Category: HACK 101-150

Magnesium, a mineral, is an absolute must for proper brain function. It aids neuron metabolism and boosts the effectiveness of certain antioxidants. Magnesium may also play a role in the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. Studies show that the brains of most Alzheimer’s patients are deficient in magnesium but excessively high in calcium. In healthy brains, the two minerals have a relatively equal ratio. Higher magnesium intakes have been linked to a lower risk of stroke. 

Magnesium can be found in a wide variety of foods. The best sources include legumes, almonds, avocados, toasted wheat germ, wheat bran, fish, seafood, fruits, fruit juice, pumpkin seeds, and whole grains. Green vegetables, especially cooked spinach, can be good sources too. 

Magnesium deficiency can result from an increase in urine output (like that caused by diuretics), poorly controlled diabetes, and alcoholism. People who suffer from migraine headaches may also be magnesium deficient. In one study, migraine patients who took 600 milligrams of magnesium per day for twelve weeks went from three attacks per month down to two. Migraine patients who were given the placebo noticed no change in the number of headaches. 

Too much magnesium is not harmful unless the mineral is not excreted properly due to disorders such as kidney disease. The UL (upper limit) for magnesium is 350 milligrams per day for adults over eighteen. 

It doesn’t matter if it’s on a Wii, Xbox, Switch, or PlayStation, playing video games can improve your brain as well as build hand-eye coordination and spatial visualization (the ability to imagine moving and rotating two- and three-dimensional objects). Researchers in Belgium analyzed the brains of 150 teenagers. They found that the ones who played video games regularly had more cells in the left ventral striatum of their brains—the part of the brain connected to emotions and behavior. Other studies have shown that those who play action video games build stronger perception, attention, and cognition skills than non–game players. So plug in a Call of Duty game and get going!

Phosphorus is an important component of human bones. In fact, it is the second most abundant mineral in the body and the second most important element after calcium for maintaining bone health. In addition to providing strength to your bones and teeth, phosphorus is also essential for hormonal balance, digestion and excretion, protein production, and improved growth and cellular repair. Phosphorus is vital to growth, maintenance, and repair of all body tissue, including the brain. It also helps activate B vitamins and is a component of the storage form of energy in the body. A deficiency of phosphorus is very rare, but absorption can be reduced by the long-term and excessive use of antacids containing aluminum hydroxide. Phosphorus can be found in nuts and seeds, meat, eggs, fish, whole grains, wheat, and potatoes. Adults are encouraged to eat 1,000 milligrams of phosphorus a day.

In the United States, the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is responsible for establishing and updating nutrition guidelines. The recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) they establish have been the benchmark for adequate nutritional intake in the United States since the early 1940s. The RDAs are based on scientific evidence. They reflect the amount of a nutrient that is sufficient to meet the requirement of 97 to 98 percent of healthy individuals in a particular life stage and gender group. To ensure that you’re getting adequate amounts of brain-nourishing vitamins like vitamin C, check the nutrition labels on food you purchase. You may be surprised at how little—or how much—various foods contribute to your RDA of brain-boosting vitamins. 

Studies have shown that foods that are high in soluble fiber, such as oatmeal, may help to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol without lowering HDL (good) cholesterol. Oat- meal is also an important source of glucose, which is what powers your brain. Recently, researchers at the University of South Australia found out that oats can hold off cognitive decline. That’s a good reason to eat oatmeal. Oat bran, which is bran that is removed from the whole oat, has similar benefits to oatmeal. You’ll find oat bran in the cereal aisle of the supermarket, alongside the oatmeal, and in health food stores. Try sprinkling oat bran on cereal and yogurt. Add it to toppings for fruit crisps and casseroles. Use it to coat chicken, lean meat, or fish before baking. Mix it into meatloaf or meatballs in place of some of the bread crumbs.

Whether you choose steel-cut oats (the most roughly cut and least processed), rolled oats (also called old-fashioned), or quick oats (also called instant), all three types of oats are effective at reducing cholesterol. To get your recommended daily 3 grams of soluble fiber, you’ll need to eat 2 ounces of oat bran (2/3 cup dry or about 11/2 cups cooked) or 3 ounces of oatmeal (1 cup dry or 2 cups cooked).

