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DISCLAIMER: You should always contact your local health professional before
making any major changes to your diet or exercise regime. This report offers
helpful information to better assist those who wish to stimulate their minds;
however it remains the sole responsibility of the reader to choose whether or not to
implement these changes in their life. The report may contain some errors which the
author is not accountable for, as it is not intended for medical or professional
reference. Readers may wish to talk about any major lifestyle changes with their
doctor before commencing on any extensive brain training program.

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For Support Please Contact contact@GoSupportMember.com

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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: All About The Brain ....................................................................................................................... 7
The Human Brain ........................................................................................................................................ 7
Size differences ...................................................................................................................................... 8
The brains structure .............................................................................................................................. 9
The Anatomy of the Brain ........................................................................................................................ 12
Brain Food ................................................................................................................................................ 13
The importance of stimulating your brain ........................................................................................... 14
Chapter 2: Memory ...................................................................................................................................... 15
What is memory? ..................................................................................................................................... 15
Long-term Memory .................................................................................................................................. 17
How is Information Encoded in Long-term Memory ............................................................................ 17
Short-Term Memory ................................................................................................................................ 18
Sensory Memory ...................................................................................................................................... 20
Studies About Memory ............................................................................................................................ 22
The Atkinson and Shiffrin Model ......................................................................................................... 22
George Millers Study........................................................................................................................... 23
Brown and Peterson Procedure ........................................................................................................... 24
Studies by Tarnow................................................................................................................................ 24
Studies by Robert Bjork and William B. Whitten ................................................................................. 24
Studies by Ovid J.L Tzeng ..................................................................................................................... 24
Studies by Koppenaal and Glanzer....................................................................................................... 25
Baddeley's model of working memory ................................................................................................ 25
Studies by Payne .................................................................................................................................. 26
Studies by Holtz ................................................................................................................................... 27
Phineas Gage........................................................................................................................................ 27
Chapter 3: Exercise and the Brain ................................................................................................................ 29
How exercise affects the brain ................................................................................................................. 29
The relationship between exercise and dangerous chemicals................................................................. 31
Exercises Protective Effects ..................................................................................................................... 33
Exercising for Brain Health Tips ................................................................................................................ 37

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Chapter 4: Brain Diseases Prevention .......................................................................................................... 38

Lifestyle Options ....................................................................................................................................... 38
Exercise Routines ..................................................................................................................................... 39
Diet Options ............................................................................................................................................. 39
Stimulation Activities ............................................................................................................................... 40
Peaceful Sleep .......................................................................................................................................... 41
Managing Stress ....................................................................................................................................... 41
Social Connections ................................................................................................................................... 41
Final Tips................................................................................................................................................... 42
Chapter 5: Lifestyle and Dietary Changes To Boost Brain Power ................................................................. 44
Step 1: Exercise ........................................................................................................................................ 44
Step 2: Stay hydrated ............................................................................................................................... 45
Step 3: Eat brain foods! ............................................................................................................................ 46
Step 4: Stay away from junk food ............................................................................................................ 49
Step 5: Build a routine .............................................................................................................................. 50
Chapter 6: Holistic Ways to Stimulate the Brain .......................................................................................... 51
Holistic brain gaining ................................................................................................................................ 51
Natural ingredients for brain power increase .......................................................................................... 51
Herbal remedies ....................................................................................................................................... 53
Meditation and yoga ................................................................................................................................ 54
Praying can increase your brain power .................................................................................................... 55
Chapter 7: 30 Quick And Easy Brain Stimulation Exercises .......................................................................... 56
1.

Drawing ........................................................................................................................................... 56

2.

The Journal ...................................................................................................................................... 58

3.

Self-massaging ................................................................................................................................. 60

4.

Exercising and sports ....................................................................................................................... 61

5.

Puzzles ............................................................................................................................................. 63

6.

Neurobics......................................................................................................................................... 65

7.

Creating stories and fairytales ......................................................................................................... 67

8.

Sudoku ............................................................................................................................................. 69

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9.

Breathing ......................................................................................................................................... 70

10.

Meditating ................................................................................................................................... 72

11.

Using the other hand .................................................................................................................. 74

12.

Reminding re-reminding .......................................................................................................... 76

13.

Dancing and singing .................................................................................................................... 78

14.

Playing ......................................................................................................................................... 80

15.

Eliminate routine......................................................................................................................... 81

16.

Uncommon answers to weird questions .................................................................................... 83

17.

Learn new languages ................................................................................................................... 85

18.

Visual stimulation exercises ........................................................................................................ 87

19.

Daily recapitulation ..................................................................................................................... 88

20.

Building things ............................................................................................................................. 90

21.

Multi-tasking ............................................................................................................................... 92

22.

Mnemonic activities .................................................................................................................... 93

23.

Brainstorming .............................................................................................................................. 96

24.

Emotional Intelligence ................................................................................................................ 98

25.

Gardening .................................................................................................................................. 100

26.

Decorating ................................................................................................................................. 102

27.

Memorizing numbers ................................................................................................................ 103

28.

Chess ......................................................................................................................................... 105

29.

Dieting ....................................................................................................................................... 107

30.

Brain games on paper ............................................................................................................... 109

Chapter 8- Quick Tips To Boost Brain Power .............................................................................................. 111

Exercising Your Brain: A 21 Day Workout Plan .................................................................................. 115

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Chapter 1: All About The Brain

The human brain is by far the most fascinating thing we have ever had the chance to study and
observe, but at the same time we know so little about it. Just as we dont really understand
what is going on in the depths of the ocean or in a black hole, we have little idea as to whats
going on in the human brain. However, we have discovered enough to be able to study it, and in
this book we will use our current understanding in order to find out how to stimulate our brains
and help ourselves achieve superior cognitive performances. But first, lets take a closer look at
this mysterious organ.

The Human Brain

The human brain is not much different from that of any other mammal when it comes to its
structure and basic functionality. The first and most noticeable difference between human
brains and the rest of the Mammalia class is the fact
that our cerebral cortex is much more developed. The
cerebral cortex is formed by two hemispheres and can
be found at the base of the brain, on the outside of the
cerebellum. Because it is connected to many other
regions of the brain via different connections, the
cerebral cortex processes various types of information.
The cortex plays an important role in the sensorial
processes and our voluntary movements, but

by far the most remarkable task of the cerebral cortex takes place in the association area, which
is responsible for perceptual experiences. Roughly, its responsible for abstract thoughts,
empathy, language, planning, self-control and everything that differentiates us from other
mammals.
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Size differences
When it comes to size, the human brain is not the largest. Bigger mammals, such as elephants or
whales, have much larger brains than humans. The brain of an elephant weighs around 5 kilos,
while the brain of a blue whale weighs
about 7 kilos. The brain of a human who has
reached biological maturity weights about
1-1.5 kilos. But if it we compare the size of
the brain related to the total body mass,
humans have the largest brains indeedabout 2% of the total body mass. This
measurement is known as the
Encephalization Quotient (EQ) and its the
most efficient way weve developed, so far, for establishing which mammals are the most
intelligent of all. Based on this criterion of measuring the brains weight and assessing the total
weight of the animals body, we have the following classifications.

Species

Encephalization Quotient (EQ)

Human

7.5%

Bottlenose Dolphin

4.1%

Orca

2.7%

Chimpanzee

2.5%

Rhesus monkey

2.1%

Elephant

2%

Dog

1.2%

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Even if other animals dont have brains as powerful as we do, they are also capable of
displaying some kinds of superior cognitive abilities. Some of these abilities include selfrecognition in a mirror, numerical value, memory, mimicry, artificial language communication,
self-behavior monitoring and the usage of tools.

The brains structure

The complexity structure of the human brain cant be comprehended in its totality by a single
sub-chapter. There are entire scientific fields dedicated to the cerebral structure, but in the
following paragraphs we have divided the brain into three main parts for a better
understanding:

Brainstem

Midbrain

Forebrain

The Brainstem
When it comes to the brainstem, you should know that its the part of the brain that has not
changed in the later evolutionary phases. This part is not only common with all the other species
in the mammalian class, but with lower classes as well. The structures contained by this part of
the brain are responsible for the most basic cognitive processes required by life. Two main
structures can be differentiated in this region: the medulla oblongata and the cerebellum. The
role of the medulla oblongata is to control basic processes of the body and organs, such as heart
rate, digestion, and breathing. The cerebellums function is to maintain balance, basic muscle
movements and automatisms (walking, blinking, swallowing, etc.). If anything goes wrong with
the development of these areas at an early age, their functions can be overtaken by superior
structures of the brain.
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The Midbrain
As we go further into our classification, the parts of the brain which fall into the midbrain
structural region are starting to handle more complex processes. The main responsibility of the
midbrain is to process various pieces of information from the surrounding environment and
react in the most efficient way. Among the processes that take place in the midbrain, we can
notice vitally important functions such as hearing, vision, motion control, temperature control
and even alertness or quick responses to dangerous situations. The exchange of information
back and forth between the midbrain and the rest of the body is completed by the connection
of this region with the thalamus. Besides, the midbrain also presents a limbic system,
responsible for the regulation of body temperature, emotions and hormones. The long-term
memory process is another role of the midbrain. The limbic system of the midbrain is divided
into three main structures:

Hypothalamus - which regulates both emergency responses, the so-called fight or

flight process, and vital processes such as feeding, reproduction and sheltering

Amygdala responsible for behavioral moderation

Hippocampus responsible for processing, organizing and storing information

(memory)

The Forebrain
Specific to the mammals, the forebrain is the latest evolutionary step of the cerebellum. It
surrounds the midbrain and contains the cerebral cortex. Its main roles are related to
communication, self-awareness, and problem-solving, as well as abstract thinking and one of the
aspects that define superior intelligence, such as curiosity and boredom. The cerebral cortex is
formed by two hemispheres that

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present a wrinkled surface composed of folded layers called sulci. When unfolded, this part of
the brain can extend to more than 1.5 square meters- and its only a couple of millimeters thick.
Although we use both hemispheres of the cerebral cortex during cognitive processes, one of
them is dominant. Usually, right-handed people have a dominant left hemisphere and vice
versa. The cerebral cortex is divided into four lobes, and each of them is responsible for certain
cognitive processes.

The frontal lobe found right behind the forehead, this area of the brain is
responsible for planning, smell, voluntary movements, decision making, and
emotions.

The parietal lobe found right behind the frontal lobe, towards the top of the
head, this area is responsible with positioning, spatial awareness and
environmental navigation. Its also involved in processing sensorial information,
such as taste, touch or temperature.

The occipital lobe found at the back of the head, this area is also known as the
main region of the visual cortex and its where the information perceived by the
eyes is processed to form clear images.

The temporal lobe found between the ears, this region is responsible for storing
long-term memories, regulating emotions and developing communication skills
and languages.

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The Anatomy of the Brain

Even though its role is so important and its the most complex organ we have; the brain is
mostly made out of water. About 75 percent of the brains total weight is water- stored mostly
in fat cells. Besides fat cells and blood vessels, the building bricks of the brain and the ones that
make it so unique are the nerve cells; these are bulb-like cells interconnected through nerve
fibers. There are two main types of nerve cells:

Neurons

Glial cells

Neurons
A neuron is an electrically excitable cell specialized in retaining, processing and transmitting
information. The information is processed and transmitted through chemical and electrical
signals, which are used for intercommunication with other neurons. The process of transmitting
information is done via synapses, which are connections between an axon terminal which
transmits neuronal signals and a dendrite which receives it. From this process, we can deduct
that a neuron is composed of a cell body, also known as soma, and neurites, which are the axons
and dendrites we were talking about in the transmitting process.

Glial cells
The glial cells, also known as glia or neuroglia, are non-neuronal cell-like structures with the sole
purpose of maintaining the good functionality of the neurons. These cells are not exclusively
found in the brain but are also present in the peripheral nervous system. The ancient Greeks
saw glial cells as the glue that keeps the nervous system together- but their purpose is more
complex and more important than that. Here are the three main roles of a glial cell:

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1.

Insulators the glial cells act like an insulating material between two neurons, so that
chemical and electrical signals wont mix up and create errors in the brains
functioning. These errors are acting exactly as short-circuits.

2.

Suppliers another job of the glial cells is to transport and supply the neurons with
oxygen and nutrients.

3.

Protection the neurons are sensitive to pathogen factors, so they need a protector
around them to keep away any dangers. Besides, the glial cells are also removing
dead neurons and other glial cells, keeping the brain clean and functional.

The glial cells also play a minor role in neuronal transmission, being implicated in the breathing
process and assisting chemical impulses by directing chemical compounds on the right path.

Brain Food
The brain is a major consumer of the total intake of nutrients. Even if it weighs only 2% of the
total body mass, your brain can consume up to 20% of the total energy produced by your
metabolic system. This means that it burns more than any other organ of the body, and its
highly sensitive to diet changes and lack of nutrients. There are two main substances used by
the human brain as fuel: glucose and ketone bodies.

Most of the time, a person has an equilibrated diet the brain will use glucose as its main source
of energy. The glucose, along with galactose and fructose, are chemical compounds primarily
found in plants. This group of nutrients are easily processed, being absorbed directly into the
bloodstream once the digestion process starts. When glucose is lacking or is needed in another
function of the body, such as moments of metabolism imbalance (poor diet, hard work,
exercise, sleep deprivation, stress), the brain starts using ketone bodies for energy. This type of
water-soluble molecule is produced by the liver. The process of producing ketone bodies
requires more resources than simply obtaining glucose. However, since the ketone bodies are a
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derivative of fatty acids produced by the liver they are more abundant, since diets are usually
richer in fatty acids than sugars.

There is another nutrient used by the brain as a source of energy: lactate, which are basically
lactic acids. This nutrient kicks in during risen physical effort and its side effects are an increase
in motivation, better regulation of stress responses, control the blood pressure and can even
increase appetite. It was designed by our bodies to keep us motivated during hunting and is now
known as the compound that causes the so-called runners high, the euphoric experience felt
during long and intense physical activity sessions.

The importance of stimulating your brain

Maybe youve heard the saying: Your brain is the most important muscle, but if you have paid
attention to the previous paragraphs, you have seen that your brain is mostly made out of fat
and nerve cells. However, that statement is true in the sense that you can train it. A sharp mind
is the result of a stimulated brain. It would be a shame not to train your brain since its a
magnificent piece of natural engineering. Here are the most common ways through which you
can stimulate your brain.

Its proven that the regular stimulation of the brain can lead to a better memory, faster
cognitive processes, and even a higher IQ. In the past, researcher thought that the IQ cant be
changed. However, recent studies on taxi drivers from New York have proven that their IQs
increased from 4 to 10 points after memorizing all the streets of the metropolis. The favored
methods of stimulating your brain include memory exercises, appropriate diet and an efficient
work-break schedule to increase focus and reading. Find out more about the human brain and
how can you improve your own cognitive capacity in the following chapters of The Brain
Stimulator.

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Chapter 2: Memory
What is memory?
Memory is a brain process through which information received by the brain is encoded, stored
and retrieved. Let us take a look at these three primary processes of memory from the
perspective of information processing.

Encoding: Encoding is the first step of the memory process by which information from
the outside is perceived or registered by our brain through our 5 senses as physical or
chemical stimuli. This information is then encoded or processed so that it may be stored
depending on the relevance of the information.

Storing or storage of information: It is one of the main functions of memory. Whatever

information we gather over time is maintained and stored in our memory. The memory
process allows us to create permanent records of the information that has been
encoded.

Retrieval: It is the final process of memory through which we recollect, remember or

recall information that is already stored from our consciousness.

There are three main types of memory based on storage of information. They are as follows:

Long-Term Memory (LTM): LTM can store larger quantities of information for
much longer or unlimited durations. LTM encodes information semantically and
consists of episodic memory that allows us to remember specific events and
dates.

Short-Term Memory (STM): STM has a recall time period of few seconds to a
minute without repetition or rehearsal. STM depends more on sounds or
acoustic code than visual code for storing information.

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Sensory Memory: It holds sensory information for less than a second once the
information has been received by the brain. Sensory memory is an automatic
response that is not under our cognitive control.

Memory is also classified based on the type of information that is stored. They are as follows:

Declarative memory: This memory is for information that requires conscious recall. It is
also known as explicit memory as it contains information that is stored and retrieved
explicitly. It is divided into semantic memory and episodic memory.

Topographic memory: This memory allows us to orient ourselves in a space, in order to

understand and follow a schedule or to recognize places. It is useful to us when we
travel or get lost.

Procedural Memory: This memory is based on implicit learning and is mainly functional
in learning motor skills. The information remembered can be automatically transferred
to actions through procedural memory. This is what helps us remember how to drive a
car or ride a bike.

Flashbulb memory: It contains very clear episodic memories that are of a highly unique
and emotional nature such as people remembering what they did on their wedding day
or remembering what happened
during a natural calamity if one has
experienced it. Such memories are
called flashbulb memories.

Memory can fail when certain information

fades over long periods of time because it
hasnt been retrieved for so long, or simply because of absent-mindedness or lack of attention.
The loss of memory is medically known as amnesia.

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Long-term Memory
Long-term memory is the part of memory that can store information for longer periods of time
sometimes even indefinitely. Example: Your knowledge of arithmetic operations or your
understanding of world history will be information that is stored and retrieved in the long-term
memory. The information in our long-term memory decays very little over time, and it can store
almost unlimited amounts of information for unlimited periods of time. Sometimes when we try
to remember something from long ago it feels like the memory is just there but we cant seem
to recall it. This is because over long periods of time it becomes more difficult to retrieve certain
memories. It does not mean that the information is forgotten.

