How to Rejuvenate your Brain from the Inside Out?

You may think your mental capacity is at a pretty good level and your thought processes fluid and fully functional, but what if they could be even better? The fact is, the human brain has tremendous potential and recent advances in medical science have unearthed clues into optimizing the way you feel, think and interface with the world around you.

Sounds far-fetched, but this “optimization” is simply the process of neurogenesis, which can best be explained as the way our brain renews and evolves by creating new neurons and other cells essential to the brain and central nervous system. 

This is the process by which the brain is formed in fetal development but it then continues to keep the brain functioning as we grow. A fully functioning brain has many different types of neurons and other cells all with their own specialty. This incredible diversity in the types of neurons and brain cells is regulated by neurogenesis.

Take the hippocampus, the emotional and memory center of the brain, there are 27 known types of neurons required to accomplish its unique task.  

During neurogenesis, the stem cells of the brain differentiate, or transform into whatever type of neuron or brain cell is required depending on the times and locations of the process. This was quite a discovery for the medical community. Up until about thirty years ago it was widely believed that the central nervous system, of which the brain is the MVP, was incapable of regeneration.

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Stem cells were first discovered in the brain in the early 1990’s and today we see that neurogenesis is a normal process of any healthy brain. Neurogenesis is arguably the greatest discovery in medical science to have come from the last century and more progress in the field is being made every year. The greatest thing we have learned is that it is possible to improve the process by the lifestyle choices we make as individuals.

As the production of neurons increases its capacity the functions of the brain and body as a whole receives specific benefits. High rates of neurogenesis have been associated with improved moods, less anxiety and even resilience in the presence of stressful situations. Improved cognitive function, faster learning and better memory skills are other benefits of neurogenesis.

It has been said that adhering to specific diet plans is the best way to improve neurogenesis. The following section will discuss some of the most important foods that promote neurogenesis and brain health.

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A Neurogenesis Promoting Diet - The Foods that Improve the Brain from Inside Out

Nutritionists all agree that a diet geared toward higher neurogenesis has plenty of other benefits as well. First and foremost, it is great for preventing heart disease. It also mounts an excellent defense against stress, anxiety and Alzheimer’s disease. Following are the primary considerations for such a diet plan:

●        Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Go for those vegetables that are high in fiber and low in starch. By avoiding the carbs and processed foods and loading up on the fiber you will feel more satisfied and keep your digestive system clean and functional. This will better absorb the important nutrients that will promote high rates of neurogenesis. Cooked or raw (preferably raw, and never overcooked) fruits and veggies should make up the largest portion of your diet.

●        High Quality Fats

When you need high quality fats, the fisherman’s market is where you begin your search. Sockeye salmon, Alaskan salmon, sardines, black cod and sablefish have high quantities of Omega-3’s. Neurogenesis can be increased by as much as 40% by the appropriate intake of Omega-3’s, according to a 2007 post in the Science Daily by Sandrine Thuret, Ph.D., of London's King's College.

Many other studies have been done to support this discovery. Omega-3s have also been found to increase BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) levels. BDNF is a protein that increases brain cell longevity and optimizes other brain functions as well. 

There is another important fat to include here: coconut oil. This should be a kitchen staple, because it is very cheap and abundant. In addition to improving cognition, Alzheimer’s sufferers have seen increased improvement in their conditions with three spoonful’s of coconut oil each day.

●         Blueberries

Mother Nature prepared her own specialized miracle drug for promoting brain health and specifically neurogenesis, wrapped it in a tart juicy blue orb and we call it the “blueberry”. A plethora of brain protecting nutrients are in this culinary delight and you can eat as much as you like with only positive results.  It is a widely accepted fact that individuals suffering from cognitive decline improve their condition after consuming regular servings of blueberries.

Blueberries promote neurogenesis through their high quantities of polyphenols, whose benefits include cancer prevention and cardiovascular resilience. One phytonutrient in particular, a flavonoid called anthocyanin, is especially beneficial to the process. These brain boosting nutrients have been studied for their capacity to stop the progress of dementia and Alzheimer’s.

●         Green Tea

Another brain boosting delight is green tea, also known as “meditation in a glass”. Like blue berries, green tea has a high polyphenol content, the most significant of which is a catechin called EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate). The benefits from green tea include increased rates of neurogenesis, BDNF levels and immune system function.

In Conclusion

Don’t forget that all these nutrients are available as foods and as supplements. You should find the best way to introduce them into your lifestyle for long term benefits. You may find that green tea can be especially invigorating and better in the mornings than before bed.

Blueberries are delicious but eating them every day can be expensive if they aren’t grown locally. Nevertheless, the same benefits can be found in capsule form in many health food outlets or online stores.

