Brain fitness. Head health.

by

On this New Year’s Eve, a time when we tend to inflict some abuse on our poor bodies & brains, I thought it might be a good time to flash back & focus on our mental fitness.

Brain fitness.

Staying mentally fit is crucial so that we (the royal) can think more clearly in stressful situations & are generally able to remember things better (MizFit is all about the brain health for this reason. Lately I make it to the grocery only to forget why Im there in the first place. G-d forbid I make a list—-but that’s a lament for a different post.).

In the long term a a’fit brain’ has been shown to help prevent illnesses such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimers.

Thankfully it’s as easy as the acronym B.R.A.I.N to keep your head young even though your bod (*sigh*) may be aging at a swifter rate than youd like (another reason to take it easy on the drinking tonight? MizFit would never be one to point that out.):

Be positive. Start by practicing turning your negative thoughts (“I hate the morning traffic”) into positive ones (“I love listening to music during my commute”) until that becomes your default mindset.

Remain active. Now when you’re tempted to skip a workout remind yourself it’s not just about looking good today but cruising cognitively sharp into your twilight years.

Add in new experiences and don’t become complacent. Try a new hobby! Drive a DIFFERENT way home from work! Learn a second or third language! Stuck for exercise ideas? This blogger is ALWAYS filled with fab suggestions.

Interact. In the era of the internet we aren’t the social creatures we used to be. It’s great to have ‘netfriends but important to get out there and socialize in the real world as well! Studies show married people and people with a network of friends live longer. This social network is exercise for your brain, too.

Nutrition. Most important is to eat a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These are viewed as essential fatty acids yet, ironically, ones which cannot be manufactured by our body. Cold water fish (tuna, salmon, mackerel, and sardines are a few examples) and flax seeds are two easy ways to add this good fat into your diet. Avocados are also good brain food. This fruit, packed with healthy fat, actually helps to stimulate flow of blood to the brain. (need a laugh? please check out this FLAX POST. It was from my first two weeks of MizFit & something I shall never, ever rewatch.)

OK, obviously this is the short version of a topic about which I could yammer forever due to its importance.

Bumbling Band? Any other crucial brain-tips Ive failed to include?

Any plans for tonight you’d care to share? Hangover hints you wanna lay on us so we have ’em at the ready for tomorrow?

Please to hit us all up in the comments.

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Comments

  1. neat topic 🙂 i don’t have anything to add, as the main ones i was thinking of (exercise, crossword puzzles, staying socially active) have all been covered in this list. i think it’s interesting that the brain is part made of fat (it insulates your neurons of course, so they work fast!), so healthy fats are important! as are carbohydrates … the brain uses a ton (i don’t know the exact number) of energy we take in from carbs. that’s not to say it’s ok to go crazy, but they do have a place in a brain-happy way of eating. of course the brain uses a lot of amino acids so proteins are also definitely important.

    it’s also important to keep the mind happy, which yeah now i see what you mean about this totally being a topic that one could talk about for a very long time, so i agree that doing things that keep oneself occupied and happy is very important for overall health.

    ok i rambled, but go brains! 🙂

  2. This is great. I love acronyms to help me remember what I need to do. I would add some water to that BRAIN. Since around 80% of brain tissue is made up of water we need to remember to keep ourselves hydrated. Room temp water is best.

    Maybe that’s where the expression ‘thirst for knowledge’ came from.

  4. I was just about to type what Katschi said! I often let my brain turn to mush after I come home from work- I should try to focus on keeping it more active!

    Happy New Year MF!

  5. coming soon to a post near you:

    HOW MIZFIT ACCIDENTALLY HIRED A PERSONAL TRAINER

    why? all the above *and* when I did balance work on the BOSU I really could feel my brain hurting (in a good way) as I struggled to get my body to work with one leg doing one thing and an opposite arm doing another etc.

    I need a good solid brain fitness routine as I age grow up.

    elliedee? great (missed) point on the water!!