Feelings and emotions are almost identical in context. However, there are subtle differences. A feeling is a bodily sensation. If you stub your toe, you feel pain. Emotions are involuntary physical responses to events in life. A blush, a laugh, an in- creased heart rate, and tears are all examples of emotional reactions. An emotion may be fleeting or it may remain for days, or even years. The ability to feel enables a person to identify an emotion as something that is either positive or negative. It is when an individual represses an undesirable emotion (such as hidden anger, guilt, or self-hatred) that psychological damage can occur. It is extremely stressful to keep the lid on emotions. Acknowledging your emotions and working your way through them will free up your brain for healthier pursuits. 

Gram for gram, sea vegetables are higher in essential vitamins and minerals than any other known food group. They’re also an important source of iodine; if your io- dine level is too low, you may suffer from brain fog, memory loss, and depression. The following is a descriptive list of what sea vegetables can add to your daily diet:  

• Sea vegetables can contain as much as 48 percent protein. 

• Sea vegetables are a rich source of both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber.

• Sea vegetables contain significant amounts of vitamin A, in the form of beta- carotene, as well as the B complex vitamins, and vitamins C and E.

• Sea vegetables are high in potassium, calcium, sodium, iron, and chloride.

• Sea vegetables provide the fifty-six minerals and trace minerals that your body requires to function properly.

Dried sea vegetables are readily available throughout the country. Fresh sea vegetables are easier to find near the coasts. Commonly available sea vegetables are dulse and nori. Arame and wakame have mild flavors and are a good place to start. 

Nothing stimulates the mind quite like the experiences you have when you visit a new country. You’re seeing new sights, eating new food, and listening to a different language. Travel engages the parts of your brain that are involved in creativity, and it gets the neurons firing. Sometimes our home environment is the biggest stressor in our lives. Getting away from it for a while can help you relax and gain some perspective.

A study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that students who studied abroad were more open to new experiences. You don’t have to travel to the other side of the world. But you should make an effort to engage with a culture that isn’t yours, one that is new and exciting. You’ll be glad you did! If money is a worry, make it a low-cost holiday, perhaps one of those vacations where you volunteer to build a house or teach a class. Most important, don’t take your problems with you! Leave work at the office and home problems at the front door. Give your brain, your body, and your soul a break.

Sex not only feels good, it’s good for you. Regular sexual activity is good for your brain, mood, and memory, and it also assists with pain relief. Having sex three times a week decreases risk of stroke by 50 percent. Regular sexual activity ultimately can help you live longer. This isn’t just theory—it’s clinical fact. A Duke University longitudinal study on aging found a strong correlation between the frequency and enjoyment of sexual intercourse and longevity. 

Sex itself is great and orgasms are even better. During orgasm, blood flows into the right prefrontal cortex, creating that fabulous sense of release and gratification. Orgasms also stimulate deep emotional parts of the brain and thus provide a calming influence. Those who have orgasms experience less depression than those who do not. According to Werner Habermehl, a German sex researcher, the more sex you have, the smarter you become. He credits the stimulation of adrenaline and cortisol during lovemaking, plus the bonus surge of serotonin and endorphins that follows orgasm. Regular orgasms ultimately lead to a boost in self-esteem. 

Want to supercharge your neurons? Or at least have a better shot at remembering where you put your car keys? Drink some grape juice. In one study conducted at the University of Leeds, “highly stressed” subjects (working women between forty and fifty years old with preteen children) who drank about 12 ounces of grape juice showed immediate improvement in brain performance. Some of the gains continued even after the subjects stopped drinking the juice. An earlier study showed that a group of older adults with mild cognitive decline had improvements in memory after drinking somewhat more grape juice. There is also some evidence that drinking grape juice can lower blood sugar levels, helping protect against diabetes, which is associated with dementia (although the diabetes-dementia connection is not entirely clear to researchers). The polyphenols in grape juice are antioxidants and help rid your brain of pesky free radicals.