How is Information Encoded in Long-term Memory?

Information is encoded semantically in the long-term memory for storage. However, the
information needs to be received by the working memory before it can be transferred and
stored in the long-term memory. The speed of learning information by the long-term memory
depends on the capacity of the working memory to store different stimuli. Information is
transferred from the short-term memory to the long-term memory by the process of synaptic
consolidation. Within minutes or hours after the information is acquired by the long-term
memory, the memory trace gets encoded in the brain synapses which makes it a permanent
memory. Information in the long-term memory is also susceptible to the natural process of
forgetting or fading, so rehearsal and maintenance are important to preserve this information.
Types of Long-term Memory
Explicit memory or declarative memory: All conscious memories are found in the explicit
memory. The information is encoded by the entorhinal cortex, peripheral cortex and
hippocampus, but it is stored somewhere else in the temporal lobe. There are three main types
of explicit memory. They are as follows.

Episodic memory: It is the memory for specific time-based events. Episodic memory

helps to encode and retrieve such information. For example, when we try to recall a persons

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name or remember our last conversation with another person it is our episodic memory that is
at work.

Semantic memory: Semantic memory contains factual information, knowledge and their

meanings. For example, when we are writing an exam it is our semantic memory that provides
us with answers.

Autobiographical memory: This is the memory that contains our personal experiences

and other relevant events. It is similar to episodic memory, but it only contains memories
directly related to oneself. It is a self-memory system.

Implicit memory or procedural memory: The implicit memory stores our skills of body

movements or the use of everyday objects. For example, our knowledge of how to drive a car,
swim or use scissors comes from our implicit memory. This is why it is also called procedural
memory. This memory is presumed to be encoded and stored by the striatum and areas of the
basal ganglia. Nonassociative learning occurs in our implicit memory.

Short-Term Memory
Short-term memory is the active or primary memory that can hold very small amounts of
information in the brain for short periods of time- about several seconds to a minute. Example:
When someone gives us a phone number, and we try to memorize it because we have no means
of writing it down it is our short-term memory that is at work. Once we write the phone number
down we forget it. The commonly cited capacity of the short-term memory is 7 plus or minus 2
elements. Short term memory is different from working memory as working memory involves
processes for the temporary storage and manipulation of information. Information can be
retained in the short-term memory through rehearsal. When you repeat the information
mentally, it gets re-entered into the short-term memory and therefore the information is stored
for 10 to 20 seconds longer.

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The Capacity of Short Term Memory

The information holding capacity of the short-term memory
is called the memory span. There are simple tests to test the
memory span. Example: In a basic memory span test you will
be given a list of words or digits which will keep increasing in
length. Your memory span can be determined depending on
how many words or digits you can recall in the right order
for the longest list, for at least half of the total trials given.

Anything that causes us to forget the information in the short-term memory can limit us
severely in our ability to retain new information over short periods of time. This limit in our
memory is called the finite capacity of the short-term memory. The famous psychologist George
Miller published an article about short-term memory span called The Magical Number Seven,
Plus or Minus Two. In his article, he proposed that the short-term memory of human beings
has a forward memory span of seven elements plus or minus two approximately.

The Duration of Short Term Memory

Since short-term memory has a very limited duration of retaining information, it is assumed that
the contents of short-term memory decay spontaneously over time. One of the most notable
theories of this assumption is Baddeleys Model of Working Memory. For information to be
retained for longer periods of time, it must be rehearsed or repeated mentally or verbally out
loud. This will cause the information to re-enter the short-term memory, and it will be retained
for a longer duration of time. There are researchers who believe that older information gets
pushed out of the short-term memory when new information enters it unless the older
information is rehearsed or given attention to.

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How to Improve Short Term Memory

Short-term memory can be improved by the method of chunking. Through chunking, we can
expand our ability to recall or remember things in the short-term. Chunking also enables us to
organize information into meaningful lists or groups. Generally, the average person can retain
about four different items in the short-term memory, but with chunking they can increase their
recall capacity greatly. Take the example of the phone number again; if you chunk the digits into
groups of 2 or 3 you will be able to recall the number more easily than if you had to recall each
single digit separately.

Sensory Memory
The sensory memory retains the memories or impressions of sensory information once the
sensory stimulus has ceased. Sensory information is perceived by our sensory receptors and
then relayed to the brain through the nervous system. In the brain this information is encoded,
processed and stored in sensory memory long enough for it to be transferred to the short-term
memory. Human beings have five senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch which are
enabled by the five sense organs: the eyes, ears, tongue, nose and skin respectively. Sensory
memory generates automatic responses and does not come under cognitive control- it also has
a very brief duration.

Features of Sensory Memory

There are four main features of sensory memory:

When a sensory memory trace is formed, it is independent of any attention on the

stimulus.

Sensory memory stores are modality-specific information. For instance, echoic

memory is exclusive for storage of auditory information, and iconic memory is
exclusive for storage of visual information.

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Sensory memory stores show a great amount of detail which results in high
resolution of information.

Sensory memory stores last for a very short duration of time and therefore are very
brief. Information is lost or inaccessible once the sensory memory trace has decayed
or gets replaced by new memories.

Types of Sensory Memory

There are three types of sensory memory. These include iconic memory, echoic memory and
haptic memory.

Iconic memory: Iconic memory is the mental representation of visual stimuli that are
also known as icons. Icons are basically fleeting images that act as stimuli. Iconic
memory also has visual short-term memory and visual long-term memory. It has two
main components, visible persistence, and informational persistence. Visible persistence
is the phenomenon that gives the impression that a visual image is present even after it
has been physically removed. Informational persistence is a representation of
information regarding a stimulus which persists even after it has been physically
removed. The stimulus is visual in nature, but it is not visible.

Echoic memory: Echoic memory is the sensory memory representation of the auditory
sense of hearing. The process of hearing occurs when auditory information travels in the
form of sound waves that are sensed by the tiny hair cells in the ear canal. The
information of the sound waves is carried to the temporal lobe and processed there.
Auditory stimuli cannot be repeatedly scanned in the echoic memory the way visual
stimuli can be scanned many times in the iconic memory. However, echoic memories
get stored slightly longer in the brain than iconic memories.
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Haptic memory: The haptic memory is the representation of sensory memory for the
tactile sense or the sense of touch. There are sensory receptors all over our body under
our skin which can detect sensations like pressure, pain, and temperature. The
information from tactile receptors travels through the nervous system to the spinal cord
straight to the postcentral gyrus in the parietal lobe of the brain. This neural pathway is
known as the somatosensory system. Haptic memory helps to familiarize us with the
touch and feel of everyday objects that we use so we can remember with what force or
pressure to grip them or use them.

Studies About Memory

There have been hundreds of studies done on memory, most of which the focus is short-term
memory and long-term memory. There were many noteworthy studies conducted on shortterm memory and long-term memory over the years in the field of psychology. Let us take a
brief look at some of the famous and notable studies that were undertaken in the areas of both
short-term and long-term memory.
The Atkinson and Shiffrin Model
This multi-store model was formulated by Richard Atkinson and Richard Shiffrin based on their
studies in 1968. According to this model, memory is made up of three different memory stores
namely: short-term memory, long-term memory, and sensory memory.

The sensory memory: It relates to sights and sounds. What we see is stored in the iconic
memory and what we hear is stored in the echoic memory.

The short-term memory: In the short-term memory information lasts only for a few
seconds to a minute, but it can be retained longer with repetition and rehearsal.

The long-term memory: Here limitless amounts of information can be stored for limitless
periods of time- even for a lifetime.

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According to Atkinson and Shiffrin, the information in short-term memory can be transferred to
long-term memory if it is learned or processed fast enough. They believed that memories
remained in the short-term memory stores in a buffer state, and when they get transferred to
the long-term memory stores, their associations are strengthened. However, this model has
been criticized for being too simple in its components. It is believed that the long-term memory
has many other subcomponents like episodic memory and procedural memory. Another issue
with this model is that it states that rehearsal is the only way to transfer information from shortterm memory to long-term storage, but there has been evidence to show that humans are
capable of remembering and recalling certain information without any rehearsal.

George Millers Study

based on his article The Magical Number Seven, Plus or
Minus Two: Some Limits on Our Capacity for Processing
Information
According to Miller, the storage capacity of the short-term
memory is seven plus or minus two bits (7+2 or 7 2). He
believed that the performance can be almost perfect 5/6
stimuli, but if the number of stimuli goes above that
performance declines. He also proposed the main
cognitive limitation is the memory span. Youngsters
according to him have a memory span of seven items. He
later concluded that memory span is limited not as bits but
in term of chunks. Current studies have shown that the capacity of short-term memory is
estimated to be lower in the order of four to five items, but the short-term memory capacity can
be improved with the method of chunking information. A chunk represents the largest
recognizable and meaningful unit of information. Miller realised that the correspondence that
was found between the limits of single dimensional absolute judgment and that of the shortPage | 23

term memory span was merely a coincidence since only the first limit and not the second limit
can be understood in information and theoretical terms. Miller used the term Magical number
seven only rhetorically; it has nothing to do with magic.
Brown and Peterson Procedure
They conducted studies to test the capacity limits of the working memory. They tested how
many items can be held in the working memory using mnemonics and other memory
techniques. An important aspect of their procedure is that it blocks the process of rehearsal
which is much needed in order to recall information from short-term memory. This study
especially helped to point out that the long-term memory and short-term memories are free of
one another in functioning.
Studies by Tarnow
All theorists do not reach a decision that short-term memory and long-term memory are distinct
components or systems. Tarnows studies indicate that recall possibility vs. latency curve forms
a conventional line from 6 seconds to 600 second, and the possibility of failure to recollect
saturates only 600 seconds later. In case there are two dissimilar memory capacities working
within this time limit, a discontinuity of this curve can be expected. Tarnow also theorised that
the memories in the long-term memory are stored in the form of dreams.
Studies by Robert Bjork and William B. Whitten
They conducted studies to provide evidence contradicting the existence of short-term memory
stores with experiments that involved continuous distractor tasks. They presented research
subjects with word pairs that had to be recalled but before and after every word pair the
subjects had to do the distractor task of simple multiplication for 12 seconds. Once the final
word-pair was presented they had to do the same distractor task again for 20 seconds. Their
studies showed that the recency effect increases the chances of subjects remembering the last
item while primacy effect increased the chances of remembering the items presented at the
beginning.
Studies by Ovid J.L Tzeng
In his studies Tzeng also discovered that the recency effect in free recall did not appear to occur
from the short-term memory functioning. Research subjects were given four study test periods

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with lists of 10 words. They had a continuous distractor task of counting numbers backwards for
20 seconds. When each list was presented, subjects had to freely recall as many words as they
could. After this had been done with the fourth list, they were told to freely recall the items
from all of the four different lists. The results showed that both initial free recall, as well as final
free recall, presented a recency effect, and therefore the results contradicted the assumptions
of a short-term memory model.
Studies by Koppenaal and Glanzer
In 1990, Koppenaal and Glanzer tried to explain the phenomena of recency effect and primacy
effect as a result of the participants adaptation to the distractor task that they were given.
Hence, it permitted them to retain some of the operations of the short-term memorys stores.
They presented their results as evidence that, in the long-term, the recency effect vanished
when the distractor post the final item was different from the distractors that preceded it and
followed the remaining items.
Baddeley's model of working memory
This model was proposed by Alan Baddeley and Graham Hitch in 1974. Their three part model
was proposed as an alternative to Atkinsons and Shiffrins model. They divided memory into
three components: the central executive, the visuospatial sketchpad and the phonological loop.

Central executive: It is a flexible system that controls and regulates cognitive processes
by combining information from different sources and arranges them into sensible
information. It aids in shifting between tasks and strategies of retrieval and provides
selective attention and inhibition. It supervises all cognitive processes and intervenes if
there is a problem.

Visuospatial Sketchpad: It is located in the right hemisphere of the brain. The

visuospatial sketchpad is believed to contain information regarding what we see. It is
utilized for the temporary storage and manipulation of information that is spatial or
visual, example: trying to remember shapes and colour or the location or speed of

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things around us in space. It also handles tasks of planning spatial movements such as
when we plan our way through a complicated maze. The visuospatial sketchpad has two
separate components, the visual component, the spatial component and even possibly,
the kinesthetic component.

The Phonological loop: It is also known as the articulatory loop, and it deals with sounds
or phonological information that is received by the brain. It has two parts: a shortterm phonological store which is for auditory memory traces that rapidly decay, and
an articulatory rehearsal component which can revive the old memory traces. Auditory
and verbal information enters the phonological store automatically. Language that is
visually presented can be changed into the phonological code by silently articulating it
and therefore encoding it into the phonological store. This occurs through the
articulatory control process. The phonological store is like an inner ear, it can remember
sounds of speech in their temporal order and the articulatory process is like an inner
voice and can repeat series of words or other speech items in a loop to prevent losing
them. The phonological loop can play an important role in acquiring vocabulary during
early childhood years. It can also be useful if we want to learn a new language.

Studies by Payne
Payne and his colleagues conducted experiments where subjects
were selected at random and then split up into two groups. These
two groups were presented with semantically related or semantically
unrelated pairs of words. One group was presented the words at
9am while the other group got their words at 9pm. The subjects
were then tested on their pairs of words at one of three different
intervals: at 30 minutes, 12 hours or 24 hours later. The result was that the subjects who got a
period of sleep between the sessions of learning and testing were able to perform better in the

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memory tests. This study is quite similar to studies conducted previously in experiments done by
Jenkins and Dallenbach in 1924.
Studies by Holtz
In his studies of memory Holtz discovered that sleep not only affects the consolidation of
declarative memories, but it also affects the consolidation of procedural memories. In his
experiments, fifty adolescent subjects were either taught word pairs that represented the
declarative memory or a task of finger tapping that represented the procedural memory at one
among two different times during the day. the results showed that the procedural task of finger
tapping was encoded the best and recalled immediately before sleeping but the declarative task
of learning word pairs was remembered and encoded better if it was learned at 3pm in the
afternoon time.

The above studies and many hundreds more, have been conducted on short-term and long-term
memories. When people get some sort of brain damage that affects their memory, it is an
opportunity to understand and learn more about how the human memory works. One man
contributed to the study of memory after a tragic accident caused him brain damage- Phineas
Gage.
Phineas Gage
As a simple American railroad construction worker in the year 1848, on September 13th, Phineas
Gage lived through an almost impossible to survive rock blasting accident, when an iron rod got
driven straight through his head leaving most of his left brains frontal lobe damaged
completely. Prior to his accident, Gage is said to have been an intelligent, social and active man
who was very involved with his work and family. It has been reported that his behavior and
personality over the rest of the twelve years of his life had such intense effects that people who
knew him did not consider him to be the same man he was anymore. His condition initially
caused him much trouble, he was delirious and lost control of his memory on the second day
after the accident, but two days later he appeared to remember people in his life and be

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rational again. However, this improvement did not last. Later that year, Gage became semicomatose and would rarely speak unless he was spoken to and even that with monosyllables
only. By October the same year Gage seemed to be recovering more as he was up and about
and felt no pain in his head.
In 1994 studies done by Hanna Damasio, it suggested that Gages brain damage was bilateral.
Other studies by Ratiu and Van Horn rejected Damasios studies stating that only Gages frontal
lobe in the left side of the brain had been damaged. Psychologist Malcolm Macmillan
hypothesised that the difference between Gages behavior after that accident, and much later
after the accident, shows that he gained social recovery over time. It is said that Gages accident
was one of the reasons for the development of certain kinds of surgeries like lobotomy in the
later years.

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Chapter 3: Exercise and the Brain

How exercise affects the brain

We all know that physical exercise is good for the body. It helps us stay fit and keeps us healthy.
Apart from your body, your brain can benefit from hitting the gym once in a while too. There
are many ways in which exercise affects the brain in a positive way, and below are listed a few
of the main reasons.

Protects against depression and anxiety

Research explains that exercise has a positive effect on the
nervous system. It helps release pleasure chemicals like
dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin that make us feel
happy and calm. This can effectively help us alleviate
depression, chasing away the blues. Doctors, in fact,
recommend a dose of exercise to reduce depression and
anxiety.

When depressed, exercise may be the last thing on your

mind, but once you get motivated to work out it can have a
positive impact on your mood and can take your mind off
your worries. Furthermore, exercise also helps to keep
depression from coming back once you begin feeling better.

Keeps your mind focused

According to research, strength training helps you focus because it requires focus. When doing
strength training you have to keep track of your breathing while muffling out noise in your
environment. Keeping your mind focused while exercising, can in turn keep your mind focused
on other tasks out of habit. In addition, vigorous exercise increases brain blood flow and oxygen
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circulation in cells which immediately enhances focus and concentration. That is why people
with ADD/ADHD, are required to exercise on a daily basis.

Improves memory
We all wish that we had a good memory and never have to forget things, especially the most
important ones. Unless you are gifted or have a photographic memory that can enable you to
recall the slightest details to precision, then one way you can greatly improve your memory is by
exercising.

Exercise gets your blood pumping faster and improves blood flow in the brain which helps to
boost memory and the overall function of the brain. According to recent research, when blood
and oxygen flow to the brain, new brain cells are generated in the temporal lobe and the
prefrontal cortex, parts of the brain associated with retention and judgment and planning
respectively. As these cells die after 4 weeks unless stimulated through social and mental
interaction, its important to exercise continuously in order to enhance new cell growth in the
brain. This explains why those who study after hitting the gym tend to be smarter than those
who only study.