    Miz, who shall take a different route home from the gym today in honor of all this.

  6. Sleep. Sleep is very good for the brain.

    Hangover? Before you go to bed, drink at least 32 oz of water and take an aspirin with no caffeine. Because if you wake up with a headache like I did 3.5 hours ago and take an aspirin with caffeine? Your ass is up for the day.

  7. Thanks for your comment on my blog, it still amazes me how many people you touch with your kind helpful words. I’m all for brain fitness too *smile*.

  8. thanks for this post as I am not one of your younger readers and topics like this really interest me.

    I plan in the new year to add in many new activities (including balance work now. thanks miz!!) so that I dont grow old in my head as my body inevitably ages.

    happy new year and thank you for all you do!

  9. oh and I agree with the water before bed for the hangover as well.

    also I always take more than a few advil.

  10. my brain hurts a lot. I think it’s because I’m a genius.

    however, I notice a certain feeling in my brain when I’m challenged. Math and thinking in Spanish are two things that do this to me. Maybe I should do both more, since I’m probably making wrinkles in my cranium

  11. Great topic. People look at me like I’m crazy when I tell them I shake my brain up by doing a crossword puzzle (an easy one, usually about old TV shows) with my left hand (I’m right handed). I hope I’m firing off something in my brain, maybe I’m just confusing it.

    I was going to try and finaggle my way out of my spin class this morning…but your “R” up their changed my mind! Thanks….I think. LOL 😉

  12. I like the aspect of Interact. This one I’m not so good at. Sure I’m married, but my closest friends are my sisters and sister-in-law, and we all know how I love my blogging buddies. I guess I need to get out and socialize in the real world- which is way out of my comfort zone. But if it’s for my brain, I guess it’s worth it.

    Sorry, no hangover tips, as I don’t drink and since the Hubs is sick, we’ll be spending the evening at home tonight, most likely falling asleep before midnight. But maybe like they say with sex ed, the best way to prevent is abstinence, LOL.

    BTW, I am so going to check out the flax post now, since I missed the early days of MizFit. Happy New Year!!

  13. please to enjoy Roo & please to not report back.

    As I’ve mentioned before I’ve seen maybe three of my videos?

    I shoot. I finish. I upload.

    (I know. You can’t tell that huh? *wink*)

    And that’s our NYE around here as well.

    Praying (quite literally) the TT sleeps well in her big!girl!bed! & following suit immediately after.

  14. Don’t forget the importance of antioxidants, and how readily available these are to you in that glass of red wine!

    Happy New Year Miz, I look forward to continuing inspiration from you in 2009!

  15. well, since there is no Bumbling Band party I am going out in my town and plan to EMBRACE the joy of the new year.

    then come back here tomorrow as you will be kicking us into shap for 2009.

    right??

  17. Marianne stole my comment (well, except the part about waking up with a headache….) My sickness is elsewhere in my body today, which is causing me to re-think my plans for this evening. In fact, I’m pretty sure I won’t do any of the errands I had planned for today because I won’t want to venture that far away from home (euphemism for bathroom) . ~~sigh~~

  18. Everyone’s brain needs a workout just like your body does and stimulation has been shown to stave off Alzheimer. If you’re getting old (of course I don’t know of anyone other than Benjamin Button that is getting younger) or know of someone much older, work with them to shut off the television. Because it has no interactive properties it can help to advance the beginnings of brain problems.

    Finding yourself in a store and not knowing why you’re there could be the start.

  20. Oh, just one interactive brain property the TV can have… hook it to a Wii, and there’s a good brain challenge game, series of math and logic puzzles. I’ve been doing these in the morning partly because for some reason I nearly always wake up depressed and anxious, and having to do brain games snaps me out of it to a decent extent.

    And it’s actually the only video game type thing that I can beat my 14 year old at, which makes me feel ridiculously happy, too.

