Why Your Lifestyle Matters
The Brain Benefits of Exercise
INCREASES PRODUCTION OF NEUROCHEMICALS, LIKE BDNF, THAT INCITE BRAIN CELL REPAIR
BOOSTS DECISION-MAKING SKILLS
IMPROVES MEMORY, MOOD, AND SLEEP
IMPROVES ORGANIZATION AND PLANNING
INCREASES PRODUCTION OF NEUROCHEMICALS, LIKE BDNF, THAT INCITE BRAIN CELL REPAIR
INCREASES PRODUCTION OF NEUROCHEMICALS, LIKE BDNF, THAT INCITE BRAIN CELL REPAIR
Diet & Nutrition
A healthy diet is crucial to optimizing your brain performance. A brain fueled by fruits, vegetables, protein, and healthy fats will function very differently than a brain fueled by bad carbs, sugars, and trans-fats. Food quality is important, but so is the quantity of foods you eat and when you eat throughout the day. It is best to eat smaller, more frequent meals.
Even if you are eating a healthy, balanced diet, it can be helpful to supplement your diet with a variety of brain- and heart-healthy vitamins and minerals.
Sugar and the Brain
Inflammation
Fueling the Brain
B Vitamins
– Especially B12
– Found in whole grains, meat, and eggs
D Vitamins
– Found in dairy; milk; yogurt and low-fat cheeses
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
– Found in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, albacore tuna, halibut, and sardines
The Importance of Sleep
Are you sleeping well?
Poor sleep is one of the most commonly ignored and often underestimated health problems that people experience. Years and years of sleep deprivation, and of not allowing your crucial organs to recover the way they need to, can lead to some pretty serious implications for your health, including weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, heart attack, and heart failure.
Recent studies have shown insomnia has terrible effects on your brain. People who chronically sleep fewer than six hours per night are at high risk for a stroke. The more severe your insomnia is, the more shrinkage your hippocampus can experience. In fact, the longer you suffer from insomnia (1 year vs. 20 years), the smaller your hippocampus will be. Lack of adequate sleep also increases your cortisol levels, upping your risk of heart attacks, hypertension, and blood clots.
There are many contributing factors to poor sleep quality or quantity. Our Brain Coaches will work with you to identify the factors that need attention in your life and develop a plan to correct those issues. Additionally, there are devices and apps that do a good job of tracking sleep patterns.
Improving your sleep will help in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to:
- Improved Memory
- Better Focus
- Sharper Mental Clarity
- Increased Energy Level
- Elevated Mood
- Sustained Attention
