another
turn. If not, the next player
gets to keep the stone. The
object is to have the most stones at the end
of the game. $29.99. www.marblesthebrainstore.com.
3ENHANCE your memory and
mental functioning by predicting the
information you will need to recall and
making a conscious effort to remember it. Use a memory trick to form the
connection in your brain so the information can be stored and recalled
quickly and accurately.
TRY: Associating information with
images, repetition and mnemonic devices.
BUY: Emotiv EPOC
The Emotiv EPOC (shown
at right) is a personal interface designed
for human
computer
interaction. Using
neuro-technology, the lightweight, wireless headset tunes
into the brain's electric signals to
detect thoughts, feelings and expressions. This breakthrough technology
is being used in artistic expression,
games, market research, and to create
life-changing applications for disabled
patients. $299.
www.emotiv.com.
