Mind Power - Brain Health - How To Keep Your Brain Healthy And Your Mind As Sharp As A Tack - Whatever Your Age

Brain health shouldn't be something you first start thinking about in middle- or old-age. Just as you need to exercise your body throughout life to keep it healthy so too does your brain require a daily workout to keep it vital and alert. It is common for people to experience a gradual decline in their mental abilities as they age. We are told that this is normal and is the result of age-related structural changes in the brain - and that such changes are inevitable. But you know what... there's a lot of evidence coming from the latest research into brain health that brain aging is only 'normal and inevitable' if you do nothing to prevent it. This means that it doesn't have to happen to you - that you can keep your brain healthy and in 'tip-top' shape, enjoy being creative and improve your memory with just a little bit of effort... whatever your age. The question is how...? Research findings point to three main ways to support your brain: healthy diet, mental activity and getting physical with the brain. The first two have been promoted for many years. However, the third - getting physical with the brain - is not widely known yet may well prove to be the most powerful factor in maintaining brain health. What does 'getting physical' with your brain mean? To make the explanation simple I'll define getting physical as anything that is clearly not diet related nor a mental activity such as puzzles, number sequence exercises, memory games, practicing musical instruments and so on. So what can you do to get physical with your brain? Plenty! In fact, as you'll discover shortly, there are many powerful 'hands-on' ways of using physical activity to boost your brain-power and keep you as sharp as a tack regardless of your age. And, because they are based solely on natural health principles, they help your brain to help itself without having to resort to popping pills, taking supplements, mood enhancers or anything like that. What's more, you're likely to find getting physical with your brain so easy and enjoyable that you can readily picture yourself doing it for life. Here are some of the factors you should consider when developing a strategy to keep your brain healthy, alert and vital: Physical exercise: Physical exercise can encourage a healthy brain to function optimally in ways that are not widely known or their value appreciated. For example, exercise can help the brain by promoting the production of new neurons (brain cells) and strengthening the connections between neurons. Reduce stress levels: Stress plays havoc with the functioning of the brain and the body systems it controls. In particular, the sustained presence of stress hormones in the bloodstream can damage brain cells. Encourage the flow of oxygenated blood to the brain: Increasing blood flow and oxygen can help support the survival of new neurons and foster neuron 'firing'. In simple terms, 'firing' means a neuron connecting with its neighbours - which is how messages are transmitted to and from the brain. Sexual Energy: Promote the generation and circulation of sexual energy around the body can play a key part in supporting mental health as it fosters, for example, the movement of chemicals called neurotransmitters between neurons. These play a critical role in the communication of information between nerve cells. As an illustration, the neurotransmitter serotonin associated with sexual behaviour and arousal is involved in a number of functions including influencing mood and alertness. Control the breathing rate: Another important factor in optimising brain health is the practice of slowing down the breathing rate as that can enhance the activity of the hypothalamus and the pituitary and pineal glands, the optimum performance of which is central to the maintenance of both physical and mental health. Challenge the brain: Challenge the brain with a variety of 'new' experiences - walking backwards is a simple example. By experiencing such unusual patterns of behaviour the brain is stimulated and there is some evidence that the brain can actually increase in size. Stimulate the senses: The bottom line here is that you should take every opportunity to engage your eyes and smell sensors by continually sampling your surroundings - consciously keep your eyes moving so you present your brain with new information to analyse and process while you 'sniff' the environment in search of smells and odours for your brain to identify. In conclusion it is fair to say that all the above elements can have a marked positive influence on brain health in their own right. However, it is the synergistic impact of using them in combination that is likely to provide the most powerful benefits. One such revolutionary program that provides such a combination is called "How To Rewire Your Brain" which you can get for FREE! FREE. You can get a copy of the groundbreaking brain health program "How To Rewire Your Brain" FREE at http://www.womenbrainhealth.com Author Michael Coleman holds graduate qualifications in mathematics, science and education and certificates in Metaphysics and Reiki. He has longstanding interests in Tao, Tantra, mind-power and martial arts and is passionate about the power of the body to restore itself. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=M._Coleman

