We recently celebrated our 75th Indep-endence Day on August 15, but I know many of us are still struggling with our need for freedom from stress, depression and anxiety, among many other issues. We must take care of our mental health and our brain to keep our overall health in place including our immunity, skin and hair. Our body is made of trillions of cells that are dependent not just on the food we eat but also on our lifestyle, our stress and our emotional and mental fatigue that we keep on feeding the brain.
We have to take equal care of our mental health because there will be no communication in our body without the brain. All communication, be it nerve function, responses, detoxification, etc. happens through the brain as it plays the role of the centre point, the core. We can’t see the brain and thus we take it for granted. It’s working every second of the day doing multiple activities and that’s why giving it rest, whenever required, is very important to keep its function and performance at the optimum level.
Few tips for brain health:
Oxygen is the most important nutrient for the brain. Breathe to your full capacity and try to focus on deep breathing. By adding more oxygen to the body and brain cells we improve its function by reducing the oxidative stress from the cells. Plus, it helps in the calming down and relaxation of every muscle. We have to give rest to the brain to make it stronger.
Every cell of the brain takes raw material and generates energy for our daily activity and at the same time, removes by-products known as toxins. As we detoxify our body we need to look at detoxification of the brain as well. But how can we do that? A natural way of detoxifying the brain is to detoxify the lymphatic system. While sleeping, our brain shrinks to almost 60 spaces between cells for cerebrospinal fluid to flush the toxins out of the system (blood-brain barrier).
Omega 3 fatty acids are proved to be the most important nutrients for the brain because they are the building blocks of our brain which is essential for learning, development and memory. We can look at adding flax seeds, walnuts, fatty fish, or omega 3 supplements to enhance brain health.
Activity, workouts or exercise are very important for improving blood circulation and providing nutrients to every cell in the body, including the brain cells.
Spend time with nature as it adds instant relaxation. A few exercises like deep breathing, meditation, pranayama and yoga can help control stress.
I would also suggest limiting your social media time and visualising your memories from childhood or any of your favourite moments. Follow your favourite hobby as this will help your brain stay stress-free. All these exercises stimulate the brain and release feel-good hormones to help keep it calm.