Remember that the greatest benefits you can receive from a diet promoting neurogenesis will be gained in the long term. This is the most effective way to rejuvenate your brain from the inside out and will improve your results in the end.

Taking Command of Your Mind

What a tremendous tool the mind is. It has the focus and creativity to conceive the concepts of gravity and rocket science and still remind us to brush our teeth, hit the gym and avoid processed foods. But it can also become difficult to control.

The mind can seem to spin out of control like a car on an icy road. When this happens, it can seem impossible to stay focused on the moment and the important tasks at hand. What’s worse, a condition like this tends to worsen the longer it goes unchecked.

To gain control, many people practice meditation, break out the anti-depressants or test the value of one of the thousands self-help books out there. Often these best efforts can end in frustration and the return to square one more disappointing each time.    

But taking control of the mind is an intuitive process and by learning more about yourself and the way you function as an individual and a human you learn to fine-tune your mind and your capacity to wield it effectively.

Following are six important points on the subject of your mind that can help you better understand it:

●        Notifications

Your mind will frequently bring up important tidbits for your attention. This could be anything from “you left your keys on top of the fridge” to “you will never find love and will probably die alone”. The mind also has a useful feature that allows these notifications to become louder if they are ignored, this has saved human life countless times.

But it can get out of hand and there is a simple solution. Understand that your mind, just like yourself, will feel better and gain a measure of peace if it feels understood and not neglected. So treat it as you would a valuable and fragile piece of equipment. Thank it for its important service and acknowledge the information provided.

“Thank you for bringing up these important concerns. I will make the most of my moment and solve them as the opportunities arise”. By practicing gratitude you will keep positivity as your mode of operations and this always leads to buoyancy and mental resilience.

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●        No Fighting in the War Room

As long as you are struggling with your mind and disputing with the way it seems to work and operate, you will be wasting valuable time and focus that must be placed on the moment. It can be downright crazy how much negativity can be fed to the mind. But you can’t fight it, or you will become entangled it an insane morass of grim possibilities. The more you fight the more time and energy is lost.

So make peace. Accept that the gloom and negativity is just a part of life and you really can’t control them. What you can control is how you react to them. Just smile as these thoughts go by and set your focus to the tasks at hand, your breathing or the awesome fact that you are alive.

●        Mind over Matter

Interfacing with the mind has always been the subject of great debate. We don’t see the mind but rather experience it as an inner monologue being displayed in fascinating and terrifying word pictures, images and a host of other notions to many and too individual to list here.

This leads us to accept what the mind expresses as the inarguable words of our inner soul. When we hear the mind say “I’m a failure, anyone with half a brain would've figured that out”, we tend to echo the sentiment, “yup, maybe I won’t call Cindy, why would she want to talk to a loser like me?”.

But ask yourself this “how many time have those thoughts been spot on? How many time were they were way off?”

The fact is that thoughts are fleeting mental events drifting through the mind's eye, influenced by the time of day, moods swings, sex, cups of coffee, current activity, recent events, that hilariously depressing meme, what dad said when you were young, etc.

What you can remember is that they are old circuits stuck on playback. A mental habit that can be broken by a resolute mind. Of course, habits don’t just break overnight. The cycles of negative thinking must be addressed with consistency and determination but positivity and creativity as well. Even then the hyperactive amygdala will still send out a distress signal, but in time you will have a decisive response

●        The Missing Manual

How ironic? The most complex chemical mechanism in the known universe didn’t come with an instruction manual. Nevertheless, it can be fully understood through interactions. It’s kind of like the way a good leader would take the time to fully understand how his followers work and operate.

Practicing mindfulness is one of the best ways to do this. Have you ever tried to focus your entire mind on a sunset, the rhythm of your breathing or the sound of the wind. Eventually the mind gets restless and rushes back to concerns, memories and other interests.

This lack of control can be very upsetting when trying to focus and taking the time to practice mindfulness can give you a chance to observe where your mind goes and what you need to do to keep it fresh and clean. . Without a manual, observation is the best way to understand the nature of the mind.

●        Reset Your Automatic Tasks

What is a thought? Simply put, It is like an electrical impulse that spins around in a specific pattern of neurons in the brain. As the thought is fortified by repetition the circuit it follows and the conclusions that follow thought become hardwired into the brain as a standard response. This is why we are a product of the way we think and the actions our thoughts cause us to enact.

While some of these automatic responses are great for perfecting desirable habits, it is important to identify and reevaluate outdated thought patterns. Those who were mistreated as a child often develop very deep rooted responses to aggression, ridicule or even affection, which must be abandoned to adopt a more intuitive response to the moment.