Helps to de-stress
You may have a million things you are doing or a mile long list of tasks that are burning you out,
leaving absolutely no time for you to fit exercise into your routine- perhaps you should begin
rethinking things. There is a good reason why you should include exercise in your routine.
Studies now show that any form of exercise from yoga to aerobics can act as stress relievers. So
even if you are not athletic or never imagined hitting the gym, there is now a good reason for
you to include it as part of your stress management.

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Helps deal with insomnia

If you are suffering from insomnia, either having
difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, exercise can
help improve your sleep drastically. According to a
study that looked at the effects of moderateintensity exercise such as walking on sleep, exercise
was found to increase the length of sleep in those
with insomnia compared to when they did not
exercise. However, it was found that vigorous exercise done late into the evening may leave one
too energized and awake. Its recommended to carry our moderate exercises like walking daily.
If youre doing vigorous exercise, try not to do it for at least four hours before going to sleep.

Continuous exercise also has long-term effects on sleep. It was found that after 4-24 weeks of
exercising, those with insomnia fell asleep faster, and the sleep lasted longer. Exercise increases
body temperature which then drops after the exercise; this creates an environment that triggers
sleep. Likewise, it helps reduce depression and anxiety which are linked to insomnia.

Helps keep you on track

As exercising requires consistent effort, doing them frequently can help you develop the ability
to consistently follow tasks through. This will in turn help you in performing tasks that require
effort and stick to them.

The relationship between exercise and dangerous chemicals

Scientists have identified a slew of chemicals and toxins that are responsible for the various
behavioral and cognitive problems we see around us today. These chemical and toxins affect
children the most. Exercising outdoors can leave you more exposed to chemicals, especially if

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you live in the city. Below are a few of the most common in our environment and how to avoid
them.

Pesticides
Pesticides are commonly used when growing produce; however they tend to have diverse
effects on children exposed to the chemical. Studies link chlorpyrifos to low birth weight and
attention deficit problems through agricultural exposures. Still yet, a small dose of the pesticide
reaches other populations through food. One way to reduce exposure is by washing all fruits
and vegetables thoroughly to ensure all lingering chemicals are gotten rid of- or you can switch
to organic foods entirely. According to pediatric research, children fed on organic food show
lower levels of pesticides in their systems.

Mercury
Mercury is usually found naturally occurring around us or in products such as batteries, paint,
light bulbs, and thermometers. People get exposed to mercury through breathing mercury
fumes, eating food such as fish with mercury exposure, drinking contaminated water, absorbing
it through the skin or eating objects containing mercury, e.g., batteries. Mercury affects the
visual cortex, cerebellum, and dorsal root ganglia. They kill neurons in the brain and cause
dizziness, confusion, and headaches. Mercury exposure by eating contaminated fish can also
lead to death and is linked to several abnormalities when children are exposed through their
mothers. Bulbs, thermometers and other things containing mercury should be disposed of in a
safe hazard center located in various municipalities throughout the world.

Lead
Lead is another dangerous chemical that alters brain function. Exposure can cause low IQ and
reduce the ability to learn. Other symptoms of the exposure include abdominal pain, headache,
confusion, irritability, coma, seizures and even death. Lead is found in paint, especially in old

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buildings, piping and blinds. Exposure can also occur through contaminated air, soil, water, and
food. One way to reduce lead intake is through removing blinds and piping in old houses.
Government efforts include cleaning up lead contamination in soil and water as well as placing a
ban on lead contamination into the water. If you are exercising unknowingly around a source of
lead, it can increase the damage as it is being pumped around your body at a faster rate than
usual. Take care that the weights you use for exercising do not contain any lead to weigh them
down as in times past.

Exercises Protective Effects

Going to the gym stimulates growth of muscle cells in the body, but exercise has a positive
impact on brain functions as well. It affects brain functions right from the molecular level up to
the behavioral level. Exercising increases heart rates, pumping more blood and oxygen to the
brain. This provides a nourishing environment that helps in the generation of brain cells. Most
studies that link exercise to the creation of new brain cells focus on running, but other types of
aerobic exercises provide benefits too.

Exercising even for 20 minutes can aid in

memory processing and memory function. It
stimulates the growth of new neural
connections between cells in the different
areas of the brain. This creates a denser
network which is able to process and store information. Diseases such as Alzheimers and
Parkinsons progress due to the loss of neurons, exercise can act as a preventative and
therapeutic measure.

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Regular exercise acts as a natural anti- depressant and anti-anxiety. Exercise triggers the release
of endorphins and naturally occurring opiates that diminish pain and helps increase feelings of
well-being. It also boosts levels of neuron-transmitting dopamine which regulates our
sensations of attention, reward, and motivation. In addition, the antidepressant effect of
exercise is associated with more cell growth in the hippocampus the area associated with
learning and memory.

What Happens When you dont Exercise

Whereas some people can get away with not exercising and live very long and healthy lives,
most of us cant. When you choose not to exercise, you are more likely to end up with a low
mood and depression. Exercising helps to release serotonin that helps to balance moods and
when you dont exercise you put yourself in a situation where you are likely to develop
depression.

Lack of exercise increases tension and worry, especially when you are already in a stressful
situation. This can lead to high blood pressure, anxiety and many other illnesses. Lack of
exercise can also cause an increase in weight which can lead to lack of confidence and esteem
which are good for a healthy state of mind.

When you do not exercise, you are more likely to have low focus and concentration, insomnia,
memory problems and are more prone to develop dementia. A 20 minute run can do wonders
for your mind and brain.

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Chemicals Released when you Exercise

Your body is made of many chemical reactions that result in all types of
mental and physical feelings. When you hit the gym, there is a lot going
on in your body chemically. The feelings of euphoria are just some of
the effects that appear. Dr. Loretta Graziano Breunin is a well-known
author in the field and has released publications which clarify each
chemical in a deeper way. Below are some of the chemical and
hormones released when you exercise, and how they are beneficial for
you.

Dopamine
Dopamine is a pleasure chemical. Exercises increase blood calcium that stimulates dopamine
release and uptake in your brain. According to studies, a persons whose brain has few
dopamine receptors is more prone to gaining weight because eating raises dopamine. As they
need more dopamine, they will eat more food to gain the same level of satisfaction as someone
with normal levels. Exercise can help keep those dopamine levels up and prevent us from
overeating and gaining weight. Dopamine helps in improving memory, cognition and attention
plus it reduces pain.

Endorphins
Endorphins are neurotransmitters released by the
pituitary gland, located at the base of the brain. They lead
to feelings of euphoria, happiness, modulation of appetite
and enhance your immune response. In addition, they
interact with the opiate receptor in the brain and reduce
the perception of pain.
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Endorphins are linked to the runners high that athletes experience during long exercises.
Similarly, they are used to explain why sometimes people become addicted to strenuous
exercises.

Serotonin
Serotonin is another neurotransmitter that is released when we exercise. It is the chemical
responsible for maintaining mood balance and deficiency can lead to depression. When we work
out we increase the level of serotonin in the blood and brain which helps in maintaining a
healthy appetite, happiness and restful sleep. Serotonin also works with endorphins to make
exercise pleasurable. The more serotonin in our brain, the more energy we have and the clearer
we are able to think.

Cortisol
Cortisol is a stress hormone produced when one is stressed. It can be formed in any stressful
situation, including when exercising. The longer you exercise, the more cortisol you produce.
Production is also increased when you take longer breaks while exercising. Cortisol helps to
break down protein into amino acids which are required for the body. However, too much
cortisol is bad for the brain and can damage brain cells. It is recommended to keep exercise
breaks short to minimize the bodys production of the hormone.

Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor (BDNF)

BDNF triggers the brains neurons to grow and develop stronger connections. They, therefore,
play a role in how your brain learns and processes information. Exercise can increase the level of
BDNF and effectively increase the ability at which you learn challenging things, process and
retain information.

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Exercising for Brain Health Tips

1.

Aerobic exercises are good for the body and the brain. Aerobic exercises are ones that

increase your heart rate. They help repair damaged brain cells, generate new ones and improve
brain functions.
2.

Any exercise that is good for the heart is also good for the brain. Practice good heart health

to also keep the brain healthy.

3.

Exercises in the morning to fortify the brain against stress. Exercising in the morning also

helps to improve memory.

4.

Exercise does not have to be traditional in order to give positive brain health results. Try

incorporating a dance class into your regular exercise routine. Not only is it fun, it can also act as
cardiovascular exercise while teaching the brain something new.
5.

Exercise can revitalize a tired mind. When mentally exhausted do some quick jumping jacks

to get your brain working.

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Chapter 4: Brain Diseases Prevention

Two of the most emotional diseases of the brain are dementia and Alzheimers, where the
affected patient is robbed of memories that enhance the
quality of life- especially in later years. Although you may
have read that there isnt much that you can do to prevent
these dreaded diseases, there are a plethora of avenues that
you can take to reduce the risk of experiencing these
memory-loss diseases yourself. By engaging your brain in a
myriad of activities, you may prevent the symptoms, slow
down the progress of their advancement, and perhaps even
reverse the process altogether. If youll begin a regimen of
brain exercises, no matter what your age, you can protect the brain and your mental capacities
until well into your golden years.

Lifestyle Options
Just as with other muscles and organs in your body, your brain needs regular stimulation,
exercise, and special attention to remain healthy and strong. Six areas on which you should
focus are:

Getting regular exercise

Eating a healthy diet

Engaging in mental stimulation as much as possible

Enjoying quality sleep each evening

Managing your stress effectively

Having a social life that helps you to have a healthy balance in your life

When you do everything within your power to keep your brain engaged, youll find that both
Alzheimers and dementia can be effectively prevented. Lets take a look at each of the
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elements that can make your brain a part of your body that is well-developed and continually
healthy.

Exercise Routines
If you want to decrease your risk of getting Alzheimers by almost 50%, you should exercise on a
regular basis. Exercise will reduce your stress, boost your mood, improve your memory, and
increase the amount of energy that you have each day. You should try to exercise about thirty
minutes every day so your heart rate will rise, and youll feel energised. Try activities like
walking, gardening, or even using household chores as a means of exercising your body. Youll
want to use balance as well as coordination exercises to help you remain agile and able to move
freely about your home; you can engage in yoga, use balance balls, or try Tai Chi which will
improve your ability to concentrate and focus on the task at hand. It will take about a month for
your exercise routine to become a habit, so be sure to stick with your regular exercises for at
least a month; by this time you will feel additional energy, enjoy the way that you feel each day,
and begin to look forward to the time that you do your regular exercises. If you are participating
in biking, riding motorcycles, or skating, youll want to wear a helmet for head protection. The
older you are, the more important protecting your head becomes, so make sure that you are
using the proper equipment and techniques that keep your brain safe and sound.

Diet Options
The old adage, you are what you eat, can certainly ring
true if you are working to improve your mental abilities
and memory recall skills. As with all of your other
organs, the brain requires a healthy diet filled with
nutrients and vitamins to work at its optimum level. You
should focus on getting good helpings of fresh fruits,
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vegetables, proteins, and the right type of fats for your individual needs. You might want to
consume five small meals per day instead of three large ones that are harder to digest. Green
tea is an excellent source for enhancing your memory and your brains alertness. Enjoying daily
cups of herbal tea can increase the power of your brain and keep you at the top of your mental
game.

Stimulation Activities
Besides diet and exercise, there are some fun ways to keep your brain engaged and to prevent
the loss of your memory from Alzheimers and other brain diseases such as dementia. When
you actively participate in communication with your friends and colleagues, interact socially
with groups in your neighbourhood, and try to learn something new each day, you will keep
brain disease at bay. Some of the mental exercises in which you can participate are:

Learning a foreign language, playing your favourite musical instrument, enjoying a new
hobby, or reading the newspaper daily. The greater the challenge for you, the more
your brain will be stimulated, and the sharper your brain will become.

Trying to memorize a list of facts. You might want to commit to memory your favourite
poem, memorize the members of your local government, or develop a set of patterns
with items around your home that you see each day.

Playing games, riddles, and puzzles. Enjoyable activities such as bingo, brain teasers,
and crosswords can increase your cognitive associative skills and provide you with a
solid mental workout. You can play Scrabble, board games, number games, or engage in
Sudoku to increase your mental acuities.

Varying your regular habits to make new pathways for your brain. This means using the
other hand to eat your meals, taking another route into town, or rearranging your
computer files.

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Peaceful Sleep
As it needs rest to function well, your brain
must have a period of peaceful sleep in
order to rejuvenate itself; this is a critical
factor for your memory and your ability to
retain and recall what you have learned or
know. You will need about eight hours of
sleep per night that is a deep and restful
type of sleep. Youll want to have a regular
schedule for going to bed, nap only to
recharge your batteries, create the right
atmosphere for your bedroom area, and try to control your inner anxieties. It may be helpful to
establish a relaxing ritual each night before you retire for the evening.

Managing Stress
Most of the factors already mentioned are good tools to use to control your stress, but in order
to manage stress effectively, you must keep it under control at all times. Breathe with the focus
to quiet your brain and increase the levels of oxygen; youll feel much more powerful and rested
if you can use your breathing to control your stress. You can also use meditation techniques,
times of reflection, and daily activities that cause you to focus on something other than your
stress. By staying active, you will eliminate higher levels of stress which can increase your risk
for Alzheimers and dementia; use these tools each day to keep your brain functioning
effectively.

Social Connections
The more socially connected that you are, the less likely you are to lose your memory and
cognitive skills; engaging with others in social settings will keep you alive, alert, and actively
seeking new knowledge and experiences. As you get older you may want to spend more time
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alone, or with just a few of your friends, but there are many ways that you should consider to
maintain strong support and an active social network. Some of these avenues for social
interaction include:

Volunteering at your community charity events

Joining social clubs and groups

Attending activities at your local senior centre

Taking classes at a nearby college or gym

Going to movies with friends and family members

Connecting with others through email and telephone calls

Trying new things with new people

Even something as simple as sharing a cup of tea or coffee at a neighbourhood caf can alleviate
your loneliness, stress and can help you to improve the health of your brain.

Final Tips
Whether you are living independently or are in a group home, you can take steps to prevent the
dreaded brain diseases of Alzheimers or dementia with regular attention to the details of your
life. Follow some of the guidelines below to assure yourself of keeping an alert brain and sharp
cognitive skills no matter what your age.

Get up and get moving each and every day to keep yourself physically fit and mentally
alert.

Eat the right kinds of foods and enjoy

a cup of tea with friends as often as
you can.

Stop smoking and drinking heavily to

reduce your chances of experiencing
Alzheimers or dementia.

Stay active mentally by working

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puzzles, challenging your brain daily and learning something new quite often.

Get enough sleep and set the right kind of mood for yourself and your bedroom before
you try to go to sleep.

Control your stress levels by engaging in some activity that reduces your chance for
dementia and Alzheimers. Something as simple as walking can alleviate your frustration
and be a catalyst for a new and refreshed you.

Connect with others. Remember, no man is an island, so you must interact in

worthwhile ways with your friends, colleagues, neighbours, and family members.

By using some of these practical tools, you can successfully slow or prevent the onset of
dementia or Alzheimers in your brain. You will be controlling your destiny, enhancing the
quality of your life, and enjoying life itself to the fullest. Doing something each day will exercise
your brain, the same way you do other parts of your body, for stronger mental health and help
you be happier, healthier, and disease-free.

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Chapter 5: Lifestyle and Dietary Changes To Boost Brain Power

A healthy and powerful brain is only possible with an appropriate diet and lifestyle. What you
eat, when and how much, as well as your daily routine and resting time, are contributing to the
overall performance of your brain. In this next chapter, you will find valuable info, tips and
advices that can help you adopt a diet which can help you improve the performances of your
brain. You will also find out how the bad habits of the modern person can influence brain health
and well-functioning. Follow this five-step guideline and customize your very own diet for the
brain.

Step 1: Exercise
Before we go any further, you have to understand that this kind of diet must be combined with
physical activity in order to achieve any results. During physical activity, both casual and intense,
the body is flooded with hormones, which are contributing to your well-being and cognitive
capacity. First of all, exercising is constantly increasing the blood flow and the oxygen levels of
the blood. The increased blood flow is enhancing the size of
the capillaries, helping the brain get irrigated properly and
improving its cognitive abilities by increasing the oxygen
level. An improved blood flow is also helping glucose, fatty
acids, and other nutrients, reach the brain faster. Besides,
active people are losing gray matter slower, and they can
produce healthier brain cells faster. Here are the top three physical activities you can do for a
healthier and smarter brain:

1.

Jogging The simple morning or evening run could help you more than you think.
Even if it seems pretty dull, running is one of the healthiest and beneficial forms of
working out. It helps you increase the blood flow and the quality of the blood. If the

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intensity of the exercise is increased, the body can start producing lactic acid, which is
responsible for the runners high and it can be a very efficient stress reliever.
2.

Yoga Yoga is a physical activity that combines two of the most efficient ways of
relaxation and improvement for your brain: exercises and meditation. This is the kind
of workout that will improve your focus, balance the two hemisphere of your brain
and help you achieve a peaceful state of mind- all while boosting your memory and
learning ability.

3.

Hiking The best thing about hiking is the fact that it takes place outside the city, in
the great and green outdoors. If you leave near a mountain, you must take the
opportunity of achieving a sharper mind while improving the look of your body. The
physical effort you put in during a hike and the clean air are contributing to your
brains diet while the surroundings will help you relax.

