Among carriers of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) epsilon-4 genotype, staying active slows the buildup of amyloid plaques in the brain. More…

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Physical Activity Helps to Counter Genetic Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease

Baylor College of Medicine (US) team reports that in a mouse model, mice learn and remember better when activity of a molecule known as PKR is inhibited in the brain. More…

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Coming Soon: Memory Boosting Pill

Meditation diminishes activity in areas of the brain associated with mind-wandering. More…

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Meditation Promotes Mindfulness

Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in the United States, and a new Mayo Clinic (US) study suggests that hypothermia — forced cooling — of the patient may help to suppress harmful chemical reactions in the brain and sustain cell health. More…

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Therapeutic Cooling Effective Treatment for Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Blocked blood vessels in the brain, that are too small to be seen with current medical imaging technologies, may contribute to declines in walking ability and motor coordination. More…

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Brain Blood Vessel Blockages May Contribute to Parkinson’s Disease

Doing good in classes is a goal of most parents if not all. As you already know, helping your children with their homework is one of the most reliable ways to improve their academic performance. Things have probably changed quite a bit since you were in school yourself, but the basics will never really change – and by helping your children with their homework, you’ll be exercising your own brain and improving your own cognitive abilities, not just your child’s.

Most likely, it’s been a long time since you took algebra and if you’re like most of us, you’ve forgotten much of what you learned. If you need to, follow along with the sample problems given in the book to refresh yourself so you can help your child with their work. You can check your child’s math homework by doing the problems yourself independently. If your child comes up with a different answer, then help them work through the problem again until they find the right answer.

You can also improve your cognitive abilities while helping your children out with their English homework. You’ll relearn this material quickly and improve your own reading and writing skills even as you help your child improve theirs.

Once your children see how interested you are in their homework, they’ll be more likely to come to you when they need help as well as being more motivated to get their homework done.

All too often though, parents aren’t familiar enough with the material their kids are learning or are in need of a refresher to help them with their homework. Helping your kids with your homework helps them do better in school while giving you the mental workout you need to improve your cognitive abilities. If you have more than one child, you’ll have your work cut out for you, since you’ll have to learn what all of them are learning

You can get information which can help you help your kids online if you don’t find your child’s school books helpful. There are many websites which are devoted to helping parents to get back up to speed on these long-forgotten school subjects in order to help their kids. You can get in touch with your children’s teachers if you’re unclear about anything – explain that you’re interested in helping your child with their homework and they’ll be glad to assist you.

Best of all, you’ll remember more of what you learn now that you’re doing it for the second time. You’ll have more background knowledge and some skills you didn’t have as a child.

Depending what age you are you may also be interested in over 40 diet ,  Brain Games For Seniors or Diet Over 70

Scottish team finds that elevated levels of cortisol, a hormone associated with the stress response, causes receptors in the brain to become impaired. More…

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New Discoveries on Aging-Related Memory Loss

Bursts of brain waves known as “sleep spindles” promote networking between key regions of the brain involved with learning. More…

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Sleep Pattern Boosts Learning

Your brain is an organ and just like your heart or your lungs – it requires oxygen s well as exercise in order to operate at an optimum level. You may be too young to yield to middle-aged worries about ‘ use it or lose it’ or even to start fretting about Alzheimer’s and other degenerative diseases – however, it’s still important that you focus on keeping your brain in shape.

By regularly engaging in the right types of activities, you can increase your memory, improve your problem-solving skills and boost your creativity. Here’s some advice on how to keep your mind active:

Quit smoking

If you are a smoker, quitting is top of the ‘to-do’ list for better mental acuity. This is because smokers can add memory loss to the long list of health problems that come from smoking. Smokers may have twice the risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease as do people who have never smoked. Therefore, if the state and health of your mind are so important to you – stop smoking now — it is never too late. If you quit smoking now, you can still reduce your risk of memory loss later in life

Learn a language

Say ‘Ciao!’ to a new language. Learning a new tongue keeps your brain flexible and your mind sharp, helping to reduce the slowing of the thought processes that come with ageing. Attend classes, listen to tapes or seek out friends with whom you can converse in your new chosen language. Instead of watching the same television programs you always do, take in a foreign language movie with subtitles and immerse yourself in your new experience.

Play games

Thanks to an ageing baby-boom generation, there are now plenty of mentally stimulating games. As their name implies, brainteasers and other such puzzles are good exercises for the brain. At sites like at sites like Free Printable Sudoku you’ll find the best printable sudoku puzzles. Always have a crossword book in your purse or briefcase and scribble in it while you commute, while you wait for an appointment or when you relax on your coffee break. You are bound to improve your cognitive skills and creative thinking as well as your word power and vocabulary. Try also games that force you to strategize like chess, bridge and solitaire.

Learn a new skill

A long-term goal like learning to play a musical instrument stimulates your brain on many levels over an extended period. A skill like learning to tango or foxtrot is great for the brain because it combines music and movement. Make everyday activities harder You can stimulate your brain just by mixing up your daily routine. If you are right handed, brush your teeth with your left hand, shower with your eyes closed — anything that will force you to use more of your senses.

Read

Whether it is a website, a novel or a newspaper, keeping your mind engaged in intellectual activity and expanding your vocabulary are two important ways to keep your brain thinking and working. As an added exercise, repeat facts you want to remember a few times in your head and try to recall them again later.

Socialize

Your brain is the ultimate party animal and loves social activity. Look out for clubs or other social activities that will surround you with people and have you interacting. New scenery, new topics of conversation and other multi-sensory activities force the brain to literally form new connections, thus increasing memory capacity.

Moderate physical exercise may increase the size of the brain’s hippocampus in older adults, leading to an improvement in spatial memory. More…

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Moderate Aerobic Exercise Promotes Memory