    At this rate, it’s looking like we’re going to be snowed in for New Year’s Eve, so it’s just as well that we have no plans…

  21. Excellent post. I’ve nothing to add of any great import. But fresh air must be good for the brain so get some of that every day. And color. Get a coloring book and play and mess around with purple skies and pink grass and … you get the idea.

  22. I got nuthin’

    Wait – was sleep in there? I know sometimes I need to check out because my brain feels like it is frying out from overload.

    RE: hangover. No longer an issue for this mom. I got a bottle of wine for Christmas to go with the bottle the same person got me for my b-day in June this past year. I just don’t drink anymore.

    Happy New Year y’all

  23. I’m with Linda–sleep is a good one. Of course, my hubby thinks I’m lazy (can you believe the nerve of that guy?)

    I’m big on always learning something new (which you covered with “Add in new experiences and don’t become complacent.” In my case it’s more just because I come easily bored with one thing and ready to move on to the next. No one ever accused me of being afraid of change.

    Good luck with the TT and her bed. I’ve actually got both kids sleeping well in big beds in the same room now. The bedtime routine is key for us.

  24. You all beat me to it …. SLEEP! So incredibly important for so many reasons – brain function, metabolic function, immune system.

    Happy New Year all! Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better person.

  26. SciAm had an interesting podcast on the affect of exercise on the brain yesterday. I almost didn’t read it because it sounded like a Duh moment, but I’m glad I did because they discussed a lot about the affects of sugar on the brain and how it affects memory. Yikes! I’d put the link here, but I can’t remember what it was… 😉

  27. Ooooh this one hits home for me – my grandmother died a very slow death due to Alzheimers last year and now my oldest sister is showing very early signs. Scares me. A lot.

    I like Leah’s idea of the coloring book – I may have to raid my daughters’ room and dig out a Dora book and use her chunky crayons!

    Great post Miz!!

  29. Thank you for a year full of great advice, things to ponder and for inspiration. Miz is one of the things I am grateful for in 2008. Happy New Year!

  30. I’m on with the others: Sleep is crucial. The brain needs it just as it needs fuel.

    Hangover cure that is tried,tested and true? Here it is:

    If you’re able to remember to do this when you stumble in to your home, drink WATER. When you wake up, down a blue gatorade/powerade. Why blue? Well it can be any flavor but the blue one is not as sweet as the others and may be more bearable post-drinking. It’s all about hydration!

    Ughh, I’ll do what I can tonight to avoid the dreaded sandpaper-morning-mouth.

    Happy New Year!

  31. DITTO Debra!! 🙂 This is a great post … it’s the one main thing I worry about (further diminishing of my brain power) so I’m going to memorize (to help with the brain function) and practice!

  33. Great post. I agree with the above in that sleep is important as well (although, I don’t ever seem to get enough of it).

    I’ve got no plans for NYE, except maybe a houseful of teenagers. I may or may not be awake at midnight. I went to bed early last night in the hopes that I could keep myself awake tonight.

  34. Just staying in with hubby tonight. My sis and her family may stop by around 11:30 to watch the “ball drop” with us.

    Happy new Year!!

  35. Great topic! For me, a really great mental aid is simple relaxation. Have a massage regularly. Take time out for yourself. That’s one thing I don’t do enough, but plan to do so in the new year.

  36. Wonderful stuff!! I watched my grandmother follow that advice, and she stayed sharp right to the end!

    All the best on this next trip around the sun, Carla!!

  37. no resolution talk MizFit?

    does this mean we don’t have to make any?

    hope so! LOL

    have a happy new year.

  39. Get a coloring book and play and mess around with purple skies and pink grass and … you get the idea.

    a few days age I was having a conversation with our tattoo artist a woman I know and she mentioned that, if we wanna help the Tornado to be truly artistic we should encourage her to color outside the lines and do, as Leah says above, creative coloring.

    in the moment I thought DUH.

    and then for the past few days I walked around with this thought in my head and realized that NOT EVERYONE LIVES LIKE THAT.

    that many parents encourage GREEN GRASS and INSIDE LINE COLORAGE.

    it was an eye opening moment for me….and I give it to you for free 🙂

  41. LOVE THIS, LOVE THIS, LOVE THIS!!! Thank you for introducing me to the “brain” acronym 🙂

    HAPPY NEW YEAR, MIZFIT!!! Can’t wait to see what you have in store, in 2009.