Mind Power - Three Mind Power Secrets

There are hundreds of ways to improve your mind power. Some have to do with the mind-body connection, some with what you eat, and some with how you train yourself to think. Here is an example of each. Posture And Mind Power Your posture affects your thinking process. You can easily prove this to yourself with a simple experiment. Start by sitting in any chair. Then slouch, letting your head hang down and looking at the floor. Now let your mouth hang open. Now, try doing math in your head. Add large numbers or multiply two-digit numbers - just do whatever math you can normally do with some difficulty in your mind. Now for part two. Sit up straight, keep your mouth closed and look forward or slightly upwards. Try that mental math again. You'll notice that it's easier to think with this better posture. Keep this in mind. Whenever you feel that brain fog coming, just sit up straight and close your mouth. Watch That Glycemic Index Diabetics know about the "glycemic index," which rates foods according to how slowly the carbohydrates are released into the system. Slower is better, both for diabetics and for those who want to avoid "brain fog" and think more clearly. Foods that slowly release sugars into your system (and have a low index rating) include beans, whole grains, apples, and salads. There are other factors involved in how some of these foods affect your brain in the short-term. Beans cause drowsiness in some people for example. However, in general, any foods that are rated high on the glycemic index are likely to cause "brain fog." If you really want to test this, eat a large piece of sugary pie on an empty stomach, and see how your mind feels fifteen minutes later. Train Your Brain To develop greater mind power long-term, train yourself to think in certain useful ways. For example, for more insightful analysis, you can train yourself to challenge assumptions. This is one of the most powerful problem-solving techniques. Suppose you want ways to get customers into your store? Ask, "Do I really need more customers?" An assumption-challenging question like this suggests other creative solutions, like finding ways to make more money off existing customers, or ways to cut expenses. Maybe these will lead to more profitable ideas. Challenging assumptions increases the creativity of your solutions. Do this with a given technique for several weeks. Carry a card that reminds you to think a certain way or use a certain technique. Three weeks seems to be the amount of time it takes to make something into a well-established habit, and habitually thinking in better ways is the most effective ways to exercise greater mind power. Copyright Steve Gillman. Discover 100 more mind power secrets in "Secrets Of Mind Power," a bonus that comes with You Aren't Supposed To Know - A Book Of Secrets. For information and a free "secrets" course, visit: http://www.TheSecretInformationSite.com Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Gillman

Mind Power - The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power: A Book Review

Vernon Howard was one of the top authors on mind power and spiritual self-help of the mid to late 20th century. He is gone now but his copious writings live on, kept in print now by his devoted followers, especially those associated with the Arizona-based New Life Foundation. I first discovered Howard through a short booklet that fell into my hands many years ago, titled Your Power to Say No. The style of writing, as well as the message, immediately grabbed me. It was clear, to-the-point and mercifully free of the esoteric (read "airy fairy") language that clutters so much of the writing in the spiritual self-help field. Howard was a guru without guru pretensions. Since that first little booklet, I have avidly sought ought his book-length writings. Each one is different; while Howard's core message about mental self-reliance and spiritual self-empowerment remained the same, the way he presented it changed with each new book. My favorite of his - and I'm guessing it's his all-time best seller - is The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power. The only thing I dislike about Mystic Path is the title itself, which perhaps was forced on Howard by a publisher. It's a little too cheesy for my taste, and, worse, it does not reflect Howard's own style of writing. Nevertheless, that's a minor quibble. The book itself offers a wealth of practical suggestions for waking up (spiritually speaking), feeling great every minute of one's life, curing fear and tension, becoming an entirely new person, smashing barriers and speeding ahead toward achieving one's true goals. Howard is a master of the illustrative anecdote and the perfect metaphor, and he uses them liberally to drive home his advice. The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power was first published in 1967. Still in print, it is as fresh and as powerful today as it was then. If you decide to seek out and read only one of Vernon Howard's books, make it this one. The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power is published by New Life Foundation of Pine, Arizona; ISBN # 0-901203-93-1. H. Tim Sevets is books editor for the Solid Gold Info Writers Consortium, where he specializes in objective reviews of the top money-making reports available over the Web. Recently, he reviewed an e-book that claims to show how to make money by tearing up old books and magazines and selling them on eBay. Read his opinion at http://www.solid-gold.info/tear-up-old-books-sell-ebay.html. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=H._Tim_Sevets

