It is essential to have a razor sharp mind all the time. With our brain functioning well we can be able to work effectively and efficiently. We can accomplish all our daily routines and perform any other tasks with pinpoint accuracy and good results. A sharp memory can also help us a lot in our exhausting review and examination.Thus, proper care of it must be given prior importance.

Here are some tips in maintaining sharpness of our mind to get through with our everyday living and to avoid being forgetful as well.

I. Avoid Stress

The brain is the busiest organ of our body. It will not let you down once properly taken care of, stress due to intense mental activities can damage our brain. It reduces the number of brain cells and the rate new brain cells are made. This is the reason why people under stress usually have lack of concentration and experience poor memory.

II. Exercise

Exercising keeps the cardiovascular system working well and improves blood circulation to the brain. It provides ample oxygen-rich blood for your brain’s top performance during mental activities.

Push-ups, walking, jogging, biking, running, doing household chores, and playing sports like basketball, table tennis, tennis, badminton, football and any active sports can be a good way of exercising.

III. Get Enough Sleep

Sleeping helps sharpens memory and enhance learning. It is the time when the brain reorganizes its connections to attain the perfect precision it needs. Enough sleep proves to be an important part of the strategy in preparing for mental challenges such as exams and reviews.

IV. Avoid Cigarettes and Liquors

Drinking booze and smoking reduces the number of brain cells and slows down rate of our new brain cell made and stopping from this vice will surely lower the risk of having dementia (poor memory or the lack of it).

V. For our brain to function effectively, it needs constant source of specific nutrients that can be easily acquired from the following:

Green and Leafy Vegetables

A great source of Vitamin B complex (Thiamine, Cobalamin, and Niacin), which are vital in the blood circulation and improves healthy nervous system.

Meat and Red Meat

A great source of complete protein, vitamins and other nutrients, can be a rich source of iron which is useful in building muscles and healthy blood.

Fish Meat (Swordfish, tuna, salmon and king mackerel, cod, tilapia, and most fishes)

Low fat alternative to red meat, packed with levels of Omega-3 fatty acids have been tested to lower the risk of heart attack disease and may reduce men’s risk of cancer and maybe good for the brain by promoting the health of nerve-cell membrane. Studies, about the benefits of Omega-3 on our brain are still underway, but protein derived from fish is known to have a good benefit to our brain and nerves as well.

Eggs

Eggs are loaded with nutrients and vitamins A, B-12 (Cobalamin), Folic acid and Riboflavin, and have twice the cholesterol of beef, so 3 to 4 pieces a week are plenty already.

Ginkgo Biloba Seed Extracts

Alternative treatment used today to combat depression, and known to have a good effect in nervous system. This is available in Chinese medicinal stores.

Brain Vitamins

Most brain vitamins contains all the necessary vitamins and nutrients our brain needs. You may take brain vitamins available in your own respective countries and take it as what is prescribed. Brain vitamins are indeed helpful especially during strenuous mental activities like brainstorming, reviews and examination.

Thiamine (also called Beriberi Factor) and Cobalamin (Cyanocobalamin)

- Essential in maintaining normal metabolism and as well as it permits proper functioning of the nervous system.

- Acts as acethylcoline, a neurotransmitter used in memory and learning.

- Creates and maintain the protective sheath around fibers to prevent radical damage due to stress.

- Food sources for Thiamine are green and leafy vegetables, yeast, whole grain, lean pork, liver, nuts (especially peanuts), legumes, cereal products.

- Good sources of Cobalamin (inadequate absorption of this nutrient may lead to psychological disturbances and numbness) are animal liver and bivalves (e.g. clams).

Niacin (Nicotinic Acid)

-Helps in preventing dementia, a mental disorder that leads to progressive deterioration of intellectual faculties resulting in apathy, confusion and stupor.

-Yeast, liver, lean meats, fish, legumes, and whole-grain cereals contains Niacin.

Glutamic Acid (Superb Brain Fuel)

- Usually extracted from animal proteins this wonderful nutrient plays a vital role in brain development, especially in memory and other cognitive functions.

- A major excitatory neurotransmitter that enables rapid transit of information through the brain nerves,

- Improves overall brain health, attitude and mental performance.

- It yields two substances namely glutamine (helpful in transporting nutrients from the blood to the brain, resulting to a healthier brain nerves and Gamma-Aminobutyric (stimulates the brain nerves to be active and ready to do any mental activities).

Terms and definitions:

Neurotransmitter – A substance that transmits nerve impulses across a synapse (point where a nervous impulse passes from one neuron to another.)