Sharpen Brain

Sharpen Brain

When you think of brain workouts, what comes to mind? Algebra, calculus, some kind of school work, I imagine. For me, brain workouts have always meant something tedious, repetitive, memorization for example, but these days brain workouts mean something entirely different

It would seem that in this day and age of fantastical technology and movie and video game special effects that we would be able to sharpen brain quickly and easily.

Pop in a CD, watch the computer screen for the wavy lines, listen to the music with the very slow rhythm for five minutes, and viola, the next Stephen Hawking looks at you from the mirror.

Unfortunately, sharpen brain does not happen quite like that, and it does involve some regular practice and some lifestyle changes.

According to Simon Evans, Ph.D. and Paul Burghardt, Ph.D., both neuroscientists at the University of Michigan, who have put together a wonderful guide to sharpening the brain, called Brainfit for Life there are a number of very necessary components to sharpening the brain.

Those components involve nutrition, exercise, sleep, novel challenge, stress reduction, and for me, lots of fish oil supplementation. (Omega 3's seem to have made a big difference for me.)

Here are some interesting ideas from Burghardt and Evans about brain sharpening.

"In chapter 4, we discussed how you can adjust yourbrain to actually crave healthy behaviors. Once you start downthis road and your brain figures out that living healthy makesyou feel great, your reward centers will light up for good food,exercise, sleep and mental challenges. You will crave thethings that improve your brain fitness, which will send you intoan upward spiral. It’s an amazing thing that you have toexperience for yourself."

So let’s get started. We’ll integrate the major points ofeach of the four cornerstones and help you set up a method tofind what you like and what works for you. We’ll help youembark on your own ACTION plan (you didn’t honestly thinkyou’d get through the final chapter without a good acronym),which has the following six steps:

1. Assess (where you are now).

2. Commit (to achieving your goals).

3. Tackle (your first steps).

4. Incorporate (habits into your lifestyle).

5. Observe (what’s working and what’s not).

6. Navigate (continually towards your goals).

One of the tools that Brainfit for Life talks about using is/are some of the brain fitness, or brain exercise, programs now available online. So I am going to practice a little bit on a couple of them, while I have 1/2 grapefruit for breakfast, and digest my omega 3 supplement, before I go exercise.

But before I go exercise, I will get my daughter bathed and dressed and teased and tickled, and drop her off at her pre-school. Perhaps I will also get a chance to interact with my wife a bit too. Not that, it's a work day for us, but some casual flirtation.

My recommendations for sharpen brain tools?

The research that this program is based on is mentioned in the Evans and Burghardt book. Using Mind Sparke has helped me concentrate very effectively.

This program is excellent for brains that are my age. Good to hear you.

Lumosity is a faced paced, fun, online tool that I use to brighten my brain between phone calls or clients. It is a subscription program and is constantly updated.

Best Omega 3's

Would You Share Something That You Are Grateful For?

When I was beginning my personal growth journey, a wise person told me that when I was feeling resentful or afraid or sad, that I should remember the phrase "gratitude is the attitude" when I was ready to feel better. That phrase has helped me feel better tens of thousands of times.

Would you share what you are most grateful for? Your story could be just what another person is searching for to renew themselves? Thanks.


Have a question and want to talk with a therapist? Call 815-316-2621 for Julie Logan, LCSW, RN. 7121 Windsor Lake Parkway, Loves Park, Illinois 61111 jlogan7264@myway.com