These are just the most popular ways of exercise for people who use physical activity in their
diets for the brain. However, these are not the only ones you can choose from. Basically, any
kind of workout will help you improve your brains power, as well as you also respect the
following advice found in the rest of this chapter.

Step 2: Stay hydrated

The brain is very dependent on water for proper functioning. Once the water level in your
organism decreases, the water level in your brain starts to get low as well, and the brain cells
will lose efficiency. Thats why staying well-hydrated throughout the day is crucial both when
you are following a diet to increase the performance of your brain, but also when you want to
maintain that performance.

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Your brain loses water even if no physical effort is involved. One

of the best examples of this phenomenon is the morning thirst.
Even if you sat still all night, your brain would still consume and
put to use significant amounts of water. One of the tricks of
waking up a lazy brain early in the morning is having a glass of
water before anything else, in the first half hour of the day.

At the same time, new studies have discovered that during thirst,
our brain will put a lot of effort into managing the remaining
water and informing the body that theres a drought going on.
This kind of activity takes up brain regions and functions during bearable thirst, the kind that we
all experience during long work hours, when we would rather stay thirsty than take a break. It
turns out that a simple glass of water can make you 14% smarter by enhancing the cerebral
connections and interconnected brain parts.

Another great moment in which you can drink water and improve your brains power is before a
meal. The water will help your digestive system do its job, delivering nutrients faster to the brain
and helping you get the energy you need.

Step 3: Eat brain foods!

What many people think is that the brain requires a lot of sugar, since its fueled mainly by
glucose. But sugar wont help the brain function well, because it will overfeed the cells, making
it hyperactive- moments during which it cant focus or function well. The glucose needed by the
brain can be taken in appropriate amounts from other foods and dishes, ones that can offer
many other nutrients besides glucose. For a wise mind, you must be wise with what you eat. So
here are ten of the most recommended groups of food for a powerful brain:

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1.

Green vegetables

The green vegetables such as spinach, Brussel sprouts, broccoli or cauliflower, are some of the
healthiest organic things you can eat. Besides their properties of improving blood flow and
offering nutrients to your brain, the green vegetables are claimed to be capable of shortening
the period needed for new brain cells to be produced by your body.

2.

Fish

Fish meat is one of the best sources of omega-3 and fatty acids you can find, and it can be super
delicious if cooked properly. Fatty acids are your brains second pick when the glucose levels are
decreasing. The elements and the nutrients found in fish can be easily absorbed by the
organism, being used in the brain as regulators for the neurotransmitters, helping you achieve a
better focus.

3.

Seeds

Nuts and seeds can be a great source of power for your brain, and they have no side effects
either. Walnuts and sunflower seeds are known to be helpful in the protection of your brain
while the docosahexaenoic acid found in them is efficient in boosting your memory and
increasing your reaction time. Including seeds and nuts in your diet is simple. You can either use
them sprinkled on your dishes or have them as healthy snacks.

4.

Dairy products

All dairy products are recommended for your brain since they contain magnesium and calcium,
both highly important elements in the neurotransmission process. However, one of the most
recommended foods in this category is Greek yogurt. Even if it has more fat than the regular
products, this kind of yogurt has an increased level of protein and no added sugar. It can be
easily included in your diet as a healthy replacement for sour cream or mayonnaise, but it can
also be enjoyed between meals or for breakfast.

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5.

Tomatoes

Even if we cant agree if they are legumes or fruits, the

tomatoes have a huge potential for people who want to
increase the performance of their brain or stay away from
mental diseases. The secret of tomatoes is the lycopene, a
carotene, responsible for the red color. This ingredient is a
powerful antioxidant, highly efficient in protecting brain
cells from damages that might be the cause of certain types of dementia.

6.

Whole wheat

Found in breads, grains, and pasta, the whole wheat is rich in fibers (both insoluble and soluble),
complex carbohydrates and B vitamins. The richer protein level of whole wheat is the reason
why you should choose products based on whole wheat, rather than the ones based on white
grains.
7.

Dark chocolate

Yes, there is a diet that recommends chocolate; but not any kind, just the dark chocolate- the
one with over 65% cocoa. The main reason for this is a brain-friendly ingredient- the flavonoid
antioxidant- which can also be found in tea, wine and even beer. Besides keeping your brain safe
from damage, dark chocolate also gives your brain energy that boosts your focus.

8.

Berries

The most recommended fruits for a healthy and active brain are the berries. These can be
consumed on a daily basis, with no limitation as their sugar concentration is low while theyre
abundant in antioxidants and potassium. In this category of fruits, we can include blackberries
and raspberries, but also pineapple, which is, in fact, a berry.

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9.

Coffee

Coffee is yet another ingredient no one thought of reading about in a diet guideline. Despite its
bad reputation, coffee consumed in moderation can increase your attention span, learning
ability, short-term memory and help you release stress. At the same time, its beneficial for
other aspects of the body, preventing heart diseases and even cancer, thanks to its rich and
diversified antioxidants.

10. Alcohol
Even if the alcohol is thought to be one of the main causes of dementia, consumed in moderate
quantities it can be really helpful. Alcohol prevents heart diseases and cerebral accidents by
cleaning the blood vessels while its effects will allow the brain to create new neuronal
connections, and its also believed to bring balance between the two hemispheres.

Step 4: Stay away from junk food

Junk food is not only affecting the health of our bodies and the way we look, but also the wellbeing of our brain and the way we think. For an efficient and powerful mind, you need a
carefully balanced diet based on glucose, fatty acids and vitamins, backed up by proteins, fibers,
and other nutrients. What a fast food diet does is offering you too much of some nutrients and
too less of others. On top of that, the level of trans fats in these kinds of diets is enormous.

Soft drinks and sodas are just as dangerous for your health and can have a negative effect on
your brains proper functioning. These fizzy drinks are loaded with sugar, which reaches your
brain and overcharges it. This effect is known as sugar rush, a period in which the cerebral
activity can be intense, but the cognitive processes are incoherent, and the focus of the brain is
destroyed.

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Step 5: Build a routine

If you want to improve your mind, you have to live an organized life. You have to take time to
eat when your body requires to and sleep when your brain needs rest. You should respect the 3
main meals of the day. Try having your breakfast first thing in the morning, before coffee or
smoking. Also, for a rested and efficient mind, you should get at least 8 hours of sleep every
night. A daily eating routine and a well-defined sleeping cycle are crucial in the efficiency of a
diet for your brain.

Another way you can improve your brains power is by organizing its moments of maximum
intensity and rest. If you are a student or you put in a lot of intellectual effort at your workplace,
the best thing to do is to adopt a work/rest cycle. The most common and efficient cycle is the
one used in universities and by musicians, with 90 minutes of cognitive effort followed by a 15
minute break.
All these steps are the building blocks of any diet, not just when you want to take care of your
brain. Respecting them will help you achieve the much-expected results. All these steps are
equally as important in an efficient brain diet, so make sure to stick to them. A diet like this will
also increase your morale and motivation, so it wont be hard to keep the focus on your goal of
achieving a sharper mind. The only side effect of this diet is the fact that you will also achieve a
healthy and good looking body to boot.

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Chapter 6: Holistic Ways to Stimulate the Brain

Holistic brain gaining

At a first look, the brain already does a lot of things, and its power doesnt stop surprising us. Its
capable of storing massive amounts of information, and it can outperform even the most
advanced computer processors. However, thats not all - the performance of the brain can be
increased in many ways. In this chapter, we will discuss the natural ways of increasing your brain
power. There are certain tricks and tips which can be used to achieve a higher cognitive
performance without using medication or physiological treatment. The best thing about the
holistic ways of increasing your brain power is that you can try them on your own. Besides, each
of these remedies is also good for the rest of your body, not just for your brain, and there are no
side effects either.

But before we start, you have to know that no remedy is targeted at your brain itself. For a great
performance from your brain, you will have to take care of your whole body because it all acts
as a mechanism, and if one part of it is not working properly you cant achieve the results you
want. Thats why its important to live an overall healthy life before you think about increasing
the power of your brain through natural remedies.

Natural ingredients for brain power increase

If you want a more powerful brain, you should
start by taking care of what you eat. There are
certain groups of food that can give your brain
the energy and the ability to work faster and
more efficiently. At the same time, some of the
foods consumed by the regular person are
basically brain stoppers, acting as an inhibitor and
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affecting the cognitive process. Ironically, the people who need a power increase for their brain
are the ones who consume the wrong foods. Here were talking about students in particular and
about their lifestyle that implies poorly cooked food, junk food, alcohol and many nights without
sleep. For a noticeable increased brain performance, here are 5 healthy, wholesome and holistic
ailments that should be present in your regular diet.

1. Milk - A glass of milk a day can do wonders for your brain. Its rich in the vitamins needed
for a memory boost, and it can improve your learning capacity by 50%. It also includes a protein
called alpha-lactalbumin, which can help stress-vulnerable people perform better under
pressure.

2. Spinach Remember Popeye? He was purposely created to love spinach in order to

convince children that spinach is good for them, in an attempt to improve the younger
generations cognitive capacity. Spinach, along with broccoli and Brussels sprouts, are rich in
magnesium and potassium, nutrients that increase the electrical conductivity of the brain cells,
making them react faster and outputting a better performance.

3. Potatoes Even if you might think that potatoes fall under the junk food category, there
are many ways of consuming this vegetable other than as French fries. It might seem weird, but
baked potatoes are just as efficient as the previous two foods combined. Besides an increase in
brain power, the nutrients of a potato can help your brain get some much-deserved rest. Its
rich in vitamin B6, the one that keeps depression away by helping out with the production of
serotonin. It also helps you get a good night of sleep by boosting the production of melatonin.

4. Honey probably the fastest way of assuring energy for the brain and at the same time, the
healthiest way, is consuming honey on a regular basis. Its made of glucose and fructose, the
fuel of the brain, keeping it active and away from exhaustion. Honey is also rich in antioxidants,
phosphorus, magnesium and B-vitamins.

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5. Fish the benefits of consuming fish are endless. Besides the fact that it can help you
prevent heart diseases, its also good for the brain. The fatty acids found in fish meat are used as
a backup fuel for your brain while the high omega-3 found in fish can prevent mental diseases,
such as Alzheimer's and depression.

Herbal remedies
Youve most certainly stumbled upon supplements and medication that claim to improve your
cognitive capacity in your search for an increase in brain power. The fact that such medication
works cant be contested. However, the side effects cant be avoided and in the end, if you
weigh up the results and the problems caused by this kind of approach towards a better
functioning brain, you will think twice before taking such a pill.

Fortunately, Mother Nature can offer you the same substances to help your brain increase its
power, but without the side effects which
deter many people- and many come in tea
form. Here are the top five herbs that can help
your brain achieve a better performance:

1. Ginkgo As one of the oldest natural

remedies across the world, the leaves of the
Ginkgo biloba tree are also good for your mind. It has the ability to improve your concentration
and memory while increasing your stamina, giving you a stronger willpower and the capacity to
endure long days without feeling down or mentally tired. New research is showing that people
who consume the active ingredients found in ginkgo are less likely to develop Alzheimer's
disease.

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2. Ginseng There are three varieties of ginseng, all of them used as natural remedies since
the olden days. However, only one is known for its effects on the brain, the Asian Ginseng.
Studies have shown that the individuals who consume ginseng on a regular basis show an
improve in task-managing and learning abilities, because of an increase in attention and the
capacity of the brain to receive information and store it as memory.

3. Rosemary This is the perfect herbal remedy for your family, because it can be included in
the daily diet as a healthy spice. Besides the effects that it has over your liver and heart, it also
helps you protect your brain from malfunctions due to its rich concentration of carnosic acid.
Rosemary is also used in the form of essential oil in aromatherapy, another natural way of
releasing stress and achieving a positive state of mind.

4. Green tea Popular all over the world, green tea is known for its many benefits, such as
protecting the organs from certain types of cancer, preventing heart disease and assuring an
optimal digestive process. In the same time, it can be used as a substituent for coffee as it offers
increased cognitive abilities and relaxation during the day.

5. Bacopa Monnieri Bacopa is one of the oldest plants used as brain supplement. Its also
known as natures smart pill, and it can be used for numerous brain related issues. It is effective
in treating attention disorder cases, increasing the focus and boosting the memory. In the same
time, it has a calming effect over the mind and body, without affecting the cognitive capacity of
the individual.

Meditation and yoga

The brain is divided into two hemispheres, and intense cognitive effort can desynchronize these
two regions of the brain. Meditation is reducing the intensity of your cognitive processes will
help your brain find the balance between the right and left hemisphere. Meditation is also
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helping you establish new connections in the brain. This process is the same that takes place
when you learn a new language or how to play an instrument, but its also a great way from
releasing the stress and theres nothing more efficient than having a calm and peaceful mind.

If you want to combine brain power increase with physical exercise, the best solution you have
is yoga. This ancient form of bringing balance between your mind and your body works just as
well as a meditation technique. Its scientifically proven that people who practice yoga on a
regular basis have a more developed somatosensory cortex, which is the part of the brain
responsible with the physiological organization of your body. In the same time, you will improve
the visual cortex and the superior parietal cortex, which play a major role in our capacity to pay
attention and retain information from the surrounding environment.

Praying can increase your brain power

If you are a faithful and spiritual person, regardless of your religion,

you can turn your face to the Creator for enlightenment and a more
powerful mind. There is no miracle involved, no scheme and no
preaching involved, just the incredible things our mind is capable of.
Thinking of God and other abstract aspects of religion can create new
connections in your brain and help you clear your mind from
everyday stress factors, which pale in the face of the spiritual world.
Basically, praying works just as well as meditation, with the only difference being that religious
people will take it more seriously, and they tend to do it on a regular basis.

No matter what method of increasing your brains power you choose, one thing is certain, the
natural remedies will offer you a sharpened mind for a much smaller price when we compare
them with the costs of medication and supplements or with their side effects.
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Chapter 7: 30 Quick And Easy Brain Stimulation Exercises

1. Drawing
Drawing is like a dance between creativity and logic. Logic starts when we think about what
we want to put on paper, and creativity is connected with the changes that we need to do after.
Drawing is one of the most effective brain fitness techniques, as it stimulates five of the factors
of brain development: attention, self-control, taking decisions, estimating, and memory.

How to use drawing for brain stimulation

We all have our daily tasks and activities, so we probably

dont have time to draw for one hour every day.
However, only five minutes of drawing is enough. What
can you draw? Anything. You dont need to be a Pablo
Picasso to draw, even if your creations bring smiles
instead of admiration on the faces of those that see
them. You must not be discouraged. Drawing requires
talent indeed, but if you dont plan to open a gallery, you will do just fine.

You can use simple pencils in the beginning, to draw only black and white landscapes and
portraits. Well, those might look like caricatures, but your goal is to try to replicate details from
reality on paper, not to draw surrealistic representations of the surrounding environment.

Try simple drawings

Start by drawing a table, chairs, bottles, or anything that you have in the house. Use real models
for inspiration. This will help you to appreciate shapes and to put 3D objects on a 2D piece of
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paper. Dont worry about straight lines, and dont use a ruler. Try to respect the dimensions of
the drawn objects. We all remember our first drawings picturing our home and our family near
the house, in which the people were bigger than the house. One of the main goals of drawing
for brain stimulation is to appreciate this size of objects. If you draw yourself pouring water into
a glass, try to respect dimensions, even if this will be difficult at the beginning.

Creativity and logic

Drawing can stimulate estimation and logic if you insist on details and shapes. By trying to draw
all the details of an object and make it as close to reality as possible, you will develop logical
thinking. If you want to stimulate creativity, you will have to draw objects from your memory,
without the actual model. For example, you can try to draw a portrait of your husband while he
is at work, and when he comes home, you can ask him to be your model. In the end, compare
the two drawings, and you will notice some major differences. Later, you can try colored crayons
for drawing as this will develop creativity even more.

Is it effective?

Drawing is used by kindergarten teachers, and our children learn it before learning to write, so
the effectiveness of drawing as a brain training method cant be neglected. Drawing helps the
emotional state of mind, helping people to imagine new things, and to improve the life using
their creativity and imagination. Eventually, whether you draw a house or a person, it all comes
down to your perception about reality.

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2. The Journal
It is old fashioned, time wasting and useless. That is the opinion of smartphone fans, those that
have an agenda on their devices, and who believe that a journal is a method to organize work,
and nothing else. The daily journal as a brain fitness technique stimulates organization, memory
and multi-tasking, but also the capacity to make decisions. However, the journal must be kept in
a certain way if you want it to be effective as a brain stimulator.

Write

The journal must be written on paper. Sure, we write faster

on our computers, and we can arrange the daily tasks in an
agenda, but this technique is not effective if you dont
write. Use your old notebooks and a pencil. The feeling that
you are back in your childhood writing about your first love,
or about the small things in life, is what you need for the
journal to be a real brain training method.

How much to write

You dont need to set yourself a writing schedule, or a number of daily words, but you will
have to write every day. Try to focus on the pleasant activities and on your achievements. The
journal can easily become a depressive burden, and this is not your goal. Well, you can write
about things that you dont like, or about your failures, but those must end with a but:

Dear Journal, I know I told you that I wanted to exercise today, but I was not able to get out of
bed. I am sorry for failing, BUT I need to tell you that staying in bed was quite relaxing, and I
promise to exercise tomorrow, for sure.
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What to write?

The journal can be a method to develop attention and organization, if you write about your daily
tasks, and at the end of the day, you can write whether you managed to accomplish those goals
or not. However, the best journal is the one in which you write whatever you like. If you want to
stimulate creativity and to relax your brain, you can write random thoughts in the journal.
Today, you can write about the groceries that you want to buy, but if you meet an old friend in
the store, you can come back to write about that also.

