‍

Whether you’re sitting for exams, or have a big deadline coming up and need to concentrate, or just want to go through your day functioning in a normal fashion, without forgetting anything, you need your brain to function properly, don’t you?

The brain is a tricky but the most important organ in the body because it controls every single thing you do.

To keep it functioning in order, there are several things you need to do.

Whether it is information about nutrients that nourish your brain, or exercise that helps you keep it in order, trust us to give you the best advice.

‍

‍Let’s take a look at some simple rituals that you can incorporate in your lifestyle to activate brain function

• Meditation:

Mindfulness and meditation help reduce stress and are actually known to help change the structure of the hippocampus and the areas that govern compassion and self awareness.

This can happen in a few weeks- as early as 8 weeks in fact as research suggests.

Spend at least 30 minutes spread across you day,  every day, practicing mindfulness and meditate to keep your brain stress free and functioning well.

• Staying Hydrated

Having a lot of water every day is also important in keeping the brain working well day in and day out.

Since your brain is mostly water, it is only natural that it seeks to be hyperhydrated.

Properly hydrated brains exhibit better concentration, emotional well being and well managed cognitive development.

• Oil Pulling

Yes! Oil pulling can actually save your brain!

Research suggests that optimal oral hygiene is beneficial for brain health.

Doctors have for long observed that the bacteria responsible for gum decay are also responsible for inflammation and brain damage.

It is thus advised that every day before brushing after waking up, you swish oil in your mouth for 15-20 minutes.

This will keep the bacteria away and keep your brain away from untimely degeneration.

People who have a family history of Alzheimer's are particularly advised to follow this routine to delay the effects of the mental health disease.

• Maintaining Gut health

The body works in mysterious ways indeed!

Whodathunk gut and brain were so closely related?

But then when you’re hangry, you feel better when you have food, right?

The communication system between your gut and brain is called the gut-brain axis.

The gut consists of 500 million neurons that are connected to your brain via nerves. There is a main nerve called the vagus nerve which sends the signals to and from the brain to the gut every second.

Neurotransmitters are chemicals that connect your brain with the gut and produce a large amount of serotonin necessary to manage cortisol produced by stress.

So when you are under stress, you will notice that you experience gut problems and the brain is also foggy and confused and does not function optimally.

It has also been seen that altering your food habits and diet can help your brain function in a much better form than before.

Let’s now look at brain boosting nutrients and exercises that will keep brain degeneration at bay.

As adults, we have a LOT to take on day in and day out. This has our brain work overtime every day and so it is very important that we nourish it with the right foods. ‍

Omega 3 : This fatty acid is a supernutrient. It is required by your brain to manage mood disorders and ameliorates  the brain’s cognitive decline.

Load up on walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds and ghee  to get your daily dose naturally.

‍Vitamin E:Vitamin E is another key nutrient which acts as an antioxidant and protects your brain from oxidative stress caused by free radicals in your brain.

Optimal levels of Vitamin E help improve cognitive performance and reduce the chances of you getting Alzhiemer’s disease.

Vitamin E is naturally found in almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, olive and wheatgerm oils, and asparagus.

‍Choline : Choline which is naturally found abundantly in egg yolks, chicken and lettuce, is very important for your brain function. It speeds up the creation and release of acetylcholine which boosts memory and other assorted functions of the brain.

Selenium: Found in Brazil nuts, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, eggs and sesame seeds, selenium is a powerful antioxidant that improves cognition and boosts memory by reducing degeneration due to stress caused by the presence of  increased free radicals.

 Copper : Copper maintains brain health, regulates collagen and elastin production, as well as supervises neuron signalling from and to the brain. Your daily intake of copper can come from nuts and seeds, shitake mushrooms and spirulina powder.

Apart from these foods that you must include in your daily diet, also check out some of the aasans that can help awaken your brain and keep it feeling fresh and better equipped to handle day to day stress.

• Anulom Vilom

This breathing exercise is not just an exercise. It not only helps in fortifying the mind helps by strengthening it, but also aids in the elimination of free radicals and toxins to restore a balance between the two hemispheres of the brain.

Anulom Vilom is also known to purify the entire nervous system.

• Padangusthasna

Padangusthasana is a simply, a big toe to head aasan.

It is basically a standing pose that deeply affects your hamstrings and the lower back.  

As a brain booster, this aasan is effective as it relaxes the mind by letting in a good flow of blood into the brain.

It also aids in boosting energy, making you feel more equipped to handle the day in a more efficient , planned manner.

• Brahmiri

Your brain becomes less efficient at managing daily routines when it is constantly stressed.

Regular Bhramri helps in reduction and eventual elimination of stress, anxiety, nervousness, frustration, anger, high blood pressure and migraines.

Bhramri is known to help  improve sleep, boost  concentration, and aid memory retention. It also helps in the healing of tissues across the body.

• Padmasan

Padmasan stretches your body, makes your hips more flexible and improves body posture.

The most important effect of it is that it relaxes your mind and calms down your brain especially when it is on a spiral downwards.

It helps awaken the chakras and helps you increase awareness.

• Halaasan

Halaasan is basically you bending your body to resemble the plough or the hal used in fields, by farmers. This aasan directs the flow of blood toward your face and to your brain, helping it relax better and calm your nervous system.

Get the most out of your brain but know that it needs to rest and relax always.

Follow these tips and notice the difference!

Cheers

Lovneet