●        Be Your Biggest Fan, Coach, Butler, Bodyguard, Confidant and More

Don’t Judge yourself for the things that happen in your head, learn to appreciate them and understand them. When you learn that your feelings, emotions and thoughts are natural reactions to the things you encounter in your life, you can find positive responses and solutions.

Cravings for food, for example, can be better understood as the need for company or something better to do. This could be the start of a whole new passion, hobby or relationship. By finding the most positive responses to our thought processes we can begin a healthier happier life and better enjoy the company and individual personalities of others.

How Does Sleeping Cause Your Brain to Shrink?

As it turns out, sleeping isn’t just for resting our tired bodies. A full night’s sleep is essential for many of the recharging processes, both in the body and in the brain. Just as we thought that we already know all about the benefits of getting eight hours of sleep, a new research study has revealed that our brains actually shrink when we sleep, and that this helps us prepare to learn new information.

The brain is an incredibly complex organ, and its capabilities are truly astounding. While we are awake, our brains constantly process the information from our environment, make new memories and direct our actions. There are billions of cells in the brain, otherwise known as neurons.Many previous scientific studies have already shown us that sleep plays a crucial role in memory consolidation, and that lack of sleep can cause memory impairments. But how exactly does sleep help us retain information?

In a recent study published in the journal Scienceby researchers of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Sleep and Consciousness, scientists used a new, cutting edge technique called serial block-face scanning electron microscopy to take high resolution images of brain cells. The researchers made a surprising discovery: the synapses, or the connections between our brain cells, shrink by up to 20% during sleep [1].

During the day, we learn and makenew memories. In order for us to keep these memories, we have to make more connections in the brainand to increase the number of our synapses. According tobrain researchers, it is also necessary for the brain connections to shrink during sleep in order to reset, and to prevent overloading.Scientists call this theory “synaptic homeostasis hypothesis”. In addition, researchers believe that this type of scaling down of the brain connections helps to make room for new memories.

“Sleep is the perfect time to allow the synaptic renormalization to occur… because when we are awake, we are ‘slaves’ of the here and now, always attending some stimuli and learning something,” explained Dr. Chiara Cirelli, one of the study co-authors, in her interview with the science news website LiveScience [2]. “During sleep, we are much less preoccupied by the external world… and the brain can sample all of our synapses, and renormalize them in a smart way,” she added.

According to the synaptic homeostasis hypothesis, without synaptic downsizing, the synapses would reach their maximum size and capacity and we would not be able to continue to learn and consolidate our memories to retain them.

Interestingly, it was found that only the smaller connections were decreased in size, while the bigger synapses were not affected and stayed the same. The study authors suggest that the bigger synapses are more stable and contain important memories that the brain does not want to lose.

Another study recently published in Science provided some insight into the molecular process behind the synaptic downscaling. According to the findings, the shrinking of synapses is driven by the gene called Homer1a, and that this process is important for memory consolidation [3]. In this study, researchers found that sleepiness prompts brain cells to make Homer1A protein and to send it to their synapses. Then, during sleep, Homer1A activates the mechanisms responsible for “synaptic pruning”.

So does that mean that the main purpose of sleep is to “reset” our brains and prepare them for the next day? According to scientific studies, there are many important changes that take place both in our bodies and in our brains that occur during sleep.For example, people who are chronically sleep deprived are more likely to suffer from elevated blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and depression; moreover, they have a higher risk for heart disease and stroke [4].

In his interview with New York Times, Dr. Markus H. Schmidt, another sleep researcher at the Ohio Sleep Medicine Institute, proposed that the shrinking of synapses is not necessarily the main reason that sleep exists. Referring to the new studies on synaptic downscaling, he said: “This work is great, but the question is, is this a function of sleep or is it the function?” [5].

A groundbreaking study published in 2013 has already shown us that as we sleep, the brain washes away waste and toxins that are built up during the day [6]. In this study, scientists found that some types of cells in the brain also shrink during sleep, allowing the spaces between cells to grow bigger. This allows more fluid to be pumped between brain cells, and to wash away more toxins.

In any case, we can conclude that sleep is an essential process that is important for learning and memory. In addition, the new studies help to explain why a lack of sleep can impair our memory and cognitive processes the next day: without shrinking during sleep, the synapses could not make room for new information

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8 Ways to Improve your Fat Burning Capacity By Raising Your Metabolism

Banishing that belly-belly is a good idea for many more reasons that looking stunning in a pair of jeans. There are some serious health reasons that say burning belly fat is a healthier way to live. White fat begins to expand through the abdomen and makes a home right next to your vital organs.