Secret or public?

Both the secret and public journals are effective for brain stimulation. If you choose to keep a
secret journal, you will probably want to write about your deepest thoughts, maybe about the
reproaches that you have for your son or husband, or even about your hidden desires. Well,
writing a secret journal is somewhat difficult, and you will worry about keeping it hidden, about
when to write, and about what people would think if they would find it. Even if you cant write
exactly what you want in a public journal, it is recommended.

Dont worry and dont be embarrassed

When your teenager daughter or friend finds your writing a journal for the first time, they will
probably laugh, recommending you some smartphone app instead. Your husband will ask you
what is wrong, while your friends will want to read what is in there. They will get over it, and
after a while, they might even envy you a little for your capacity to write your thoughts on paper
in this old-fashioned way.

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3. Self-massaging
We are stressed, we complain about migraines and headaches, and
we are not able to pay attention to what we need to do. Selfmassaging of the head, face and scalp are some of the best
rejuvenating techniques, especially because they work, and because
you can do this whenever you feel like it.

Self-massaging is not a 100% brain stimulation method. It is not like

you will enhance the capacity of neurons to transit information by massaging your scalp, but the
physical benefits of this technique will eventually reflect in better overall functioning of the
brain. This way, we can say that self-massaging improves the attention, eliminates brain
tiredness, helping you to regain your strength and your brains capacity to function normally.

Best massaging techniques

You can try scalp and face massaging using essential oils. A combination of almond oil with
perfumed oil (lavender or strawberries) is good, but if you decide that you need a massage at
work and you dont want everybody to stare at your while you pour oil on your face, you can do
this without it. Sit on a chair, with your back straight, and follow the next steps:

1. With the tips of your fingers, make circular moves in the area of the forehead, to
eliminate stress and to increase the blood flow in that area.
2. Massage different portions of the forehead, starting from the back of the neck, releasing
tension and activating the blood flow. Use firm but short moves.
3. Using the top of your fingers, continue by kicking the area from the back of the neck to
the maxillary. Repeat this move two or three times.

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4. Use two fingers from the both hands to press firmly, from the chin to the line of the
hair.
5. Repeat this move on each side of the chin, to the lateral sides of the nose, and make a
triangle on the cheeks.
6. Use the two fingers to contour the face, and to climb to the forehead, until the hands
meet at the line of the hair.
7. Move your fingers from the head under the cheeks, and then to your ears.

Those are only some proposed exercises, but the massage techniques can be different. It is
important to insist in the areas that are more tensed. For example, the forehead is exhausted
after a long day in front of the computer, while the maxillary and the cheeks are tired after
talking on the phone for a long time. Five minutes of self-massaging the scalp and the face will
release tension, and will eliminate stress.

It is recommended in the evening, or in the late afternoon, as this way, you will feel more
relaxed during the night. You can try a self-massage in the morning, but usually, if you slept well,
the face muscles are relaxed, so they dont need this kind of treatment.

4. Exercising and sports

Exercising and fitness are perfect for the brain. As long as some specialists use the term brain
fitness to describe the techniques used to train thinking and memory, it is normal for the
exercises that we do for other parts of the body to be useful to. However, not all the fitness
exercises are good for stimulating the brain. Even simple walking is more effective for the brain
than bodybuilding. This does not mean that bodybuilding wont help, but we will try to focus on
exercises that are really useful for our state of mind.

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Walking and running

Walking rapidly or running are the perfect blood circulation stimulants. With minimum effort,
you can gain huge benefits for your brain. Walking and running stimulate self-control, memory
and the general physic functions of the brain. A well irrigated brain will help all the functions of
the body. Try to run in a park, or in your neighborhood, and choose different places if you can.
This way, besides the physical capacity, you will observe new things, stimulating the visual and
observational functions of the brain.

Fitness and aerobics

If you want to preserve the functions of the brain for as long

as possible, fitness must be a part of your life. Start the day
with five minutes of aerobics, and you will be ready for a
long and stressful day at work. Fitness creates new neuronal
networks in the brain, and as we grow older, the networks
that die are replaced with those new ones. Studies show
that regenerating the neurons is strictly connected with
physical activity. As long as your other organs are healthy,
your brain will use fewer resources to ensure the well
functioning of the body, being able to focus more on the cognitive functions.

Nature sports

Rafting, hiking, and climbing are demanding activities, but also useful for the brain. If the blood
circulation is good in this area, the possibilities of Alzheimers or dementia are reduced when
you grow old. Sport is a low-cost treatment of mild depression and anxiety. Moderate effort will

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increase the secretion of serotonin, which is also named the hormone of happiness. Serotonin
is helpful for creativity also, so sports can help all the important functions of the brain, including
multi-tasking and taking decisions.

Team sports

Basketball, soccer and football will improve the brain not only at a physical level, but also from
the emotional point of view. Socializing is one of the basic brain fitness functions, and this is
improved with team sports. The secret of success in those sports is collaboration, and the
feeling of winning a game, well, that is another one of the beneficial effects of sports.

Sports of all kind stimulate the sexual life, a key factor for brains health. As long as you have a
healthy sexual life, your mood will be good, and your brain will function better on the overall.

5. Puzzles
Solving puzzles stimulates logical thinking, creativity, memory and attention. Puzzles can be
found in many versions. As a child, you probably had that 10 piece
puzzle that you used to solve tens of times. Later, our parents gave
us the more complicated puzzles, with 1000 pieces and complex
pictures. You can try puzzles as a challenging activity for the brain,
but remember that each kind of puzzle is useful in a different way.

You dont need to make the puzzle your main goal in life. If you have a spare table, you can put
it there, and you can play with those pieces for 5-10 minutes every day. If you have a 1000-piece
puzzle, putting two or three pieces at their place every day is enough. If you have the time for it,
you can stay more in front of the board, trying to solve bigger parts of the mystery.
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The secret trick of puzzles

The best method to solve puzzles as a brain fitness activity is not to know the image that you are
about to make. The majority of puzzles have the photo as the landscape on their box, and you
just need to recreate the landscape using the picture.

A challenging brain activity is not to look at the photo every day. Take some time before starting
the puzzle to admire the landscape, and try to observe the hidden elements. Then, hide the box
away and try to recreate the photo from your memory. It will last longer and it will sometimes
be annoying, as you will look for a piece of the puzzle for minutes without finding it, but this a
great method to improve memory and attention.

Will any puzzle do?

The puzzles picturing simple landscapes and important objectives from major cities, such as the
Statue of Liberty or the Eiffel Tower are less demanding, especially because we know those
photos already. You can try unknown landscapes and portraits, as this way you will develop
attention to details.

If you are looking for challenging puzzles, you can try the ones picturing the interior of a
machine, mechanical parts or abstract landscapes. Those will allow you to focus more on logical
thinking, but they will not be so useful for stimulating creativity.

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The 3D puzzle

The 3D puzzle has plastic pieces, and they will create a three-dimensional object. Each piece has
some clips on the edges, which will help you to put it in its right place. An advanced version of
3D puzzles is the Happy Cubes game.

Puzzles are perfect as brain fitness training methods, because they work on the brain in many
ways. Attention, memory and logical thinking are the most important characteristics developed
by solving puzzles of any kind, while creativity and estimation are also developed, but in a
smaller proportion.

6. Neurobics
Neurobics is a relatively new term defining the majority of brain fitness techniques, but it is also
used in a more specific way, to define those techniques connected with the unforeseen and with
novelty.

Many times, novelty, fighting with new and extreme situations, and overcoming those with
success, represent some of the best methods to train decision-making, self-control and multitasking. Those three functions of the brain are harder to train, simply because the other
techniques are usually focused on developing other functions such as memory, attention, and
logical skills.

Getting out of the comfort zone stimulates certain reactions, which are intense, positive and
beneficial. No matter how frightening an event might be, if it is out of the ordinary, it will
become a pleasant memory that you will laugh about after a while.

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People have a tendency to create certain routines, which are rarely broken. Even the rarer
events, such as the yearly vacancy in a foreign country tend to be the same. Well, maybe the
tourist objectives, the beaches, and the hotels are different, but overall we never get out of the
comfort zone we love so much.

Neurobic exercises as a method to exit the comfort zone

Neurobics is a sum of activities that you can do every day to get out of the comfort zone. You
can try this whenever you feel like it. Small modifications of the daily routine can be considered
as neurobic activities. Here are some simple but easily applicable neurobic exercises, which will
have beneficial effects:
-

Change your pen with a pencil

Write with the other hand

Type on the keyboard with only one hand

Dont speak while eating

Climb a tree

Eat in the dark

Try unconventional sports such as curling or

bungee jumping

We will talk more about some of those activities in their own right in other brain stimulating
exercises. Usually, a neurobic activity is the one that takes you out of the ordinary; it is
something that you dont do every day. The new tasks have to be challenging, new, provocative,
and sometimes annoying and scary.

The brain will be involved in so many new activities and will be developing so many new plans. It
will use supplementary senses that are rarely used, developing those to a new level. We take a

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shower with our eyes open, trying to spot any portion of the body where there is soap, or to
make sure that we are washed everywhere. By closing the eyes, we force other senses such as
feeling and smelling to replace the missing ones, stimulating the brain in so many new ways.

You can invent your own neurobic activity when you expect the most. The brain is stimulated by
new and funny activities, which are out of the ordinary. If you see a person singing in the rain,
you can join him or her, even if the normal reflex is to hide and wait for the rain to pass. Choose
a new way to work, change your daily way home, the store from where you shop, rearrange the
desk often and change the wallpaper of your computer.

7. Creating stories and fairytales

You are patiently waiting at the dentist cabinet, and it seems like you have a long time to wait.
This doctor is never able to schedule his patients, and this happens every time! Well, you are
lucky that the two people waiting in front of you are Red Riding Hood and Mickey Mouse. The
Red Riding Hood needs a tooth extraction, while Mickey Mouse seems a little nervous. Well, you
know the doctor, and you know that he can make Mickey Mouse relax before treating his
problem. The Red Riding Hood seems smart enough to take the bus, so you dont have to worry
that the Big Bad Wolf will catch her on her way home.

It sounds like a pretty weird story invented by a childish person, right? Actually, it isnt. Inventing
stories and associating people with fictional characters is a great
method to develop creativity and to chase away boredom. It is funny
to associate a little girl wearing a red skirt with Red Riding Hood, and
that gentleman with Mickey Mouse just because he has a long nose.
As long as they dont know what is going on in your head, everybody
will be just fine.

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Some doctors say that there is a thin line between imagination and being mentally ill. However,
you do know that those are actual people, and you only use those associations because it is fun
and because making up stories is one of the best brain fitness exercises. At night, instead of
reading the same old stories to your child, how about inventing a new one? A child will be a little
confused about a story with White Snow and Porky Pig, but the questions that will follow will
challenge you even more! Well, dont start talking with your husband about the dental problems
of Mickey Mouse either, as this will come across as a little weird indeed.

Writing or imagining

It is easier to think and to make up stories while you wait in line at the supermarket, or when
you are on your way home on the subway. Writing those down will stimulate your imagination
even more, and if you have talent, you will end up having some pretty good stories in your
archive. Making up stories and fictional characters is beneficial for creativity anyway. If you have
a child to help you, it will become one of the funniest and most interesting activities for brain
stimulation.

You can use the characters of your childhood, but you can also invent new ones. Try to draw the
ones that you invent, giving them special powers. There is nothing wrong with becoming
children again, as long as we are able to make the difference between fiction and reality. It is a
relaxing and constructive activity, which helps you whenever you are bored, or when you are
fed up with scrolling Facebook on your smartphone. If you are interrupted from your self-story
telling, you can try to continue the fairytale from the point where you left it the next time when
you need some relaxation.

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8. Sudoku
Youve definitely heard about this game, and maybe you have tried it before. If it didnt attract
your attention at first sight, you must know that solving a Sudoku game is the best method to
develop your logical skills, memory, attention, helping you to take decisions easier in the long
term.
What is Sudoku anyway?

Sudoku is a board game based on numbers. The board is divided into

nine equal squared regions, each one of those regions having nine
boxes (3x3). Each row, column, and square must contain the numbers
1 to 9 only once. Each board of Sudoku comes with some numbers
already written in their respective places, and the player needs to put
the other numbers in their place, completing the board.

Sudoku develops some of the basic functions of the brain, such as mathematics and logical skills,
as well as estimating, attention, and memory. Basically, it is helpful for all the logical functions of
the brain at the same time.

How should we play it?

If you want to play Sudoku for developing your brain capacity, you need to use a crayon and
paper. There are many computer versions and Google apps for playing Sudoku, but staying in
front of the paper, putting numbers down and erasing those when you realize that you made a
mistake, is the actual trick of Sudoku brain development.

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Sudoku is interesting and popular because the rules are simple, but the game can be
complicated. Sudoku is not only useful for brain training when you solve it, but also when you
create Sudoku boards, or when you play the advanced versions of the game.

Creating Sudoku Boards

It is believed- although not proven- that any Sudoku game can be won if you have 30 numbers in
their right position from the start. In other words, you can try to create your own Sudoku game
by putting the initial 30 numbers on the table (respecting the rules of the game, of course), and
then by trying to solve your own game!

The numbers are used only as a convention as you can play Sudoku with letters, colors or other
symbols. The only rule is to have nine different letters or colors. The game becomes more
interesting this way, as it must be solved using the visual capacities of the brain more, and the
mathematical ones less.

There are Sudoku boards with different degrees of difficulty. When you invent your own Sudoku
game, it is impossible to establish the degree of difficulty, of course. Creating Sudoku games can
be considered as a neurobic activity, as it uses unforeseen elements to create something new.

9. Breathing
Oxygen is indispensable for life, as every child learns from an early age, but we must know that
it is also helpful for brain development. Learning how to breathe is important for the physical
but also for the emotional functions of the brain. Breathing correctly will help the cardiovascular

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system to irrigate the brain with blood, improving all the functions of this organ. Breathing
correctly is the best training that you can do.

Correct breathing does not stimulate a certain function of brain fitness, such as attention, logic
or memory. It has some direct benefits on self-control,
but generally, we cant say that breathing favors one
function of the brain or the other. At the same time, it
is useful for us to control as a healthy body means a
healthy brain. Lets see the most useful breathing
exercises that can improve the blood circulation in
your brain.

1. Stand straight, on your feet, with one arm lifted, so the underarm touches your ear.
Breathe in and out for a few times in this position, then inhale as you bend the opposite
side of the lifted arm. Repeat this exercise ten times, and then repeat with your other
arm lifted.
2. Concentrate on expiring. When we think about breathing, we often neglect expiring.
The key for correct breathing is to expire completely. The average person expires only
30% of the inspired air, while those exercises allow you to expire 70%. Why is this
important? Well, if you exhale all the used oxygen, the next inspiration will come with a
lot more fresh air. Force expiration as much as you can, concentrating on the abdominal
muscles.
3. Sit down, in a relaxed position, inspire slowly, as much as you can. Expire normally, relax
a few seconds and start over. It is important to expire and inspire completely as this is
the key for this exercise. Repeat ten times. If you feel slightly dizzy, it means that you
are doing this correctly. If it becomes uncomfortable then stop.
4. Blow the candle this is an exercise borrowed from yoga. Try to imagine a candle and
try to blow it. The trick is to imagine the lightened candle and to try blowing it with all

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your force. Repeat this exercise ten times. Then, repeat the exercise with strong and
short expirations, like you are trying to blow the candle out completely without it
flickering.

You can try breathing exercises whenever you want. Generally, there are no special exercises for
brain fitness, but the ones that are good for your body will be good for your brain also. While
running, you must only breathe on your nose, even if this will be more demanding.

By controlling how you breathe, you will be able to control all your body functions, including
self-control of thinking. While running, the lungs have the tendency to breathe faster, with short
inhalations and exhalations. By trying to expire and inspire completely, you will force the body
to use fresh oxygen, and the effectiveness of running is improved on the overall.

10.

Meditating

As soon as the alarm clock rings in the morning, the brain starts to plan the day. Shower; then I
need to prepare breakfast; dress and leave for work. Well, I have that important deadline today,
so maybe I should go to work earlier. Maybe I should skip the shower, or maybe Steve can make
his own sandwiches for school. The day hasnt even started, and it is already ruined.

What if we tell you that there is a method to start the day in a positive manner, which will help
you to plan the day with a positive mood, and to organize your work better? Meditating is one
brain trick that has been used by many. Unfortunately, some of us dont have five minutes in the
morning to meditate because we dont know how beneficial this could be.

Maybe the specialists are to blame. There are many articles and books about meditating,
telling you when to do it, what position to use, and how to breathe. Many of those articles dont
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tell us a simple, but yet important thing: what should we think of? If we get up in the morning
and meditate about the burdening tasks of the day, we end up in the same way, worrying and
being stressed about the tight schedule.

The meditating trick that changes everything

Meditating is a great brain fitness technique, which

develops multi-tasking, self-control, memory and decisionmaking. As soon as you get up, get into the lotus position,
and thank nature, God, or yourself for being alive and for
having the opportunity to do so many things. By starting
your meditation in a positive way and by repeating to
yourself that only good things will happen, you will be able to meditate about the positive
aspects of life and you will organize your day in a perfect manner.

Five minutes is enough, and even if the morning time is precious, you will have the directions
of the day contoured. Even if something comes up to ruin your plan (and it will), the day is
already good for you, and nothing can change it.

What to think of?