  44. LOVE this! But, how about making it B.R.A.I.N.S? Gotta have Sleep! Without sleep, my brain is mush. And more and more research is showing how important sleep is for a healthy brain AND body.

  45. I really am laughing out loud that I completely neglected the sleep piece.

    I guess it’s because I have been obsessing about it so much (will the TT sleep? what will make her sleep well in the new bed? is she going to keep me up all night and deprive me of sleep??) I went the other way and spaced it.

    spaced it because my brain is old and tired and sleep needing (Im doing ok with the water thank goodness…)

  46. I like how you’ve got “remain active” rather than “be active”. I think that’s an important difference to make.

    I’d agree with the others on the sleep too, that’s necessary. I think testing willpower and limits is another important one. See how far you can go and all. Sort of falls under the trying new experiences category. It’s amazing what we can accomplish when we’ve got some serious brain fitness going on!

    PS The Brain Trust Program is a good book about brain fitness.
    thanks sagan. here’s the link for the brain trust information: http://www.drmccleary.com/

  48. Hi Miz,

    I loved this post. Particularly your ideas on being positive. One thing I’ve just started doing is being thankful for things. For example, when I wake up now, I’m just thankful to have another day to experience. I’m thankful for the toothpaste I use to brush my teeth with. I’m thankful for my bowl of Special K. You see what I’m saying? Do you know how many people in the world today don’t have those simple things? Or how many people in history? It just reminds me that being alive today, living in Canada (where I live, but it’s true if you’re in the good old USA as well!) I’m more fortunate than 99.999% of people in the entire history of the world. It gives me a feeling of positive gratitude, which is a great way to start the day, I think. Anyway, Happy New Year to you!

    – Dave

  49. Miz I know we are not supposed to say but I just watched your flax video!
    I am a new reader and didn’t know that you didn’t always do the kitchen videos but besides that it was the same as the others.

    I loved it and learned a lot.

    happy new year!

  50. HI!

    This was a great post! I am new to the circle of “healthy” blogs and I am finding new ones to read all the time and I love yours so much! Im so glad I came across it. You have great posts and I love this particular one because we, well at least I, tend to take our brain’s fitness for granted sometimes and forget that it too needs some conditioning and love! GREAT tips and I look forward to reading more in the future, hopefully some day I will get to the point where I can offer such good information on my blog as well. Happy New Year and drink LOTS of water and take some Advil before bed, that always helps me in the morning!

  51. I am thinking these tips need to be passed on to the older generation- like my parents. My grandmother used to work cross word puzzles to keep her brain sharp.

    Have a great New Year’s Eve.

  53. Well, well, well…Mizfit gives a shout out to the avocado. Not so bad in the smoothie, huh?

    Good post – I always encourage my parents to keep doing their crossword puzzles and to take their fish oil. I want them to stay active, physically and mentally. I try and follow the same advice, although I suck at crossword puzzles.

    Happy New Year!

  54. Hi Miz, liked the ideas, and liked the flax post. Since I just bought some last week for the first time, I think I will put some on the salmon I am planning for tonight–man, tomorrow’s blog post should be BRILLIANT, no? LOL!

    Actually, what I am thinking about is having a fantastic day full of my favorite nutritious foods (instead of the cookie/candy fest that I had been contemplating to ‘celebrate’ with tonight!)

  55. Hey, I had to do crosswords with my left hand when my right one was broken. It was kind of interesting. I was also encouraged to cartoon with my left because it was supposed to improve my style, but I didn’t because my second surgery went so well I was able to use my right. I should try that left hand thing, I suppose.

