Post: How about a smart healthy brain 😇😍, anytime, any age? : 5 ways to facilitate the process.

by drjurisharma, posted in healing, health, mental health, Science, wellness

Hello everyone ! Have a wonderful weekend🙋🏻

Neuroplasticity and Neurogenesis, two terms commonly used when it comes to brain health. We, just don’t need to dive so much into Neuroscience to learn what they mean and how we can help ourselves to keep our brain healthy. Brain health is important because as long as our brain is healthy, we keep learning new things and our memory is intact. As ageing progresses, we can prevent ourselves from certain chronic conditions like dementia, Alzheimers and Parkinson’s disease by maintaining good brain health.

Neuroplasticity, meaning that our brain is continuously changing through our entire lifetime depending upon our experiences, the environment, habits, behaviour. Neural pathways keep rewiring and dewiring depending upon what is necessary and what is no longer useful. Therefore, being in a positive environment, thinking and feeling positive is all very important.

Neurogenesis meaning formation of new neurons, that is our ability to learn new things and retain in our memory. Previously, it was believed that neurogenesis stopped once we reach our adulthood, that is around the age of 20. Now, researches have shown, that neurogenesis occurs throughout our lifetime. So, we can learn until the day we die. In our brain, the neurons are formed from the neural stem cells and progenitor cells which are in the Hippocampus mainly and also in other regions of the brain. Though every day, new neurons are formed, before, they could get matured, many of them get pruned. A special protein BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) has been identified which is responsible for promoting the maturation, survival and maintenance of the neurons.

So, how do we facilitate this process of neurogenesis and maintain the level of BDNF? 5 simple ways

1. Exercise: Any exercise which can increase the heart rate mainly aerobic exercise, running, brisk walking.


2.Food: Rich in omega 3 fatty acids like fishes (salmon, tuna, sardines), avocados, chia, hemp seeds and nuts. Other sources which help are turmeric, blueberries, goji berries, lotus roots, algae, green tea, coffee. However, too much caffeine is detrimental to neurogenesis.

3.Emotions: Experiencing positive emotions like joy, excitement, love and feeling good, stimulate Neurogenesis. Such emotional experience can appear by being creative, learning a new skill, going out in Nature, proper sleep, listening to Nature sounds, good music and sex. A positive relationship with partners, peers, relatives is helpful. Being in chronic stress, anger, anxiety are detrimental to neurogenesis.

4.Mind stimulation: Cognitive abilities like reading, learning, memorizing, discussing new ideas, taking up music lessons, problem-solving, all stimulate neurogenesis. Cognitive reserve (resilience against brain damage) can be built up by engaging mind stimulating activities or intellectual work.

5.Meditation: Prayers and meditation can stimulate neurogenesis. Practising mindfulness, compassion, being in silence, stillness all facilitate neurogenesis.

Some lifestyle factors which can decrease neurogenesis are a high intake of carbohydrate, sugar, fried foods, inflammatory foods, chronic caffeine intake, smoking, alcohol, obesity, chronic stress, lack of sleep, negative emotions like sadness, depression, lack of engagement, boring life. Direct trauma to the head can be very detrimental to neurogenesis. Nowadays, even environmental pollution is quite hazardous to brain health.

If you are intending to learn more about lifestyle changes that you can do to improve your brain health, I recommend the book: Neurogenesis diet and lifestyle by Dr Brant Cortright

Thanks for reading. Take care.

Blessings and Much love to all 💐

54 thoughts on “Post: How about a smart healthy brain 😇😍, anytime, any age? : 5 ways to facilitate the process.”

  4. Brain, I think, is still a wonder, a mystery world in front of us! Thanks a lot for the helpful post and the food you mentioned, I only eat those fishes but now I will buy other items too.😊

    Reply

  12. De aller mooiste blog tot nu toe … Gezond eten: weet ik. Maar, om de moed er in te houden na je 75ste is wel lastig … Ik kan een college volgen: Hoe voel ik me jong tot ik honderd ben en blijven shoppen, maar …
    Laat ik eerst maar een bakkie doen en me man komt ook net op tijd thuis. Bedankt voor je mooie inspirerende blogs.
    Wat ik ook wel eens denk: Iedere dag krijg ik minstens één beeldscherm vol, soms meerdere als ik een paar dagen oversla vol met blogs die ik moet lezen. Mensen zijn alleen maar druk met zichzelf bezig en mijn blogs laten ze links liggen. Ze komen amper van de grond en ik maar piekeren: Ik kan niet schrijven … , alleen als ik iets over Amsterdam blog … , dan heb ik uitschieters van over de honderd lezers … Ik heb ook géén zin meer om te bloggen.
    Kortom: Ik heb helemaal nergens géén zin meer in. Hè …,hè-hè … , straks ben ik nog depressief ook … Amsterdam, 8-12-2019 * http://www.friedabblog.wordpress.com *

    Reply

  16. As a retiree, I’ve reached the age when brain health is an important concern. Thank you for this list of strategies we can implement to lessen the liklihood of dementia and Alzheimer’s. Also, thank you for becoming a follower of my blog, From the Inside Out. I pray you’ll find the posts meaningful whenever you’re able to visit!

    Reply

  17. It has been a master class in brain health. Efficient reading and in turn very useful for our health. It is vitally important to take into account the recommendations if we want to have a quality of life above all, if we are already older people. The subject is explained in a simple way despite being based on scientific terms. In the end, we already know what our brain needs to keep us active and free of diseases that affect our motor part. An exceptional article for the benefits we can sax from it. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  18. Reblogged this on Mindpower (The Amazing Power of the Human Mind) and commented:
    http://www.traumaicbraininjurytbi.wordpress.com
    Hi Dr Sharma

    Thanks for the follow(s) * (+ likes), as the reason I write is to share.
    * (Though my family and close friends say it would be far more entertaining with a video-camera # in “real life”, rather than in cyberspace!)

    # By the way, do they still make them in today’s ever-faster changing world..or is it all done with mobile phones?

    (get with the times now,”luddite”* c – it should be a smart phone)

    * or so I was often called by my “my techno-geek” friend, Bill (“the gonk”)

    “total non-techno” c (who doesn’t possess a mobile phone, after a rather eventful’ experience some years back, whilst trying to walk, talk and chew gum at the same time)

    Who says men can’t multi-task!

    Kind regards and all the best with your blog

    “early bird” (very) * craig
    * my “best” time (by far)

    “You will do foolish things…but do them with enthusiasm.”
    – Colette

    PPS

    Best wishes from the First City to see the sun (in summer) …and we’re also the first to see the sunset and the stars (in winter-time)

    “I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars.”

    Reply

  21. Thank you for the helpful list. Although there is always room for improvement in my life, I am pleased to affirm that I am accomplishing those five healthy brain activities most days. 🙂

    Reply

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