Maximizing Brain Health

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Keeping our brain healthy plays a critical part in every aspect of our life. It affects our ability to think, plan, feel, remember, work, play and has a profound impact on the quality of our sleep itself. Scientific studies show we can control the health of our brain and that doing so considerably decreases our risk for mental health problems, including Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Physical and Mental Activity

Our brain contains around 100 billion neurons. Each linking to others in a network encompassing trillions of connections. This makes the human brain the most complicated entity in the universe. Like the rest of our body, our brain, if neglected, will gradually lose agility, flexibility and begin deteriorating. In order to remain sharp and well functioning, both the body and the brain need regular exercise. Physical activity ensures better blood flow to our vital organs, including the brain. It encourages the production of new brain cells, lowers stress and reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke and diabetes. Mentally stimulating activities, such as studying, learning new skills or languages, playing an instrument and other forms of intellectual stimulation also strengthen brain cells, reinforcing the electrical activity between existing cells and prompting the production of new cells. The repetition of learned tasks is what enables specific neural connections to become active and operational. In other words, the more we continue learning, the smarter we continue being.

Cigarettes, Drugs & Alcohol

The casual use of cigarettes, drugs and alcohol in itself has physical implications that severely damage every single organ in the body. We all know smoking causes permanent lung damage and drinking irreversible liver damage. What is less understood is that regular alcohol and drug use prompts irreversible brain damage. The chronic and potentially life-threatening deterioration of the brain and body due to alcohol and drug intake can start with symptoms as simple as changes in sleep patterns, loss of quality or quantity of sleep, shortened attention span or decrease in coordination. Symptoms can gradually worsen and lead to severe cognitive disruptions and serious mental health conditions. Chemical substances alter the chemistry of the brain responsible for coordinating our motor skills, motivation and emotions. Prolonged use causes permanent damage to the areas of the brain responsible for our psychological and emotional well being.

Nutrition

Nutrition plays an essential part in the health of our brain. A healthy diet rich in dark vegetables, fruits and antioxidants enhances the functioning the brain. High intake of saturated fat and cholesterol is known to clog arteries and contribute to stroke and brain cell damage. Studies show people who are overweight are twice as likely to develop dementia later in life. Those suffering from high cholesterol and high blood pressure are six times more likely to experience brain function degeneration.

Maximizing Brain Health

To sum up, a healthy nutrition combined with physical and mental activity, social interaction and overall fitness is the best way to keep our brain healthy and our neurons sharp.

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About Genvièv St. Clair

GENVIÈV ST. CLAIR, Fellow and Former President of the Oregon Hypnotherapy Association, is an award-winning Board Certified Instructor with the NGH.

A Valedictorian from the Ivy League University of the Sorbonne in Paris, she graduated summa cum laude from the department of doctorates of one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world. With specialized training in forensic discovery, and years of expertise in the medical and legal fields, she acted as a communication liaison in complex and critical situations, including duties for the Department of Homeland Security, the US court system, and leading medical centers.

Featured on Discovery Channel, radio and television programs worldwide, Genvièv is the author of Zen in the Art of Survival, published in the best-selling series Chicken Soup for the Soul, as well as Diving into the Unsolved Mysteries of the Mind, Make a Friend of Fear, Meditation in Motion, Life Line, The Gift, Emotions, and countless magazine columns and articles on performance, achievement and success. Her story is featured in Chicken Soup to Inspire the Body and Soul – Motivation to get over the hump and on the road to a better life. She produces an educational health and wellness series on YouTube.

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