By 
The largest system ever designed in the history of the universe is your brain. Your brain is responsible for all your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Unfortunately, we humans don’t know much about our brains and it’s time to change that.
brain basics
– Your brain weighs 2 to 4 pounds.
– Your brain is made up of 60% fat and is the fattest system in your body.
– Your brain consumes 25% of the blood of each heartbeat.
– Your brain has two sides or hemispheres (left hemisphere and right hemisphere).
– The left hemisphere helps you with language, detail and analysis. The right hemisphere helps you with faces, spatial orientation, and sounds.
– Your brain has a cortex and a subcortex. Your cortex is conscious and helps you learn, remember, communicate, read, write, orient yourself in space, and process sensory information.
– Your subcortex processes subconscious motor or procedural behaviors, such as getting dressed, driving, and typing on your computer. Your cortex and subcortex interact like a beautiful symphony.
– Your hippocampus is the structure in your brain (it is located in the middle of each temporal lobe just below each temple of your skull) that allows you to learn. New insights about your brain
– The human brain (like the animal brain) can generate new brain cells. This new brain cell development (neurogenesis) occurs in the hippocampus.
– The human brain is now thought to have “neuronal plasticity” or to be a system that is highly dynamic, constantly reorganizing, and malleable. It is formed by the environmental input.
– Our brains need to be exposed to enriched, complex and novel environments. Environments that are passive and routine don’t help your brain health.
– Exposure to enriched environments throughout your life will lead to the development of new brain cells and increased cellular connections (“synaptic density”).
– Synaptic density or brain reserve can help delay the onset of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
– Brain health begins in the womb and should be promoted throughout your life.
– Participate in what is new and complex, not what is rote and passive.
Consider the following brain health lifestyle to increase your brain reserve:
Five Brain Health Lifestyle Domains
Socialization
– Do not isolate or segregate yourself as you age. People who isolate themselves have a higher risk of dementia.
– Join social groups and organizations in your community.
– Maintain and build your network of friendship and family.
– Be lenient.
– Develop hobbies.
– Do not withdraw.
Physical activity
– Walk between 7,000 and 12,000 steps daily. Walking several times a week reduces the risk of dementia.
– Buy yourself a pedometer to remember to walk and keep track of your daily steps.
– Dancing, since it is a behavior that reduces the risk of dementia.
– Gardening and knitting reduce the risk of dementia.
– Aerobic exercise will help the heart and thereby feed the brain with the necessary blood and oxygen.
– Use both sides of your body more often: become ambidextrous.
mental stimulation
– Fit Brains as a brain exercise tool
– Learn a second language.
– Read and write (use the non-dominant hand) on a daily basis: the more complex, the better.
– Learn sign language as it increases IQ and increased IQ reduces risk of dementia.
– Play board games, as board games reduce the risk of dementia.
– Traveling reduces the risk of dementia because it involves a new and complex environment.
– Play a musical instrument.
– Listen to classical music, as it helps to increase learning.
– Problem resolution.
Spirituality
– Pray daily as it improves your immune system.
– Regularly attend a formal place of worship: it is related to a better quality of life and longevity.
– Learn to meditate to slow down. Animals exposed to environments that are too stimulating show slower brain development.
– Learn relaxation procedures with deep breathing and muscle relaxation.
– Slow down and don’t be afraid to say “no”.
Nutrition
– Eat 80% of what you plan to eat at each meal. Reasonable caloric restriction can increase your longevity.
– Eat with cutlery and you will eat less and you will also eat healthier food.
– Increase your intake of Omega 3 fatty acids. This includes fatty fish such as salmon, sardines and herring. Several ounces of salmon a week reduce the risk of dementia. Nuts and dried fruit without salt are also good for you.
– Increase your intake of antioxidants. This includes vitamins C and E. Colorful fruits (grapes, apples, melons, and berries) and vegetables are good for you. The FDA recommends five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
– Decrease your consumption of processed foods and red meat. Lean meat, such as skinless chicken breast, is relatively fine.
– Green leafy vegetables are good for you.
– Eat one sit-down meal with others a day. This activity provides many brain-stimulating effects at once (classical music, language, eating with utensils, slowing down, eating healthier foods