Mind Power - Mind Power Over Involuntary Body Functions

Much has been written about the mind-body connection. Studies have shown that people can learn to control involuntary body functions consciously, using the power of their minds. But so much of the research has been challenged on the one side, and exaggerated on the other, that many of us are justifiably skeptical of claims for this kind of "mind power." Just how much can we control our bodies using the power of our minds? Let's find out. There are simple and safe ways to experiment in this area. Mind Power Over Autonomic Body Functions When I was a child, my mother was studying yoga, and she taught me and my brothers how to relax and enter a meditative state. While in this state, we also found that we could "order" the blood to flow to one arm or the other, causing a noticeable increase in the warmth of that arm. These little experiments were the first time that I realized how much control our minds really can have. We normally assume that things like where our blood flows and how our hearts beat are outside of our conscious control. This is certainly true, in part. A person can't necessarily choose right now to change their heart rate or blood flow, or brain wave frequency. However, with the right techniques and some practice, all of these involuntary body functions can be consciously controlled. For example, your pupils get bigger automatically when it is dark. Interestingly, they also get larger when you see something you like, or just vividly imagine something you like. Once you understand this, you can quickly learn to control your pupil size with just your mind. Go watch your eyes in a mirror right now, and see what happens when you imagine someone you like, a favorite food, or anything you would like to see. If the desire is strong and the imagined scene vivid, your pupils quickly grow in size. Try different scenes to see which work best. After an hour of practice, you should be able to consciously change your pupil size at will. Larger pupils, by the way, are a sign of receptivity that is picked up unconsciously by the person in front of you. The sense that you like that person will often make him or her feel similarly towards you. There are other uses for this trick that are beyond the scope of this article. Using Feedback To Develop Control Biofeedback machines, which monitor perspiration, heart rate, and breathing, can be used to learn how to control many normally involuntary body functions. Without one of these expensive machines, we have to find other ways to get feedback. Notice that in the pupil experiment above you have instant feedback by way of the mirror. To measure heart rate, you can simply take your pulse, or have someone else do it. To speed up imagine stepping on a nail that goes through your foot. The more you develop your ability to imagine things vividly, the better this will work. Take your pulse immediately before and then during this exercise in imagination. Some use this trick to beat polygraph machines (lie detector tests), by consciously increasing both heart rate and perspiration during the "control" questions. Meditators can eventually learn how to slow their heart and relax at will. Practice is needed, the feedback you get is what keeps you on the right path. You may not know exactly what you are doing to slow down your heart or relax your muscles, or increase your body temperature. That's okay. It is like learning to ride a bicycle. You learn how by trying and practicing, but in the end you're still not able to explain to someone how you use your muscles to balance. In a similar way you can learn to control many body functions it if you have proper feedback. Need physical energy? You could use caffeine or other drugs, but this is area is also susceptible to mind power. Ever notice how talking about something you are passionate about "wakes" you up? There are real chemical changes that happen. With a vivid enough imagination, you can get some of the same effect by imagining such a conversation. In a more extreme example, you can create a flow of adrenaline - normally an involuntary body function - by imagining a fight with a bear, or whatever gets you going. Clearly there are many ways to control the autonomic nervous system, or "involuntary body functions" using mind power. Copyright Steve Gillman. For more on How To Increase Brain Power, and to get the Brain Power Newsletter and other free gifts, visit: http://www.IncreaseBrainPower.com Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Gillman