This is the beginning of a whole world of trouble. This type of white belly fat, better known as visceral fat, is responsible for sending out stress hormones that contribute to the fatty build up. Cytokines are inflammatory substances released by visceral fat as well and can adversely affect the body's insulin production.

The end result of this condition can be nothing less than increased body weight as well as the increased risk of type II diabetes. The problem is belly fat can be an especially difficult issue to be rid of, if you don’t know how to fight it.

This following article will illustrate some of the best practices for facing and being rid of the belly-belly, so you can get back to living healthy and free from some major health risks. Remember that an intuitive approach will show you how to best apply these suggestions in a healthy and balanced manner.

●        Skip the Diet

It seems like the first thing many people do when they want to lose weight, is make sudden alterations to their eating habits. While healthy eating is a good way to improve one’s health, the sudden commitment to a diet can actually be counterproductive to your belly banishing goals.

What we are trying to do is raise the body's metabolism so that it will begin to process this excess belly fat all by itself. When you suddenly stop eating, your body reacts on primordial responses and immediately understands that there must be a famine or something because “I’m Really Hungry”. In the face of starvation, the body reacts by slowing the metabolism and gaining more weight.

Even worse, as your food shortage (diet) continues, things get worse. Your body begins to burn your vital muscle mass for fuel. The fat continues to grow, and your condition gets steadily worse.

●        Get Better Sleep

Sleep cycles are essential for balancing your body's chemical functions like metabolism. Without a proper sleep cycle, levels of stress are raised and this has similar a response to not getting enough to eat; the metabolism is slowed and fat is stored. By improving your rest and getting the same amount of sleep every night, your body feels safe enough to release its stored fats and raises the metabolism.

●        Eat More...Protein

Protein is what your body needs to maintain its muscle mass. While it was the commonly accepted notion that 0.36 grams of protein for each pound of body weight was ideal, recent studies have found this figure to be below what is needed. Today, nutritionist agree that a women should get a minimum of 0.54 grams of protein for every pound of body weight. If you are trying to lose weight, make the target weight your guide in this equation.

This is actually very easy to do by adding extra protein to each meal or snack you consume. Just 3 ounces of lean beef, 8 oz. of Yogurt or a couple tablespoons of nuts and there you go, extra protein. 

●        Choose Organic Foods

A report from Canadian researchers has found that organochlorines are very bad for building up a strong flab-burning metabolism. These toxins are found in chemical pesticides and are stored in body fat when ingested. From there they go on to interfere with the way our bodies process energy and effectively hamper your best efforts for weight loss.

Now going completely organic is a costly affair. But you can remember that peeled fruits like bananas, mangoes and grapefruit are generally ok because pesticides are peeled away. It is the celery, lettuce, blueberries, kale spinach and other leafy produce that need to be chosen from organic growers. 

●        Take a Commanding Approach

It is easy to sink into our lives and responsibilities with a lethargic reluctance. This penchant for inactivity is the largest reason for an expanding waistline this is because after a few hours of inactivity, the body stops producing an important compound in the metabolic process. After all, your body will figure, you aren’t using this powerful enzyme. 

To keep this enzyme functioning and in production, stand up. Get up and walk about when talking to a visitor, handling a phone call or getting a cup of tea. (That’s right get up and get it yourself instead of asking a coworker to bring back two cups!) By taking a commanding approach to your life you will gain a positive control over your metabolic rate.

●        Drink Cold Water

A study done by German researchers showed that a person drinking 6 cups of water each day can successfully raise their metabolism by about 50 calories each day.  That's enough to drop around 5 pounds in a year. It could be that the body uses this energy to increase core body temperatures, how intuitive.

●        Eat a Healthy Chili Pepper

Capsaicin is an important compound that makes the chili pepper so spicy. Research shows they can be used to boost metabolism too. By eating a tablespoon of chopped hot chilies you can boost your sympathetic nervous system. The one that prepares the body to fight or flee from an opponent. This will cause an immediate spike in your metabolic rates as much as 23 %.

Of course, a tablespoon of even milder chili peppers is enough to take your head clean off.  So keep some in your kitchen and add just a bit to your salsas, scrambled eggs, pastas and stir fries for an invigorating zing. 

●        Don’t Skip Out on Breakfast

Eating breakfast is the single most important way to jumpstart the metabolism each day. This is why those who skip breakfast are 25% more likely to become obese. The bigger and healthier your breakfast is the higher your metabolic spike will be. In a study posted in the American journal of Epidemiology, subjects that consumed 22% to 55% of their daily calorie intake at breakfast gained an average of 1.7 lbs. in a year. Those that ate below 11% gained an average of 3lbs in the same time.  

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