Brain Hacks

Your brain needs iron. Iron helps with cognitive functions—for example, children who have an iron deficiency tend to do worse on math and language tests. Recent studies show that even minor levels of iron deficiency can have negative effects on brain function. Iron is necessary for the production of myelin, the insulating sheath around neurons (nerve cells), which helps speed the rate at which cells convey impulses. Without appropriate myelination, the nervous system, including your brain, cannot function correctly. If you have an iron deficiency, you may need to rely on supplementation rather than diet to raise your iron content to normal levels. But don’t overdo it. Taking iron supplements can cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, dark-colored stools, and/or abdominal distress. To minimize these side effects, follow your doctor’s recommendations and take with food.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa), sometimes called curcumin, is a common ingredient in curry powder and has been used for centuries in traditional medicine mostly for its pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties. Researchers became interested in the brain-protecting properties of the herb because people in India, who tend to eat a lot of curry and thus turmeric, have lower rates of Alzheimer’s than people in other countries who don’t eat the spice or who don’t eat as much of it. 

One recent study showed that turmeric may help the brain repair itself and grow new cells, which could help in the treatment of neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Another study showed that the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric may help heal brain damage in Alzheimer’s patients. An analysis of various studies of turmeric shows that it may help lower cholesterol (and therefore may help lessen the chance of stroke) and that it may prevent neurotoxicity by binding to metals like iron and copper. However, most curcumin is eliminated from the body rather than being used by it, so absorption is a problem. It should be taken with food. If you have liver or gall bladder problems, you should avoid turmeric, especially heavy doses that occur with supplementation. It may interact with blood thinners and NSAIDs, so check with your healthcare provider if you take those types of drugs. Otherwise, now’s the time to learn to love curry!

That’s right: laugh! It really is the best medicine—for both our minds and our bodies. For one thing, a good sense of humor provides needed stress relief. When we laugh at our problems rather than fret over them, they can feel less serious and thus seem easier to solve. Humor also improves cognitive function by keeping the mind active and encouraging creative thinking—a vital defense against age-related impairments—and it provides an important emotional catharsis during periods of emotional tension. Laughing also benefits the heart, improves oxygen flow to the brain, lowers your blood pressure, and works the muscles in the head, neck, chest, and pelvis—in much the same way as the stress-reduction exercises of yoga. This helps keep muscles loose and limber and enables them to rest more easily. When you laugh, your body activates T cells, which help you fight off disease. So rent a funny movie, go to a comedy club, or watch a comedy show and laugh!

At any given time, as many as 40 percent of workers hate their jobs. You may think that’s the trade-off you make for being able to pay the mortgage—but hating your job is bad for your brain. Although we tend to think that jobs are supposed to suck, people who enjoy their work overall tend to be more productive and successful. An Ohio State University study showed that people who felt unsatisfied in their jobs had higher levels of depression and insomnia. They also worried more than people who enjoyed their jobs.

Something else to think about: how stimulating your job is. Jobs that require little mental engagement or which require a lot of alone time tend to be worse for your brain. A report by the University of Wisconsin showed that jobs that require complex social interaction actually help prevent Alzheimer’s. Jobs that require thinking on your feet also help protect the brain. So, take a good look at your job. Is it helping or hurting your brain? 

Regular physical exercise keeps you mentally strong. Researchers recommend clocking at least twenty minutes a day, but thirty minutes to one hour daily is better. Aerobic exercise such as running or swimming helps get the blood coursing through your system, carrying oxygen and glucose to your brain—two substances your brain can’t do without. Regular exercise also can prod the brain to make more molecules that help protect and produce neurons. Though studies are still underway to establish the link between exercise and increased brain neurons, many researchers—including those involved with Alzheimer’s disease research—are studying the protective effects of regular physical exercise on the brain’s neural paths for transmitting signals. According to the US Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, physical activity guidelines suggest that 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week can lower the risk of premature death, coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and depression. 

Beyond the physical benefits, exercise offers emotional benefits. It increases self-esteem and confidence, which makes you stand up straighter and look the rest of the world squarely in the eye. 

Don’t stick to just one type of exercise, like aerobics, to build your brain cells. A 2016 study showed a correlation between weight training and dramatically improved cognitive function in a group of older adults suffering cognitive decline. Stretching exercises alone didn’t help. Most health specialists say thirty to forty minutes of weight training a week is sufficient to maintain optimum health. Weight training can vastly improve muscle strength, balance, and flexibility—all of which are good for your brain. 

A study of male Harvard graduates compared longevity rates of major athletes (meaning those who lettered in a particular sport), minor athletes (those who participated but didn’t letter), and non athletes. It was assumed that the major athletes, who presumably exercised the hardest, would have the greatest longevity, but, in fact, it was the minor athletes who lived the longest. 

What does this mean? Well, for starters, when it comes to life-extending physical activity, moderation is best. There’s no need to train like an Olympic athlete, because too much exercise is just as bad as too little. Studies suggest that overexercising actually decreases the number of new brain cells your body creates. In one study, rats that overexercised produced half as many brain cells as rats who hadn’t even exercised at all. Of course rats aren’t people, but researchers theorize a correlation to human overexercising.

The key is to strengthen and maintain your body’s and brain’s systems, not abuse them, which is what an excessive physical regimen does. If you feel pain, you may be working too hard. Slow down and listen to your body. It will tell you what it needs and when you’ve gone too far. 

A study shows that eating exactly seven walnuts a day boosts your brain power. Re- searchers show that spending at least sixty-eight minutes a day doing aerobic exercise is best for your brain. The list goes on. The number of best practices for your brain is long—and a little daunting. Learning how to pick the “better” option in- stead of struggling to attain the “best” one can help. Trying to achieve perfection is the enemy of making progress. Sure, maybe ninety minutes of aerobics a day is ideal, but a brisk thirty-minute walk every afternoon is much better than remaining glued to the sofa. Think of it this way: there’s a poor choice, a better choice, and a best choice. You want to avoid the poor choices, pick as many best choices as you can, and for the rest, go with “better.” It’s better for your brain health if you make some good choices rather than none—or give up because it seems too hard. For example, you know that the saturated fats in cheese make it food to avoid. But if you love cheese and can’t imagine living without it, pick an aged Cheddar. That’s much better for you than a processed slice of goop. When making choices, ask yourself “What’s better?” 

One of the best ways to strengthen your brain is to exercise it physically and men- tally—at the same time. Exercising your brain by thinking—working out problems—is beneficial. And exercising your brain by taking it for a walk is also good. The hippo campus, the part of the brain concerned with memory, grows as your body gets fitter. But now German scientists have shown that if you do both at the same time, you reap even greater benefits. For example, if you bicycle or walk while learning a new language, the vocabulary tends to stick in your memory longer. Note that this is not the same as multitasking, where you’re trying to do two mental activities at once, like reading a book while listening to a lecture. It’s the combination of physical and mental activity that is key.

Don’t mistake this herb for the caffeine-containing kola nut. Gotu kola (Centella asiatica), also known as Indian or Asian penny wort, contains no caffeine. It is in the same plant family as carrots and parsnips. Because it helps rebuild energy re- serves, it has become known as “food for the brain.” In traditional medicine, it’s used to increase mental and physical strength, combat stress, and improve re- flexes. Recent studies have shown that it improves circulation by increasing the flow of blood throughout the body and strengthening veins and capillaries. A phar- macological review of its component chemicals suggests there is some scientific basis for claims that it has antidepressive properties and can help improve concentration and attention span. It is typically taken as an extract or in capsule form; fol- low the label’s directions. Pregnant women should not use this herb, nor should anyone with an overactive thyroid condition.