MEMORY & BRAIN HEALTH QUIZ RESULTS
Budding High-Octane Brain!
Based on your responses, you likely have memory concerns and have not yet started to integrate many brain-boosting habits. HOWEVER, it is never too late to start, and you can build your High-Octane Brain by strengthening your motivation. The great artist Michelangelo once said, “Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.”
Let’s apply that quote to brain health, and imagine each of us as the sculptor, and our brain as the block of stone we are shaping. It’s important to know that you can begin shaping and improving your brain by taking small steps
How can you continue building your High-Octane Brain? Check out my Amazon bestselling book, High-Octane Brain: 5 Science-Based Steps to Sharpen Your Memory and Reduce Your Risk of Alzheimer’s, to customize your brain health program with personalized goals, and a High-Octane Brain tracker to record your progress.
In the meantime, here are some of the most important steps you can take toward better brain health:
Exercise to Grow New Brain Cells!
Aerobic/cardiovascular exercise (in which heart rate is elevated) has been shown to increase the levels of a growth hormone that grows new brain cells in two highly important regions of the brain:
The “hippocampus”, or main processing area for memory (using your ears as a landmark, the hippocampus is located about 1.5 inches toward the center of your head)
The frontal lobes, which serve as the “CEO:/decision-making area of your brain.
At least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 4-5 days per week has been shown to be beneficial, though exercising even a couple of times per week can provide brain-boosting benefits!
Add Brain-Boosting Foods To Your Diet
Add foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids (salmon, flax, walnuts), dark green leafy vegetables (kale, spinach, collard greens), blueberries or strawberries, and whole grains (bread, oatmeal, brown rice).
Minimize highly processed foods (pastries, deep fried foods) and high sugar foods, which have been linked with shrinkage of brain tissue. Please make sure to discuss this recommendation with your healthcare provider before making any changes.
Be Inspired!
Role models are powerful motivators! Check out the life of Olga Kotolenko, who has inspired many to develop brain health through physical fitness. She is a 23-time world record holder in track and field, and did not start exercising until age 70! Brain scans and memory testing done when she was 93 years old showed that her memory was much stronger than others her age, and a part of her brain involved in memory (the hippocampus) was actually larger.
Identify Your “Success Squad!”
Think of the energy and excitement you feel when you are with others who share your values. Surround yourself with others who prioritize brain health, or support you on your journey to better brain health. The following steps can help you to identify or create your “Success Squad”
List your friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors others who support you and your goals.
Select one of those individuals who will motivate and support you as you work toward better brain health, and report to them on your progress at least twice per week.
If you need to create or add to your “Success Squad,” go to gyms, walking trails, and senior centers. There, you will often find others who are focused on physical health, and may also be interested in maximizing brain health.
Next Step!
Pick one of the recommendations above to implement into your daily routine this next week. Take one minute at the beginning of each day to jot down a specific action you will take to meet your goal (e.g. “I will walk 30 minutes today”). At the end of the day, take one minute to jot down whether you completed the activity, AND whether you are glad you did so. At the end of the week, congratulate yourself on your progress.
You don’t need to make changes every day to benefit from these suggestions. Even if you engage in one positive habit a bit more than usual each week, you are making valuable progress toward a healthier brain!
Share Your Feedback!
I’d love to hear from you as you continue building your High Octane Brain!
Please let me know which of the recommendations you are using, and how they are working for you! Select below to reach me directly and let me know about your experience.
More To Come!
As a neuropsychologist, I am passionate about helping you reach your brain health goals, and using the latest research to get you there.
Please look for my upcoming science-backed programs to help you continue to build your High-Octane Brain!
* Please note that quiz results are not a substitute for a medical or neuropsychological evaluation of memory concerns. Please make sure to discuss all recommendations with your healthcare provider before implementing them.