Showing posts with label Yourself. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yourself. Show all posts

Friday, December 10, 2010

The 10 books on brain health in 2008 - for the 'spiritual training?

Here you have the 10 most popular Cognitive Brain Fitness and health books of 2008. I hope you find them as stimulating as I do!

1. Brain Rules 12 principles for surviving and thriving at work, home and school (Pear Press, March 2008)

- Dr. John Medina, director of the Brain Center for Applied Learning Research at Seattle Pacific University, writes a binding and comprehensive introduction to the daily impact of many recent brainSearch.

2. The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain person, think like a thin (Oxmoor House, March 2007)

- Dr. Judith Beck, director of the Beck Institute of Cognitive Therapy and Research, links the world of research-based cognitive therapy with a broad question: maintaining weight loss.

third brain that change: stories of personal triumph from the frontiers of Brain Science (Viking, March 2007)

- Dr. Norman Doidge,Psychiatrist and author of the New York Times bestseller list, it brings us ", a collection of compelling stories about the amazing capabilities of the brain to learn a new, thread and ask."

4. Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain (Little, Brown and Company, January 2008)

- Dr. John Ratey, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, summarizes the benefits of exercise for more research on the brain.

5.The Art of Changing the Brain: enrichment of teaching practice through research on the biology of learning (Stylus Publishing, October 2002)

- Dr. James Zull, Director Emeritus of the University Center for Innovation in teaching and training at Case Western Reserve University, writes a must for educators and students to read throughout their lives.

6. Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain: How a new science reveals our extraordinary potential to transform ourselves books (Ballantine,January 2007)

- Sharon Begley, Newsweek science writer excellent introduction to research on neuro-plasticity based on a Mind and Life Institute meeting.

7. Thanks: how the new science of gratitude can safely (Houghton Mifflin, August 2007)

- Prof. Robert Emmons, a psychology professor at UC Davis and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Positive Psychology, is writing a book that combines solid research-based synthesis of the issue andpractical suggestions.

8. The executive brain: frontal lobes and the civilized world Mind (Oxford University Press, January 2001)

- Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg, clinical professor of neurology at New York University School of Medicine, offers a fascinating look at the role of frontal executive functions and roles through life.

9. The Brain Trust Program: a science based on three-part action plan) to improve memory (Perigee Trade, September 2007

-Dr. Larry McCleary, former acting Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Children's Hospital in Denver, covering many of the recommendations lifestyle for brain health in this practical book.

10. A User's Guide to the Brain: Perception, attention, and the four theaters of the brain (Pantheon, January 2001)

- This book (pre-Spark), Dr. John Ratey presents a stimulating description of how the brain works. An excellent book for all new Brain 101the field.

I ask you ... You already have a book to read next?

Copyright (c) 2009 Sharp Brains

Sunday, May 16, 2010

If You Find Yourself Asking The Question Of How Do I Improve My Memory Then Consider These Steps

Asking yourself how do I improve my memory is a sensible question. There are some simple and sensible answers to it. There are easy steps you can take to increase your memory and mental ability.

If I wanted to enhance my memory one of the first things I would need to do is increase my mental activity level. You may think that we use our minds all day, what do you mean increase our activity level? The problem is most of our activity is either routine or not terribly challenging to our brains. Like your body, the mind needs to engage in some strenuous exercise in order to stay fit and increase strength. The mind needs to be challenged and asked to do things out of the routine in order to stay fit.

So If I want to improve my memory then I need to look for activity that helps work my mind. Learning to recite a poem or perhaps memorizing part of a play may help work the mind. Also doing brain teasers or puzzles also stimulates the mind and helps build healthy neural connections. Studies have been done that people who do crosswords and other mental games tend to retain memory and brain function as they age longer than those who don't. Use it or lose it.

My goal of trying to improve my memory may also lead me to learn a new skill every so often. Learning how to do something new, like play an instrument or learn to dance, can also strengthen the mind and help memory.

Eating right and physical exercise, while not directly related to memory is also something I'd consider when trying to enhance my memory. The mind uses more oxygen then any other organ and consumes a lot of food energy trying to work, so it is greatly impacted by how well your body functions. exercise also helps keep up the blood flow to the brain which is crucial in maintaining oxygen flow.

Eating foods high in vitamins like C, E and B complex are also an important way to improve my memory and help cognitive function. Many of the chemicals in the brain and the neurotransmitters that allow nerves to communicate rely heavily on a steady supply of vitamins and minerals.

In addition to foods to enhance my memory there are various herbal supplements that have been shown to improve memory and mental functioning. Studies have confirmed that using supplements with Ginkgo Biloba, Ginseng and Gotu Kola provide noticeable improvement in memory, focus and cognitive function.

These herbs work to increase blood flow to the brain, support memory and nerve cell function. They are becoming more popular as scientists are proving their abilities. Though they have been used for generations in other parts of the world they are gaining acceptance here in the US only recently.

The steps outlined here are easy ones that I can take to improve my memory. If you are asking yourself the same question about how to improve your recall then perhaps these ideas will be your starting place too.