The daily morning meditation is about positive thoughts, but besides that, you need to take 30
minutes per week only for yourself for a longer meditation session. During this session, you are
allowed to think about anything. In meditation, the position is more important. You can keep
your eyes closed, or you can look down. It is important not to be distracted by the exterior
elements, such as a window or music. Have the attitude like nothing can touch you or affect
you.

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Any wish or hidden desire is a monster that has to be accepted during the weekly meditation.
Accept your flaws, think about correcting those, try to eliminate the worries, and clean your
mind. After 30 minutes, you will feel fresh, all the negative thoughts from your mind will be
eliminated, and you will be ready for a week full of positive challenges and happiness.

11.

Using the other hand

Using the other hand is more like a game, but it is great for stimulating all the important brain
functions. It is perfect for making decisions, for stimulating memory and logic, but most
importantly for improving self-control. If you are able to use your less skilled hand for
activities that you usually do with your main hand, you will force the brain to think about some
activities that are otherwise automatic.

If you are right-handed, you can try your left hand for
throwing, writing or cooking. If you are left-handed, you can
try to use your right hand for many of your daily activities. If
you like soccer, trying to kick the ball with both feet is
important. Any fan of this sport knows that the best players
are those that can use their both legs with the same
efficiency.

When our brain develops during the first years of life, it focuses on activities such as writing,
building things, and generally any new activity to be learned. As the activities become a part of
the routine, the brain stops thinking about those. If you try to use your other hand, you will
force an unused part of the brain to develop. Here are some common activities that you can do
with the weak hand.

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1. Brush your teeth

Well, it will be weird in the beginning, and if you care about your dentures, it is important to use
your main hand after. Otherwise, brushing your teeth with your secondary hand every day
might not be so great for your teeth.

2. Washing

While you shower, try to use the other hand. It is like somebody else is washing you, which is
not unpleasant at all and will let you experience how much you need your usual hand!

3. Eating

In the morning, when every minute is important, we might not have the time to try experiments
such as eating with the other hand, but at dinner when we have time we can try this fun activity.
The other members of the family might laugh seeing us splash food on the table, but when you
are able to use your left hand just like you use the right one, they will envy you. You might not
believe it, but learning to eat with the other hand perfectly takes less than one week.

4. Cooking
Make sure not to hurt yourself, and that you are not ruining the food. When you take that hot
plate from the microwave oven, maybe you should use your main hand, because using your
unskilled hand might lead to severe accidents. However, for simpler and less dangerous
activities in the kitchen, such as using a spoon to mix the eggs or to use a mixer, you might want
to think about using the other hand.

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5. Sports

Trying to throw a ball or use a baseball bat with the other hand is one of the most demanding
activities for the brain.

Using the other hand is simple and fun. You can try this in many of the daily activities. Just think
about it now and then, and you will discover tons of things that you can do with the other hand
without hurting yourself!

12.

Reminding re-reminding

My grandmother used to say that recapitulation is the mother of learning. The modern learning
methods are based on stimulating creativity and imagination, but a recapitulation develops
logical skills, memory, and the capacity to remember things. The habit of reminding and rereminding things all the time is useful for the brain, as it allows you to perform better in exams
and to learn new things a lot faster.

Try to connect the new memories with older

sensations- it will help your memory a lot. For
example, if you want to learn how to use the new
version of the Windows operating system, associating
the new functions with the ones of the old and
trusted Windows XP will help you to learn easier.
Moreover, by developing some remembering habits it will be a lot easier for you to remember
practically anything!

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1. Rebuild your steps. If you were doing things around the house and you forgot what your
next planned activity was, try to remember the previous steps. By connecting those with
each other, you will probably remember the activities that were planned for the near
future.
2. Try to remember the last hour. The answer to the question, What was I doing one hour
ago? will help you to remember older things, including memories that were long
forgotten. It acts as a kick-start to memories that maybe played an important role in
your development.
3. Remember the day. At the end of the day before sleeping, try to think about what you
accomplished during the day, for just five minutes. What were your plans in the
morning? Were you able to accomplish all the proposed tasks? If not, what went wrong?
If you want to accomplish those failed tasks tomorrow, what do you need to change?
4. Take notes. Our smartphones have become our trusted friends, and whenever we want
to remember something we write that something in the special notes application, but is
that useful? It might be useful for efficiency, but your mind will start to linger. Writing
on a piece of paper is a lot more effective because you will take more time to write, so
you will remember those things more easily. We know that it is sometimes hard to take
your notebook out of the house with you wherever you go. We also know that it is a lot
easier to check a box on your smartphone application, but if you are concerned about
developing your memory, you will have to make this effort.

Besides the everyday tasks, remembering old memories is another useful activity. You will thank
yourself when you are old, and when you will be able to remember even your first school trip as
a child. The best things in our lives are the important moments spent with our families and
friends. Whenever you have the time, take those old photos out and try to remember the exact
moment when those were taken. What were you doing at that moment? What else you did
during that day, when you took that incredible photo of the sunset? What was the name of the

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hotel? Was the food expensive? All those small memories will contribute to the developing of
memory, and it will help you to remember things for the rest of your life.

13.

Dancing and singing

Music and dancing are activities that attract the attention of children from an early age. The
toddlers like to hear music and to move with the rhythm. If you think about it, music and singing
are some of the first activities that we learn, long before writing or reading. Things dont change
that much with the age, and this is why dancing and singing remain some of the most relaxing
and useful activities, even for adults.

Singing is not developing a certain part of the brain, but it is relaxing and creative. Dancing gives
self-confidence and fulfillment. These two activities in tandem are perfect for brain fitness. Even
if they are not developing a particular part, they are perfect at enhancing progress overall.

Singing

It is not important what you sing. Singing allows you to understand the differences between
levels of the voice tone, and it stimulates creativity. It was proven by studies that slow music
and opera helps people to regulate the cardiac rhythm and to oxygenate the organism a lot
better. Hearing instrumental music is also good, but music that implies human voice is better. If
you want to use singing for brain developing, you need to choose the gender that you like, and
to sing the verses along with your favorite music star.

You can find orchestral versions of your favorite songs, try to sing over them, in karaoke style.
Well, you might not win a Grammy award, but it is surely useful for brain training. During our
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early ages, the voice of our parents singing cradle songs gives us a feeling of safety. Well, the
voice of Rihanna doesnt compare to that, but it surely puts you in a good mood.

Dancing

Dancing is one of the best methods to build self-confidence, and it also has
benefits on the general state of mind. Dancing alone at home helps your
mood, but the best method is to use dancing as a brain fitness technique is
to try to learn new dances.

If you register for dance classes, you will meet new people, you will gain
self-confidence, and learning a new dance is always useful and practical.
You can try what is in style at a certain moment. For example, salsa and
Latino dances were popular for quite a while, but today, it seems like
people are more passionate about modern dance.

The classical dances are perfect for brain development because they are complex and also rare.
You would surely like to dance tango, and even if it seems a little complicated, if you take some
classes, you will discover the wonders of this dancing style on your mind and body.

Singing and dancing are two of the best brain fitness techniques, especially because they can be
practiced anywhere. Dont be afraid to sing in the shower, even if the other members of the
family might be a little annoyed about your barrel voice. Dance on the streets, sing in the rain,
and everything will be just fine!

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14.

Playing

Playing is one of the first activities we learn as children. It develops attention, creativity, and
technical skills. Playing is at the base of some complex activities. It was proven with studies that
the best engineers and constructors are those that played with Lego figurines as children, and
the best fashion designers surely had a Barbie doll as their favorite toy.

Playing as an adult

If you have a child, you probably cant complain of a lack of playing in your life, but if you dont
you should give more attention to it. When we say, playing, we dont refer to the computer
and console games. Playing as an adult is a little more difficult and different. However, it is
necessary if you want to train some basic brain functions such as creativity, memory, and logic.

Mime

Mime is one of the childrens games for adults. By miming and

imitating objects, the creative functions of the brain are
developed to a new level. It is an excellent family game, but a
smart method to animate a dull party. You can try to imitate
simple objects and actions, but the most demanding mime
activities are those for imitating complex phrases. Try to mime
an engineer designing a mechanical frog, and you will discover the complex brain functions of
mime.

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Board games

The board games are always a part of our lives since childhood. As we grow, the complexity of
the games grows. Today, we can play many versions of Game of Thrones, a game that stimulates
a large number of brain functions. Logic, memory and especially the spirit of competition are
greatly stimulated by board games. You can choose the simple ones which are more for
relaxation, but the complex games are perfect for advanced mind training.

15.

Eliminate routine
Routine is one of the biggest enemies of healthy
thinking. Routine allows us to create a solid
comfort zone, in which we know what we do,
and in which we have the right to feel kings. The
traps of routine for healthy brain development
are diverse. It makes us feel good about
ourselves because we are able to do some tasks

perfectly, and we think that we are better than anyone else at those things. This might be true,
but by focusing our resources on certain tasks, the other brain connections are greatly affected.

For example, we are so great at writing on the computer, and we are proud of our speed of 200
characters per minute, but how about handwriting? It might be considered useless by some
people, as they can write anything they want on the computer even faster, but your brain does
not think the same way- different areas are used.

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The benefits of eliminating routine and exiting the comfort zone

Any neurobic activity is designed to take us out of our comfort zone. Shift hands, do some things
with your weaker hand, change your daily habits. Dont eat the same thing every day, cook
something new whenever you can, learn new languages and read new books.

Try to get back to the basics. Handwriting is a relaxing and useful activity for your creativity
skills. You might get tired fast at the beginning because your hand is not used to writing as it
normally does, but you will have to make those changes in small steps. While you are reading
this chapter, how about switching hands from time to time to view it?

Some of those routine changing activities were presented in previous chapters, but here, we
want to highlight the importance of changing routines in any way possible. Think about the
rewards that are there for any little thing that you change.

If you renounced salt in your food, dont be surprised that you can run faster. If you sacrificed
yourself for a diet, you will feel better. If you renounced the daily night show in front of the TV
for a long walk, you would probably feel great for doing something new.

Generally, any simple activity becomes a routine after a week. Changing routines does not only
mean replacing one activity with the other, it also means to vary that same activity. You went in
the park for a run every morning for the entire week? How about trying Zumba or Aerobics for
the next week? Your brain will thank you for the change, and you will feel the benefits in the
long run.

Self-control is improved by renouncing routines. You will be able to keep up with the difficulties
of life a lot easier, and your brain will be prepared for the unforeseen. If you are used to leaving

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your comfort zone, you will discover the beauty of those zones where you dont feel so secure,
and eventually, your non-comfort zone will become the place where you feel the best.

16.

Uncommon answers to weird questions

This is more like a game that you can play for five minutes every day, allowing you to develop
creativity and to solve unforeseen situations. If you apply for a job at Google, you will be asked
the weirdest questions, and you will believe that the people inventing those questions are crazy.
Well, it is not true. This small game will help your brain fitness level greatly as it works both for
the creative side of your mind as well as for logical skills, memory, and attention.

If Germans were the tallest people in the world, how would you be able to prove this?
How much money would you require to wash all the windows in the city of Seattle?
Do you think that Bruce Lee would beat Rambo in a one-on-one basketball game?

By trying to answer those questions, you will train so many sides of your brain fitness, even if
some of those can be annoying. It is one of the simplest neurobic activities, and it is great
because answering these dont take too much time.

You can put yourself a question like this in the morning, and you can try to answer it whenever
you have the time during the day. You will develop your skills to react to unforeseen situations
and your creativity.

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How do you answer these questions?

Well, there are no right or wrong answers to those questions. It is more important to have
creative answers and even more questions coming from the original one. In this way, your mind
will get used to difficult scenarios and have the right attitude towards uncommon problems.

1. If Germans were the tallest people in the world, how would you be able to prove this?

What is the determining factor for the height of a person? The length of the pants? The size of
the shoes? If you contacted the most reputed pants manufacturer in the world, you could ask
them about the average length of pants sold in Germany. From here, it is in your imagination to
decide how you could get the right answer to this question.

2. How much money would you ask to wash all the windows in Seattle?

This kind of question leads to many other questions designed to

develop imagination. Would you have to use the water from the
respective buildings, or would you need to bring your own water?
Would this include the windows of the cars in Seattle also? Are you
allowed to get help from cleaning companies, or you would have to
clean it all yourself? As said before, getting an answer is less
important than putting the right questions forward. After all, the goal of this exercise is to
develop imagination, not to have an exact answer- which is not so useful to you anyway.

Asking yourself weird questions and giving answers to them, is the best method to develop
creativity, and to increase your capacity to solve uncommon problems. Have the patience to
examine the problem from all of its angles- and take your time. You can find many websites on
the internet with these kinds of weird questions, and with possible answers to inspire you.

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17.

Learn new languages

Learning a new language is usually considered a burdening and demanding task, especially for
people that need this skill for a job. If you consider learning a new language as a method for
increasing your brain fitness, it can become a pleasant activity. The idea is to learn a new
language with pleasure, without a deadline, and without exhausting yourself too much. This will
develop logical thinking, memory, and attention. If
you focus on writing, spelling and talking in a new
language, the efficiency of the exercise will be greatly
improved.

As we have already said, learning a new language for

brain development is different from learning a new
language out of obligation, so lets see the characteristics of learning new languages for fun.
These ideas will not help you to master the respective language like a pro, but it will maximize
the brain training effects that you are looking for.

Dont set yourself time limits

Remember that you dont have an exam so dont set yourself goals. If you only have five
minutes today to repeat a few words- dont panic as maybe tomorrow you can learn more. If
you want to learn French, there are many great French movies which you can watch with English
subtitles. It will be a great method to learn French and to relax at the same time, especially
because the words will fix in your mind at a subconscious level, which is the best type of
learning.

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Listen and read every day

Whether you read for five minutes or one hour, learning every day is crucial otherwise you will
start to forget. Replace the music on your iPod with French or Chinese lessons, and listen to
those whenever you can. Everyday practice will help you to develop your brain skills faster, and
you might end up mastering the new language without even knowing it!

Focus on the new words

If you want to maximize the brain fitness effects of a foreign language, you must learn
vocabulary. Two or three new words every day are mandatory. Learn how the propositions are
formed and speak it too. Repeat what you hear to consolidate your knowledge. Read books and
keep a dictionary close. Whenever you find a new word that you dont understand, see what it
means.

Dont forget about the fun factor

You are learning a new language because it is relaxing and useful, but most importantly it is to
develop your brain skills. This means that you dont have to burden yourself into learning many
hours on end just because you think that you are behind. You might even quit after a while
because the motivation is not strong enough.

Every language has about 2000 basic words which are used in most of the conversations during
the day. If you are able to learn the basic vocabulary of a language, you can call yourself a
conversational speaker in the respective language. This only requires a few months of learning,
so it is not a huge effort, especially because it comes with some incredible benefits for brain
fitness.

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18.

Visual stimulation exercises

Visual stimulation is maybe the most educative method used for children, but it works perfectly
for adults too. Since kindergarten, children learn how to distinguish objects, how to find hidden
items and how to make differences. Without visual stimulation, it is impossible for a child to
learn how to read and write. Unfortunately, as we grow old, we forget about the importance of
visual stimulation, and about its benefits on relaxation.

The visual stimulation exercises for brain fitness must be done with the help of some other
person. They are perfect for memory, multi-tasking and attention, but also for taking decisions.
The good news is that the other person can be anybody, from your child to your grandmother.
The visual stimulation exercises are simple, and they can be the perfect educative method both
for you and for your child.

1. Ask your child to present you ten objects: cubes,

Lego pieces, dolls and other toys. Close your eyes
and ask your child to hide one of them. Try to
detect what object is missing. As you probably
assume, it is a great exercise for your child also.
2. Use the same objects from the first exercise. Ask
your child to put them in a certain order. Ask him
to change the order of two or even three elements
from the row. Try to detect what is changed in the entire picture.
3. Ask your child to find six different objects and to put those in front of you. Close your
eyes as your child hides the objects. Try to remember all of them.

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4. Ask your partner to present you some images, preferably drawn by hand. Close your
eyes and ask the other person to draw some other elements on the boards. For
example, he or she can add a tree in the forest or a person in a group. Try to detect the
new element.
5. Examine two or three photos, images of puzzles, in succession. Try to draw all the three
images into a single one at the same time.

Those are only some simple exercises, but you can ask your child to tell you more about what he
or she is doing in school. Try to play those games, but this time, your child will be in the role of
the teacher. We know what you think of: would the kindergarten exercises be enough to
stimulate my visual memory and attention? Of course, they are! As we grow older, we tend to
replace visual elements with other things that are easier to remember. We think in numbers,
words, and letters, and this is why we lose contact with the basic elements of learning, such as
the visual stimulants.

By trying this exercise, you will get back to the basics, and the effectiveness of the exercise will
be huge. Moreover, it is also fun to play, especially with your child. You can try this with your
partner or even with some of your friends, and you will discover the joy of being a child again.

19.

Daily recapitulation

The daily recapitulation is a method to improve memory, multitasking and attention, and it also
allows you to plan your life better. Daily recapitulation is required before an exam, but it is good
for everyday activities too. Take five minutes in the evening to remember what you have done
during the respective day and what you need to do tomorrow. This exercise lasts for a few
minutes, but if you have time, you can always try daily recapitulation on paper.

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What went wrong today? Was I able to accomplish all the proposed tasks? Why I was not able to
go to the doctor? It was an event beyond my control, or I was just lazy?

