10 ways to reach your full intellectual potential to improve your brain health.

The brain changes throughout life, adapting to things we have learned and experienced. In a healthy brain, new connections continually develop and broken ones are repaired. As we get older, particularly from middle age onwards, changes can start to happen within the brain so that there’s a gradual decrease in mental capabilities. This is known as age-related cognitive decline, and it typically results in people becoming more forgetful and less mentally sharp. So, although brain health is important at every age, it becomes more imperative as we grow older.

Mental decline is one of the most frightening aspects of aging, but it is not inevitable, by working to improve brain health you can help maintain your memory, understanding, communication and quality of life.

These are some of the simple ways that may increase your brain power and improve your intelligence.

1. Try New Activity

It could be learning to play and instrument, figuring out a puzzle, learning language or a new hobby. Something that actively stimulates your brain.

2.Manage your stress

Excessive worry and stress has been shown to lower performance on cognitive tests. Try yoga, meditation, taking a walk or listening to music to relax and clear you’re head.

3. Protect your head

Head injuries increase the risk of impaired brain function. Avoid falls, wear helmet when biking or skiing, remove potential hazards from your path and use good lighting.

4. Feed your brain

With healthy nutritious food that stimulates brain function. Some good ones include: fruits, vegetables,fish,nuts, unsaturated oils like olive oil and protiens from plant source.

5. Manage your blood

Diabetes is a risk factors for dementia, so eat right, exercise and maintain a healthy weight. If you have high blood sugar, follow your doctor’s recommendation to keep it under control.

6. Sleep well

During sleep, your brain works overtime to repair itself, so don’t skip the shut eye. Too much sleep, though can lead to negative consequences such as inactivity and obesity.

7.Get social

Creating and nurturing connections with others keeps life fun and interesting, and has been linked to lower blood pressure, lower risk of dementia and longer life expectancy.

8. Exercise regularly

High intensity and moderate intensity aerobics exercise are not just good for the heart. They’re also good for the brain. Exercise improves your mood and cardiac function, reduces stress, and makes your more mentally alert.

9. Tell good stories

Stories are the way that we solidify memories, interpret events and share moments. Practice telling your stories, both new and old, so that they are interacting, compelling and fun. Some basic story telling techniques will go a long way in keeping people’s interest both in you and in what you have to say.

10. Turn off your television

The average person watches more than four hours of television every day. Television can stand in the way of relationships, life and more time living and exercising your mind and body.

Always keep your brain healthy everyday.