By Rosie Moore
My son works for BlueCross/Blue shield, so, naturally I enrolled in their Sapphire insurance plan. Recently they sent me a booklet titled “Healthy for Life” and in it was an article I’d like to share with you.
Six New ways to Stay Sharp:
- YOU SLEEP, YOU WIN–If you’ve got a big day coming up tomorrow, you’ll recall and retain information better if you get at least six hours of sleep, it’s suggested.
- SNACK ON SOME NUTS— Nuts of all kinds are full of magnesium, a mineral linked to improvements in short–and long term memory. Magnesium seems to promote new connections between brain cells.
- COOK LIKE AN ITALIAN–Not so much the pasta, but fish, veggies drizzled with olive oil, and a little meat and vino. With age, the brain starts to develop damage that can lead to difficulty with thinking and memory, but research shows that eating a Mediterranean diet may improve cognitive function and lower the risk of cognitive impairment.
- GO BLUEBERRY–Blueberries may help keep your brain firing. A study in the journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry suggests that the fruit’s wealth of anthocyanins–the antioxidant that create the blue hue– foster neuron-to-neuron communication in the brain, which may help delay memory loss.
- PLAY MORE SCRABBLE–Exercising your word skills might protect against memory loss. Stay in shape with a word-of-the-day e-mail–and pick up a book any chance you get.
- RELAX TO REMEMBER–Your busy life can make you so anxious that your brain simply can’t take in new info, let alone remember it.
Frank Felberbaum, president of Memory Training Systems in New York City developed memory workshops for major corporations, says regular deep breathing will help. A nature walk or yoga will quiet your mind, too.
I am proud to say I do all of these six steps–honestly, except for the nature walk and yoga. I’m not great at walking, but I might try yoga. Thank goodness, my memory, so far, is pretty good. I think I will drink my blueberry smoothie and relax with my Scrabble game. Try it, you might like it!
Thought for the day: Do you have eyesight? It’s a gift. Do you have a good mind? It’s a gift. How about dexterity in your fingers? Or special skills that allow you to work in your occupation? These are all gifts from God’s hand. Reflect on His numerous gifts to you. It will increase your joy. It will make you smile! Chuck Swindoll, Great Attitudes
Send comments to rosemerrie@att.net. Thank you.