Daily recapitulation is more than a method to improve brain fitness;

it is the perfect method to organize our work and plans. We have
our smartphone applications that help us to organize time with a
precision of seconds, but usually brain fitness is about using our
mind- without so much external help. Using smartphones might be
easier, but it leads to our brain lingering. If you dont want that, you
will have to write your own recapitulation on paper daily.

Establish a daily program. Usually, you can do the recapitulation after dinner, before the movie
or whatever it is that you do before you sleep. Dont lose too much time with this, because it is
supposed to help you, not to become a burden.

Try not to write about all the small things that happened to you during the day- you have a
journal for that. The daily recapitulation must be a list with 5-10 things, with a short explanation
for each. You can talk during dinner with all the members of the family, to see what they need
and to make your program consider those things too

Any recapitulation starts by assessing the things that you have done during the day, but it also
requires planning for tomorrow. Dont despair if you were not able to check all the points of the
list. Try to think about some methods to organize your time better, and dont blame yourself for
the failed objectives if it was not your fault: I was late at the doctor because I got stuck in
traffic, but I should have left home 15 minutes earlier. It is not true. If you are able to take
some time and to plan your day considering the inherent problems, it is better. However, if you
are not able to, you must not despair.

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Try to make it fun

The daily recapitulation must not be a burden or something that shows how incapable you are.
We are sure that you are able to accomplish the majority of things that you want, and for the
others, just try to take more time. Some of us believe that it is impossible to check all the points
on the list, but after a while, we will be able to make realistic plans and the daily recapitulation
will become a reason to rejoice after a successful day.

20.

Building things

Building is one of the best fitness techniques for creativity, logic, and analytical thinking, but it is
also a relaxing activity. Building gives us that peace of mind and relaxation, and the satisfaction
of creating different objects with our own hands is also beneficial. You noticed that we used the
term things. It is because any type of creative activity is useful, and you should only focus on
what you like. If you dont like nails, hammers, and saws, you dont need to build a tree house.
Instead, you can try other relaxing and constructive activities such as origami.

Building things as a brain fitness method

You dont need to spend a fortune for the materials required. Building for mind training must be
a relaxing activity, and there are so many of those that dont require so many expenses upfront.
There are some simple methods to express your creative side, and the small pieces of art will be
helpful for your brain and mind in so many ways. Moreover, the satisfaction of saying, I made
this! to a friend that admires a newly created living room decoration is huge.

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Decorative depositing boxes

You can buy boxes to store different objects, but the

problem is their aspect. You can find simple and dull
plastic boxes, but also those made of paper- with no
personality and style. Well, you can buy those for a small
price, and you can offer those your own touch of art.

You can wrap the simple paper or plastic boxes with textile
materials. You need some patience and lots of glue, but the result will be some beautiful boxes
that fit the dcor, and a method to express your own creativity.

Carpets for walls

The idea of putting carpets on walls was old-fashioned for quite a while, but today, it seems like
old things are back in style. An interesting textile decoration for your wall can be made of
different textile materials, with different textures and colors to suit any room. Of course, you
will also need a support and some adhesives, but the result will be a unique decorative element
that you can proudly put in the most visible place of your living room. A wooden panel is perfect
as a support for this creation. The fact a carpet is on the wall will get your brain racing every
time you see it in your room.

Unique vases

We all like plants in our houses and they are useful for our peace of mind as well. However, the
plants are even better when they are put in a nicely painted vase. As long as the plants are
decorative, the vase will become a stylish element also. Use the special paint for glass and your
vases can become even more interesting and attractive than the flowers!

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Building decorative elements for your home is useful in so many ways. It stimulates creativity
and a sense of color, and it is also helpful because it gives you peace of mind- helping you to
relax. There are no limits for your imagination, and any old junk can become the perfect
decorative element if you have the will and patience to transform it.

21.

Multi-tasking

Multi-tasking is a brain fitness technique itself. Many of the methods proposed in this book have
the goal of developing multitasking capacities. However, by doing many things at the same time,
you will also develop some other important brain functions, such as attention, memory, and
making decisions.

A contested method

Lately, some brain development specialists

contested multi-tasking as a method for brain
fitness, saying that people should focus on one
thing to do it right. Nothing is farther from the
truth as many of the methods stated in this
book are based on multi-tasking. The entire process of neurobics is based on doing many things
at the same time, and of getting out of routine. Moreover, without multi-tasking, it is impossible
to perform at work, or to accomplish everyday goals.

It is true that breaks are required, even when we are multi-tasking. We will not hide that this
method is demanding and exhausting, and it comes with tiredness, but making many things at
the same time will develop your brain on so many levels.

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Try to think about multi-tasking whenever you can. When you wait for some files to be copied,
and your computer needs a few minutes to finish, you can use this time for something else. Two
minutes is not much, but if you are able to respond to an email, or to call your colleague to
establish what you will order for lunch, you will use your time in an effective manner.

Try to solve any problem when it appears, if possible. If not, try to put it in your mind queue as
soon as possible, considering its importance also. For complex subjects, think about a period of
the day when you are less busy. For multi-tasking, it is great to have a list with all the things that
you must do. You can keep this list in your mind, but as we always recommend writing as a brain
fitness method, you can write those on a piece of paper.

There are moments when you cant answer phones, and you cant write emails, and those are
few and far between. Dont panic, and even if your list is longer than ever, try to impose your
own rhythm. You will probably have to work overtime, but as you learn the secrets of multitasking, you will find it easier to solve many problems at the same time.

Multi-tasking is not only for your job. At home, when you need to cook, help your child with his
homework, clean the house and to the shopping list too, you might end up in distress asking
yourself how to accomplish all those. It is simple. Ask the child to join you in the kitchen and to
ask you whenever something is unclear. Keep a shopping list on the kitchen table also and write
in it whenever you remember something else that you need to buy. Cooking will be more
pleasant when you have somebody to keep you company, and when you finish cooking, the
shopping list and the homework will be ready also.

22.

Mnemonic activities

Mnemonics are a kind of memory instrument, techniques that allow you to retain information.
The secret behind these is coding the information that you need in a simple manner.
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The human brain evolved so much that it can code and interpret complex stimulants such as
images, sounds, and colors. The memory stores those in an efficient manner, giving the world a
meaning. The simplest way to retain information is to code it using happy mental equivalents.

How can you use mnemonic techniques?

Some of the information that we receive every day cant be coded automatically by our brain.
We read thousands of words every day, in emails, in articles, on the computer or in books. Some
people have a photographic memory, and they are able to code the information in images, but
for the rest of us, this process has to be trained.
-

Use positive images. The brain usually blocks the

unpleasant ones. For example, even if you need
to remember to go to a funeral, dont try to
picture the dead person in a coffin. Better, try to
remember buying flowers for the funeral and the
mind association will be made.

Use colored images, as those are easier to retain.

Use all your senses to code the information, and remember that mnemonics is made of
sounds, images, smells and tastes.

Always think in three dimensions. A mnemonic memory has a certain space and
movement.

Exaggerate the most important parts of the image.

Symbols such as the red stop light or the circulation signs are perfect for coding complex
messages.

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The three basic principles of coding information using mnemonic techniques are imagination,
association, and localization. By using those together, you can create strong systems, allowing
you to remember anything.

Imagination is what is used to create and consolidate associations. If you are able to visualize
and imagine a situation, it will remain in your memory. The images that you use for
remembering can be violent, sensual, colored or in any form that you want, but remember that
negative images might be harder to remember.

Association is a method for you to connect the thing that you need to remember with the
method used to remember that thing.

Localization offers you two things: a coherent context, where you can put the information, and a
method to distinguish between one mnemonic memory and the other. A memory from a
vacation is associated with the respective country, while a memory about a nice night out with
your friends can be associated with the neighborhood where you had fun. This way, the
mnemonic memories are easily distinguished and fixed.

Mnemonic is maybe the best method for developing memory, but it is also perfect for
developing imagination. You will use your imagination to develop clear memories that will stick
in your brain for the rest of your life. It is a perfect brain fitness method that will develop your
cognitive capacities to a completely new level.

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23.

Brainstorming

The method of brainstorming has the goal of

obtaining as many ideas as possible from as many
people as possible. It was invented in large
companies, with the goal of finding the optimal
idea to solve a problem. Lately, it is being used as a
great brain fitness technique because it allows the
mind to obtain logical solutions to problems using creativity and imagination. Write a bubble in
the middle of your paper and draw annotated lines which relate in some way to it.

One disadvantage of brainstorming is that it cant be practiced alone. The good point is that two
people are enough for a brainstorming activity. Your child will be more than thrilled to
participate in a brainstorming session, and if you convince his older brother and your husband to
join too, it will be more fun than playing a family board game. It is, needless to say that this kind
of brain playing will be useful for all of you.

What should you brainstorm about?

Any subject can be used for brainstorming. From choosing the destination for the next family
vacation, to choosing the car model that you want to buy, any problem will find its best solution
through brainstorming.

How its made

Brainstorming needs a project manager, a person that puts the questions, and which leads the
others to the right answers. You can be that person, but if you want a good result to the
brainstorming session you will have to remember the basic five principles of this activity:
-

free will leads to the best ideas

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there are no wrong answers

delay the verdict

exchange ideas

get as many ideas as possible

For example, if you are looking for the perfect vacation destination, an answer like Antarctica or
North Korea might sound a little weird, but those must not be eliminated from the start. The
project manager has to write those on paper. Antarctica could easily turn into Norway or
another perfect ski destination while North Korea is so close to South Korea, which might be an
exotic destination for your family vacation.

The rules of brainstorming are also important, if you want to develop the imaginative and logical
skills of the participants, make sure that:
-

all the ideas are a part of the image

unusual ideas are encouraged

the ideas will not be criticized

the ideas must be combined

the rules of brainstorming are displayed from the start

the inevitable moments of silence will be eliminated by the moderator by refocusing on

an older idea, or by expanding the horizon of brainstorming

the less active members of the group are encouraged

quality is less important than quantity, at least at the beginning, but this must not stop

Brainstorming stimulates creativity, develops the capacity to sustain ideas, helps

communication, encourages everybody to participate, and it is a generally positive educational

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technique. It has its disadvantages such as the possible success, which depends largely on the
skills of the project manager, but its positive effects are far more important.

24.

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the capacity to feel, use, express and explain our emotions. It is one of
the most important functions of the brain. Some say that it is even more important than the IQ
as it will help us to control our feelings, and to understand ourselves and the people around us.

Emotional Intelligence can be trained. Since childhood, we

have learned to cry or scream when we were afraid of
something, and we used to wait for our mothers to comfort
us. Many times, it worked, but we also learned to stay quiet
and to scream less if our mother was upset. This type of
behavior has emotions at its base, and it characterizes
human nature.

When the concept of Emotional Intelligence appeared, it became one of the most researched
and studied concepts of psychology. Until then, the IQ was considered the only method to
characterize the chances of success. Studies show that a high IQ is not enough to ensure a
successful career or a happy life. Usually, those achievements are connected with EQ (Emotional
Intelligence Coefficient)

1. Try to know yourself better. Try to determine what kind of person you are. Selfobservation and introspection are the simplest methods to examine your own emotions,
and the best method to fight fears

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2. Reflect on your feelings. Try to be aware of your emotions and their nuances. Try to
name and distinguish your emotions and to find their reasons. I feel confused is a
start, but examining the problem might lead you to I feel uncertain about my job, I
want more attention from my children, or I need to change the way I am seen by
others
3. Try to make a distinction between thoughts and emotions. I feel neglected is different
from Everyone else has more important things to do than to take care of me.
4. Take ownership of your feelings. I am jealous is different from You make me feel
jealous. Try to analyze your own emotions and their causes, because many times those
are not given by the actions of others, but by our own fears.
5. Use the feelings that you have to take decisions. If I make this decision to confront
somebody, how will it make me feel? Is revenge the best method to deal with this
problem? Sometimes, reflecting a few minutes before taking a rushed decision might
prevent sorrows and regrets, and actions that cant be taken back.
6. Use your emotions to achieve your goals. Think about how you want to feel, and about
how you want to be seen by your parents, children, and spouse.

Developing emotional intelligence will help you understand the world better and make wiser
decisions. Understanding emotions allows you to make decisions based on them, but also to
eliminate the possible mistakes that could come from the same emotional decisions. It is
basically reduced to knowing what is right or wrong. The effects of having a high emotional
intelligence will reflect on all your activities, helping you to have a better and smarter life.

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25.

Gardening

Gardening as a brain fitness training method? Why not? People that like gardening know how
relaxing this can be and psychologists encourage people to use gardening for relaxing. However,
gardening is not just about relaxing, but about developing some of the most important brain
skills. Attention, self-control and even multi-tasking are improved by gardening.

If you live in a flat and you have a balcony, you can still use gardening as a method to train your
brain. The balcony is a great place to relax after a long day at work, and the smells of flowers
were proven by scientists as being beneficial on your overall mood.

Flowers

The variety of smells in your garden affects your brain at the subconscious level. It is known that
brain fitness is connected with many senses, including the smell. If you learn how to distinguish
the different smells in the garden, you will feel more relaxed, and you will have a great mood.

Vegetables

Besides the effort of planting and taking care of vegetables,

the satisfaction given by a salad made of your own
vegetables is immense. Taking care of a vegetable garden is
demanding, because you will need to take care of many aspects: digging, watering and using the
right fertilizers are only a few of the daily tasks required. Gardening is a science, and if you know
it, you will help your brain to develop greatly on so many levels.

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Fruits and trees

Taking care of a tree and seeing the fruits growing are fulfilling activities. Any gardener has his
or her favorite tree, and it seems like the fruits of that tree are tastier and sweeter. We
sometimes dont like those fruits from the general store which look like theyre taken from a
magazine, and which can taste like plastic, so the ones from our garden are always the best
choice.

Gardening is a relaxing activity, but also demanding. Being relaxed does not always mean being
rested. Some gardens require a lot of attention. Some people find it relaxing to dig the entire
yard, even if they will be absolutely exhausted afterward. It is a good brain-stimulating activity
also, especially because of the physical benefits, but if you are not strong and if you dont want
to bother yourself with this, you can try planting only flowers and plants that are easily taken
care of.

A garden should always have a discrete corner, possibly with a bench, where you can retire for
some private moments. This is also a nice activity that would be beneficial in so many ways. The
fresh air oxygenates your entire body, and its true that you feel fresh and ready for new
activities after sitting for an hour in your favorite little corner?

Gardening is beneficial for your state of mind on the whole, and it has long-term effects too. For
that, you need some perseverance because a garden cant be neglected. Just like a nice garden
gives you a good mood, a neglected garden can be the reason for depression. If you cant have a
garden, at least a lawn trimmed once a week is recommended to be pleasing on the eyes.

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26.

Decorating

Decorating the house is a pleasant activity. It is also a nice brain fitness technique, as it
stimulates creativity and attention. You can make your bedroom
a refuge, but you can also think about all kinds of decorative
objects for any room of the house.

Decorating for mind therapy

If you want to use decorating as a method to relax, you will

have to pay attention to colors. Some colors are suited for a
living room, but in the bedroom, they might make you tired,
forbidding you to sleep. According to the colors theory, the different nuances can affect your
mood. The bedroom has to be a calm place, where you can relax and where you can recharge
your batteries. The walls of the bedroom can be enriched with drawings and motifs. The
curtains and the wall pictures can make your bedroom a true relaxation oasis. If you want a
feminine aspect for your bedroom, choose floral themes. If you are looking for a fascinating
aspect, which will be a stimulant for your brain, you can choose exotic birds and tropical
landscapes.

Each color and decoration will have a different effect on the brain. The tendency is to renounce
the family photos, but this might not be such a great idea for your mood. A nice family photo in
the living room will create a familiar and homely space.

Creating decorations for your entire house will be great for developing creative skills and for
relaxation. Origami is a complicated method to create figurines from paper, but those will be
fascinating for any visitor, and learning how to do those will be a great achievement.

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Manual decorations such as drawings and paintings made by you are great. Painting the walls in
different colors and creating your own models is also interesting, but make sure that you have
some talent before ruining the wall. You can draw your model on a piece of paper, and if you
think that it is good, you can transpose it onto the walls.

Decorating is a relaxing activity, as long as you think about it as a method to relax. Some people
become obsessed with the way their house looks, and this is not what you are looking for. Try to
create decorations that will not affect the aspect of the home, and if you dont like one of your
creations, dont expose them.

27.

Memorizing numbers

Memorizing numbers was always a challenge for many people. However, considering the
modern devices that we use every day, it has become harder for new generations to memorize
numbers. Today, we cant even remember the telephone numbers of our beloved ones, but in
the past, we used to remember many telephone numbers, for the simple reason that we had to
call those people from fixed phones. It was proven that the general tendency of not learning
numbers affects the brain capacity in the long term.

As a brain fitness technique, remembering numbers develops attention, memory, and logic. It is
also useful for those rare moments when you dont have your cell phone, but you need to call a
friend or a family member.

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How to learn numbers and why

Considering the complexity of the numbers that we need to retain, there are several techniques
that can be used. These can be used separately or together, but it is important to use the
technique that suits you best.

Digits

An association is the simplest method to remember digits.

The associations must be made by each individual. For
example, we can tell you that zero can be associated with an
egg, but if the first association that comes into your mind is
with an apple, you should use that. Every person has their
own system, which works best for the respective person,
and which might not work for other people. If I tell you that I
associate 4 with a chair, you might consider that I am right, but if you want to associate it with a
bench, there is nothing wrong with that.

