Staying young: we train the brain and memory

THE BRAIN DOES NOT STOP DEVELOPING – Until recently, it was believed that the brain ended its development during childhood. It was later discovered that some areas continue to develop throughout adolescence up to over 20 years: more recent studies have finally revealed that some trials continue even in adulthood and that physical activity, regularly practiced, favors this process, slowing down the degenerative processes, which are inevitable as the years go by. A little commitment, therefore, can certainly be a valid ally of our mental youth.

AT THE TABLE – The first help to our brain comes from one healthy and correct nutrition. The indications are the same as those used to keep us in good health on a general level: limit non-healthy foods, consume at least five portions a day of fruit and vegetables, limit the consumption of alcoholic beverages (which damage the hippocampus, location of the balance and memory), and refrain from smoking. Some nutrients are particularly useful: these include antioxidants, Omega 3 and 6, vitamin C and K, which are useful for keeping the cells of the nervous system in shape. Among the foods not to be missed the green leafy vegetables stand out, in particular spinach, chard and lettuce, cabbage, blueberries (very rich anthocyanins), walnuts, salmon and whole grains.

MENTAL GYMNASTICS – Many customs, especially related to new technologies, they have a little lazy our ability to remember. We have lost the habit of reckoning with mind, we no longer type phone numbers, but we recall them from the device's memories, we no longer pay attention to times and dates of appointments because an electronic notification does it for us. In short, our brain has lost a series of occasions that kept it trained. The first step, therefore, is to retrace our steps and resume typing at least the numbers we call frequently (how many of us know by heart the cell phone number of our children, partners, friends of the heart?): The first few times we will have to consult the column, but in a short time we will remember them perfectly and after a while we will never forget them.

THE CRUCED WORDS – I'm a perfect pastime to deceive a moment of waiting and, at the same time, keep the mind active. The same is true for other logic games, like rebus, sudoku, master mind. The need to remember words and notions, learning at the same time others that we did not yet know, is a perfect training for our mental flexibility. Logic games also help to develop and create connections, going beyond the habit patterns.

WE FOCUS ON ATTENTION – Habit drives us to do a large part of daily gestures in automatic mode, almost without realizing it. Here then is the flash of suspicion that runs through our minds: will we have closed the front door and turned off the lights when we left? Even if the fact is repeated with a certain frequency we must not put ourselves in alarm: these pseudo forgetfulness are not a sign of mental deterioration, but rather the stress sign and of excessive "crowding" of thoughts and worries. But let's learn a clear our mind, creating in our day a moment of mental silence: the brain will take advantage of it to absorb the information that often flows in a chaotic and disordered way, putting it, so to speak, in order. At the same time, we take the habit of focus our attention at least on the most important gestures, like precisely, closing the doors and turning off the stoves before going out, memorizing the place where we placed the objects that we tend to lose, such as keys, glasses, smartphones.

WE CULTIVATE THE PASSIONS AND CURIOSITY – If habits that are too consolidated have a "sleeping effect" on the brain, the news provide stimuli and a breath of fresh air. For this reason it is also good to simply change the road routes that you usually follow, engage in unusual experiences, taste different foods, cultivate new friendships. Keeping some time for a new hobby or for pleasant and rewarding activities is always a good thing, while it is absolutely perfect to study a foreign language or to review an already learned and perhaps neglected in recent times. If you then apply in company it is even better: any activity, from playing cards to studying, is more stimulating if you do it together with others than alone.