    Oh yeah….sleep….:-)

  57. Hang-over hints? There are two extreme’s on this one.

    1) Don’t plan to accomplish anything. Maybe get a squat or two in on commercial breaks. Push-ups are probably not going to work well if you’re the pukey-kind-of-hungover.

    2A) Plan to take a group fitness class. Suffer in silence along with 10-20 other people in varying degrees of the same hell. I don’t recommend that you take a Pole Class (tried it) on this day because the inversions and spinning can be a little much.

    2B) Run. Run solo. Run for as long as you can and then walk until you can run again. Repeat. This will help flush the toxins out of your poor body. Also, you will have earned your nap and PJ lounging time at the end of it. Beware – hydrate before going to bed, otherwise you may cramp up.

  59. What’s that? You’re giving away some brains today? Please, please, random number generator, pick me!

  60. Great post!!

    I think its also important to have healthy loving relationships in your life. Remembering that a little pat on the back, apathetic response or even just active listening can go a long way in someone else’s life and reciprocation will not be far away.

    Happy New Year!! Wishing you safe celebrations!

  63. Thanks for the brain health hints… I need them especially since I have mom mush brain syndrome.

    Plans for the evening are having our friends and their monkeys over for a night of craziness. They’ll spend the night so we can just put the kids to bed and continue on with some adult fun.

    My only hang over remedy is don’t drink too much.

    Happy New Year, Miz Fit!!!

  64. Great acronym! I definitely think it’s important to interact with people. When you’re sad or mad or depressed and you get out there and do something with people, everything seems less HUGE!!!!

    Today I am new apartment cleaning and tonight I hope to get out and do some interacting of my own!

    Have a great New Years Eve MizFit and family!!!!

  65. I like “Brain Fitness” much more the “mental Fitness” It seems “mental” has all sorts of stigmas attached to it, and you don’t feed the “mental” you feed the “brain“.

    Being present is the best Brain Fitness for me right now. I let my brain run wild and then get stressed when it’s all unnecessary. It’s been a huge relief to just slow own and be calm and present.

  66. thanks for the flax explanation. I knew I was supposed to eat it and like it but I really wasn’t sure why.

    happy 2009!

    Sara

  68. Acronyms work wonders for me. Adding this one to my fridge/inspiration area.

    Happy 2009- thanks for being a daily stop in 2008 for me. Looking forward to what I will learn from this here site in 2009. Always looking forward 🙂

  69. Your first point is my fave! I really do think it is all about your attitude. You can’t control what happens to you but you sure can control how you think about it:) Happy New Years!

  71. I always need a reminder to Be positive. I need tips on how to interact–improve my social network. Seems I only know people at work. Don’t have kids to introduce to anyone; not a church goer. Any suggestions?

  72. ok, Im back as I couldnt leave ya hanging 45andaspiring.

    Ive heard this is a GREAT WAY to meet new people:
    http://www.meetup.com/

    I belong to a bunch of mamas groups through them but, I caint lie to you, havent motivated yet to attend anything.

    They have groups for everything under the sun from knitting to karate.

  73. Love this post and so excited to dig into The Great Fitness Experiment blog! Thanks for sharing. I really have nothing else to add other than sleep =) Well… that and eliminating stress because it certainly makes me a little more unfocused, slower and well, just plain dumb sometimes! I guess that would fall under “remain positive” though?

  74. Lots o’ water. hydrate baby!

    I’d like to add love to the brain fitness list because when we focus on more loving thoughts it makes us healthier and fitter mind, body, & spirit!

    Happy New Year 🙂

  77. I love flax. I’m hooked on it and wheat germ.

    Sudoku right before bed to relax. Never thought I would like it, but love it.

    I believe the sleep thing is good but I never want to go to bed! Night owl gene…

  78. Miz and Co. I blog about healthy fats and their effects on brain health. Might be worth it for you guys to have a peekaboo at my blog and absorb some info on this. Thanks

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