When you associate each digit with a suggestive image, you must associate the image whenever
you hear the number. Play with the list and start making numbers. From our example, 40 might
be a chair-egg. Take a string of telephone numbers from the agenda, and try to generate an
image and to make associations for some of the numbers there.

The system is helpful when we need to remember digits and numbers from zero to 99. It is hard
to associate 4004404 with chair-egg-egg-chair-chair-egg-chair. However, we usually dont need
to remember bigger numbers. When we do, the best method to remember those is not to use
associations, but to try memorizing the numbers as they are. What numbers are important? If

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you are able to remember the numbers for the following list, you can name yourself a skilled
number learner, and the effort put into learning those numbers is useful as a brain training
technique.
-

the telephone numbers of your closest friends, parents, children, and spouse

your national ID number

the license and registration numbers of your car

birth dates of all the family members, including extended ones

You probably know many of those already, so get to work with the rest of them. How? Simply by
repeating and memorizing them as they are because sometimes the old-fashioned way is the
best way. After this, you will probably discover that learning numbers of any type is a lot easier.

28.

Chess

Chess is a part of the school programs in many countries.

Studies and experiments proved that chess is a great method
for brain fitness because it works on the brain at so many levels.
It is a great method to develop logic, self-control, memory, and
the competition spirit. Chess practiced from an early age by
children will lead to a healthy personality, and to a general
better level of school performance. Play as an adult with your increased brainpower and
challenge your friends.

1. It improves concentration: any player can sit at a table preoccupied about a certain
problem. It gives you the tenacity to stay in front of a problem until you are able to solve
it.

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2. It develops logical thinking: the player must apply strategic principles to analyze the
consequences of some moves.
3. It stimulates thinking, imagination and creativity, encouraging the creation of new
combinations of moves.
4. It develops the independent spirit by obliging the player to make decisions based only
on his own reasoning.
5. It develops the capacity to foresee the consequences of ones actions, which is really
important in life in general.
6. It inspires self-perfecting, and the capacity to look for the best plan.
7. It proves that hard work is rewarded with success. You become a good player only after
losing many games, but this will help you to learn from your own mistakes
8. It is a test of patience, nerves, will, and concentration, which increases the ability to
compete with other people, respecting the rules at the same time
9. It increases self-esteem and trust, helping the ones who are less physically developed to
have the mentality of a winner.
10. It develops the scientific way of thinking: the players explore new ideas, forming new
ideas and testing those in a competitive environment
11. It develops mathematical skills, starting with orientation on a chess table to calculating
simple and complex moves.
12. It develops the managerial qualities of a player, each player is a general of an army,
being the one that analyzes the situation, uses the resources, attacks and defends,
sacrificing the present for a possible future victory.
13. It stimulates research, as there is a lot of information that has to be looked for and
found, and is also brilliant for self-developing.
14. It offers the player the possibility to be an artist, and to develop his own style of playing.
15. It opens up the possibility to meet interesting people, to make new friendships in any
part of the globe, even if we are not talking about professional players. The game is
available on multiplayer online via the web or a special app game.

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16. It is cheap and easy to practice, and it is perfect for any age.
17. It is a pleasant way to spend time- a mental fight on the table. It is never boring as one
game does not look like the one before it did.
18. It teaches the players to have a sportive attitude, to shake hands with the opponent at
the end, no matter what the result of the game is.
19. It will keep you far from the computer and from your smartphone, which is an
important thing to do for brain development today. Unless you are following point 15.

29.

Dieting

Dieting is important for maintaining brain health and slowing down the aging process. A healthy
diet comes with many benefits, and it is almost impossible to exercise your brain fitness as long
as the rest of your body is ill. Well, this does not mean that people not exercising cant be smart,
but a healthy diet combined with fitness will greatly improve the result of any
brain fitness activity. The diet section of brain stimulation has already been
covered in this book, but this exercise involves eating things that are good for
you and remembering what youve eaten throughout the day.

We will not propose to you a certain diet that you should be eating. There is no
such thing as a wonder fruit, which will help you read two pages per minute
or to learn the first 1000 decimals of the Pi number in two minutes. However,
there are some fruits, vegetables and fruits which will allow your brain to assimilate information
faster and to improve the neural connections that are so important for brain fitness. Eat these
healthy brain foods and at the end of the day take a few minutes to think about every bite that
has passed your lips today. If you are overweight, it might help you to see when you were eating
for hunger, or eating out of boredom.

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1. Blueberries an important source of anti-oxidants that annihilate the action of the free
radicals. The arterial tension is also better, which means that the brain is well irrigated.
2. Cabbage and lettuce the green leaves contain vitamins B6 and B12, which are
important for preventing cardiovascular diseases. It reduces the risk of dementia.
3. Salmon, sardines and herrings fat acids with Omega 3 they are essential for a healthy
brain. Lack of Omega 3 leads to depressive tendencies. People who consume fish at
least once per week are less predisposed to Alzheimers disease.
4. Spinach has a strong anti-oxidant effect, slowing the memory deficits associated with
aging.
5. Red wine consumed in reasonable quantities it prolongs life. However, alcohol slows
the functions of the brain, but you can also choose grape juice. Recent studies show that
grape juice improves the memory and the movement functions.
6. Rice and grains an efficient method to increase the level of nutrients required by the
brain is to include rice and grains in your diet. Those are rich in vitamins and
magnesium, bringing important benefits for the brain
7. Almonds and nuts rich ion anti-oxidants, they have the capacity to reduce the level of
cholesterol. Women who consume more than 150 grams of almonds or nuts per week
reduce the risk of contracting heart diseases. They will not make you fat, compared with
other foods, and they have a high level of Omega 3.
8. Olive oil olive oil has a strong effect against free radicals. It reduces the arterial tension
and the level of cholesterol in your body.
9. Garlic because of the anti-oxidant properties, it prevents premature aging, including
the brain. It is also anti-bacterial, which reduces the risk of infections.

The list of foods, fruits and vegetables proposed here are general improvers of the bodys
health. Some of those dont have a direct action on the brain, but they will improve the general
state of health of other organs, allowing the brain to function better. Moreover, the state of
mind given by the fact that you are healthy is not an aspect to neglect.

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30.

Brain games on paper

Brain games on paper are fun, easy to play and to understand. There are literally thousands of
games that you can play with a crayon and paper, alone or with your friends. As there are
different games with different aims, they will work differently on your brain. Some stimulate
creativity, while others are perfect in developing a spirit of competition. Here are some of the
classical games that you probably played as a child, but now when you understand their
beneficial effects on your mind, you will probably want to play those a lot more.

1. Tic-tac-toe
It is a classical game invented thousands of years ago. The
Egyptians and Romans used to play it using a stick and
drawing in the sand. It is the same version as the one we
play today. The goal is to get three noughts or crosses in a
straight line of three. It is simple, fast, and you can play 100
games in one hour. On one hand, you will have to block an
opponent from drawing his three-symbol line, and on the other hand you will have to draw
yours. Two experienced players will often finish a game in a stalemate. It is possible to draw
bigger boards, such as the ones of 9x9, and you can try to draw lines of 4 or 5 in a row. This will
make the game more complicated.

2. Battleships
The classical game involving hitting an entire arsenal of ships, planes and boats of an opponent
was popular in the past, but the era of computers reduced its popularity. If you want to get back
to the basics, you can try this classic game. It must be played on a mathematical piece of paper,
the one with squares. It is just like a new version of chess, which sometimes lasts for hours.

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3. Hangman
Hangman was invented in UK during the Victorian Era, but we dont know if a person was
actually hanged because he or she was not able to guess a word. However, the game remained
as popular as it used to be, and the computational era brought it to a new level. Today, it is
possible to generate words with the help of a computer, but the charm of playing it on a piece
of paper is the real ingredient of this game. If you want to use it as a brain developing technique,
you need to play it on paper, just like in the old days.

4. Scrabble
Do you like playing with words? Scrabble has remained one of the games that does not have any
charm when played on the computer. It is a game that develops the capacity to create words,
being equally challenging for adults and children. It is the perfect family game that stimulates
imagination, creativity, logic, and vocabulary, so we can safely consider it as one of the perfect
games for brain fitness.

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Chapter 8- Quick Tips To Boost Brain Power

There are times when we find our memory failing

us, and we suddenly forget something. It could be
something from just a few minutes before or hours
before or the previous day or week. In our fast
paced world today, stress and anxiety cause us to
forget the simplest of things sometimes. We are
always multi-tasking and at times some small detail
or matter slips through and we forget about it. We
can forget very basic things like where we parked
our car, where we kept something we put down
just minutes ago, what we said to someone the
previous day or the name of a person we just met.
This doesnt mean that we have amnesia or Alzheimers disease; it just means that we are
forgetful and absent-minded. It is well known that the more you use your brain, the more
exercise it gets and therefore your memory and brain power is better. There are various simple
tasks that we can do to boost our memory and brain power in order to stay sharp. These tasks
will be different from our regular daily tasks and hence will require our brain to work harder
making our brain and memory power better.

Daily Tasks You Can Do To Boost Memory and Brain Power

Here are few simple tasks that you can do at home or outside every day to improve your
memory and brain power. These are also mentioned in much more detail in the main brain
stimulation exercises in this book.

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Switching hands while doing work: If you are right handed then use your left hand to
do tasks you would normally do with your right hand (e.g.: writing, brushing teeth, using
scissors) and vice versa. This will increase your brain power and memory by creating
new neural networks in the brain. Victims of strokes or paralysis often have to learn to
use their nondominant hand, and this improves the nondominant side of their brain by
stimulating it through use.

Learning something new: Whenever we learn something new it gives our brain good
exercise and therefore improves its power. You can learn a new skill like carpentry or
pottery or you can learn a completely new language. Even taking classes for something
like salsa dancing will work. When the brain works hard to learn something new, it is
pushed to be more efficient because it has to be flexible in thinking.

Taking breaks and learning in chunks: If you are a student and you study for exams by
continuously cramming things into your brain for hours it will not help you learn and
remember better. Research has shown that if you take breaks between study times and
learn your matter in chunks you remember it better as it allows you to learn concepts by
spacing out learning.

Playing phone or computer games: Playing phone games or computer games that
involve problem-solving, reasoning and critical or strategic thinking gives the brain very
good exercise by forcing it to think hard. There are many good brain games and
applications easily available online for computers and android phones or iPhones.

Saying the alphabet: When you are unable to remember something specific like the
name of a person or place or thing recite the
alphabet mentally or out loud till you reach the
letter with which the name or word begins to
help you jog your memory.

Using imagery as a memory aid: When

you are trying to remember a place or name

just close your eyes and try to imagine the

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place or person or anything that you associate with the place or person and you the
memory will come back to you.

Reading out loud: Instead of just silently reading a newspaper or book in your mind
read it out loud as this will stimulate different parts of your brain and make them active
by getting blood to flow to these areas. It will keep your brain healthy and enhance your
memory power.

Saying thoughts out loud: it might sound strange to do this as it makes one look crazy
but saying things out loud can help you remember things better. Suppose you are
looking for your car keys and you cant remember where you kept them then speak your
thoughts out loud as to when you last used them and where you could have possibly put
them and the memory will gradually come to you.

Meditating on a regular basis: Research has shown that meditating

for some time every day can bring about physical changes in the
brain which create new synaptic networks that can increase
memory power, awareness and attention.

Rehearsing learnt information: Especially with studying or learning

new skills or interests if you rehearse, practice or revise the
information learnt every day it will help your brain stay alert and
you wont forget the information easily.

Exercising every day: Many studies have proven that aerobics is a great exercise for
improving brain cognitive functions and is also very effective in enhancing memory
power. Exercising will encourage the growth and development of new brain cells in the
hippocampus region of the brain, and the hippocampus is the main center for memory
and learning.

Typing or writing daily: It is useful to use your fingers in typing or writing as it gives your
brain good exercise by activating the regions that deal with writing, typing and hand-eye
coordination. If your brain works harder, you can be sure to improve your brain power
and memory.

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Attaching meanings to information: If you attach special meanings to different types of

information it will be easier for your brain to make the connection and retrieve that
necessary information promptly when you require it.

Changing your computer font: Change your computers font size, format, color, etc.
regularly or make it in italics or bold, something that you are not generally used to or
comfortable with. If it becomes difficult for you to read and adjust to the font, it will give
good exercise to your brain and improve its functioning.

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Exercising Your Brain: A 21 Day Workout Plan

A few simple exercises each day can dramatically improve the health of your brain. The amount
of time spent on each exercise is not as important as keeping a routine. Start slow and increase
the time spent until it becomes a habit.

Day One:
Complete A
25-50 Piece
Jigsaw
Puzzle

Practice
Breathing
Correctly

Day Two:

Walk
For 30
Minutes
Play A Board
Game With A
Friend

Massage
The Head
For 15
Minutes

Draw A
Simple
Picture

Day Three:

Complete A
Crossword
Puzzle

Spend Time
In Nature

Meditate
For 10
Minutes

Write Using
Something
Different

Complete One
Visual
Stimulation
Exercise

Journal Your
Feelings

Day Four:

Play
Soduku

Play A Team
Sport

Spend 30
Minutes
Gardening

Sing Your
Favorite
Song

Eat In The
Dark

Learn 5
Foreign
Words

Remember
The Last Hour

Do 30
Minutes Of
Aerobic
Exercise

Memorize 5
Peoples
Birthdates

Write With
The Other
Hand

MultiTask For 30
Minutes
Tell A Story

Page | 115

Day Five:

Keep
Notes Of
The Entire
Day

Eat One
New
Healthy
Food

Day Six:

Dance With
A Friend
Spend A Day
With
Someone Half
Your Age

Create
Mnemonic
Associations
For 3 Things
Read A Foreign
Language
Childrens Book

Day Seven:

Complete A Daily
Recapitulation

Meditate For
10 Minutes

Remember
The Last Day

Create A
Craft

Redecorate
Your Room

Play Tic Tac

Toe With A
Friend

Break The
Routine

Brainstorm
A Fairytale

Day Eight:

Walk For
30 Minutes

Use The
Other Hand
For 1 Hour

Play A
Game Of
Chess
Listen To
Foreign
Music Or
TV

Play
Soduku

Practice
Breathing
Correctly

Spend Time
In Nature
Play A Board
Game With A
Friend

Massage
The Head
For 15
Minutes

Draw A
Simple
Picture

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Day Nine:

Day Ten:

Complete A
50-100 Piece
Jigsaw
Puzzle

Play A Team
Sport

Create
Mnemonic
Associations
For 5 Things

Eat Two
New Healthy
Foods

Write Using
Something
Different

Learn 10
Foreign
Words

Day Eleven:

Remember
The Last Hour

Spend 30
Minutes
Gardening

Play A Game
Of Chess

Sing Two
Songs

Mime To A
Child

Write A
Poem

Day Twelve:

Complete A
Crossword
Puzzle

Walk For 30
Minutes

Meditate For
15 Minutes

Play A Board
Game With A
Friend

Massage
The Head
For 15
Minutes

Paint A
Simple
Picture

Memorize 5
Phone
Numbers
Dance With
A Friend

Create A
Craft

Multi- Task
For 30
Minutes

Write With
The Other
Hand

Spend 30 Min
Listening To A
Foreign
Language

Page | 117

Day Thirteen:

Day Fourteen:

Complete
A
Crossword
Puzzle

Complete A
100-200 Pc
Jigsaw
Puzzle

Practice
Breathing
Correctly

Spend Time
In Nature

Redecorate
A Friends
Room

Play With A
Child

Tell A Story

Day Fifteen:

Complete A
Daily
Recapitulation

Eat Three
New
Healthy
Foods

Dance
With A
Friend

Create A
Craft

Complete
One Visual
Stimulation
Exercise

Answer One
Weird
Question

Write In A
Journal For
30 Min

Day Sixteen:

Play A Team
Sport
Use The
Other Hand
For 2 Hours

Play A
Game Of
Chess
Learn 25
Foreign
Words

Play
Soduku
Meditate
For 30
Minutes

Spend 45
Minutes
Gardening
Play
Hangman

Multi- Task
For 30
Minutes
Draw Or
Paint A
Famous
Picture

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Day Seventeen:

Keep Notes
Of The
Entire Day

Sing Three
Songs

Day Eighteen:

Do 30
Minutes Of
Aerobic
Exercise

Create
Mnemonic
Associations
For 10 Things

Complete A
200+ Piece
Jigsaw Puzzle

Build A
Device

Spend
1 Hour
Listening To A
Foreign
Language

Think Up
Answers To 5
Weird
Questions

Day Nineteen:

Play
Soduku

Sing To
Someone

Take A
Dance Class
Tell Funny
Stories To
Your Friends

Massage
The Head
For 15
Minutes

Journal
Your
Feelings

Day Twenty:

Spend 1
Hour
Gardening

Redecorate
Your Home

Play
Scrabble
With A
Friend

Sing A
Foreign
Language
Song

Complete
A
Crossword
Puzzle
Create A
New Recipe
With
Healthy
Foods

Create A
Craft

Play A
Game Of
Chess

Use The
Other Hand
For 3 Hours

Create Art
For A Loved
One

Page | 119

It is important to try all of the exercises until you find the ones you are most comfortable with.
Once you are comfortable performing all of them, continue using them on a regular basis. Day
Twenty-One is not the end of the program; it is the beginning of creating your own.

Day Twenty-One:

Complete A
Daily
Recapitulation

Meditate
For 1 Hour

Do 30
Minutes Of
Aerobic
Exercise

Break The
Routine

Complete
One Visual
Stimulation
Exercise
Draw And
Illustrate A
Childrens
Book

120