The brain is a critical part of the central nervous system and controls our ability to think, speak, synthesize information, create and access memories, walk, and even breathe. Brain health tends to be one of those areas we don’t actively put energy into nurturing until something goes wrong, but taking care of this super important organ might be easier than you’d think.
In addition to maintaining a reasonably balanced diet and avoiding toxins as best we can, there are a number of habits and practices we can incorporate into our routines to boost brain health and upgrade the mind.
5 TIPS TO BOOST YOUR BRAIN AND IMPROVE COGNITIVE FUNCTION:
1) Supplement – ginkgo biloba, lion’s mane, and phosphatidylserine are just a few nootropics (substances that improve cognitive function) recommended for supporting brain health. Ginkgo biloba may enhance memory and observation, lion’s mane improves cognitive function in individuals with mild deterioration of cognitive skills and may reduce depression and anxiety, and phosphatidylserine enhances memory and helps to curb the production of cortisol.
2) Eat – include antioxidant and nutrient rich foods like eggs, fish, broccoli, avocado and dark chocolate. Our diet has a direct impact on brain health and plays a key role in the healthy functioning of cognitive functions. At the same time, you’ll want to avoid (excessive) alcohol, soda, french fries (and other fried foods), sugar, and refined cards, which will increase the inflammation in your body.
3) Rewire – the brain has an incredible capacity for healing, and brain mapping along with neurofeedback can help you to require your neural pathways for more balance and better overall brain health. Neurofeedback is a real-time biofeedback tool that helps to train the brain toward healthier communication patterns and has been used to treat various conditions such as ADHD, chronic pain, depression and anxiety.
4) Practice – incorporate stress management and healing tools like yoga and meditation into your daily routines. Different meditation and mindfulness practice will affect the brain in slightly different ways (ie emphasizing concentration vs relaxation), but all meditation has been found to be extremely beneficial in improving overall cognitive function and encouraging a greater sense of calm.
5) Sleep – one of the best things you can do to promote healing and regeneration is consistently getting enough quality sleep. In a deep sleep state, the brain is essentially pruning what it doesn’t need and rewiring neural pathways for improved adaptability, concentration and resilience. Creating healthy sleep patterns is particularly important and helpful for those with mood disorders.
In addition to the lifestyle (and neurofeedback) suggestions above, we offer several tools in the Longevity Lab to help with boosting brain health.
BIOHACK YOUR WAY TO A HEALTHIER BRAIN:
Brain Tap – Backed by neuroscience and research, BrainTap’s guided meditation helps restore your brain’s natural balance so you can feel relaxed, rebooted and revitalized. This biohacking tool gives us an immersive experience to deeply reset our brain and nervous system, clean the cobwebs of the subconscious programming with little to no effort other than letting go for 10-30min. It’s like washing the clutter of the day/week/month/years away and pressing the reset button.
Ajna Light – This brainwave entrainment device stimulates different brain waves to allow for a deeper meditative state, creating healing in both the physical and emotional body. It stimulates the pineal gland and activates the parasympathetic nervous system to encourage a meditative journey that might just help you to release old emotional blockages and heal the brain by activating alpha, theta, beta and gamma brain waves.
TCD Clear – A light-sound neurofeedback technology can help you change old patterns in your brain to improve overall health. This unit can help to activate and change brain waves for better sleep, more energy, and improved memory.
Nebulizer – This device is a delivery method for different vitamins, minerals, herbs, NAD, and even colloidal silver to the respiratory system, the brain and ENT system. The nebulizer is an effective biohacking tool for efficient delivery of high-potency antioxidants to nurture your brain and give you a boost.
Visit us at the Longevity Lab or book a visit with one of our naturopathic doctors to discuss your different options for supporting brain health and improving your overall cognitive function.
