Mickie Kent: Boost Your Brain-1

Click to go back to the main menu for Mickie Kent's Love Your Mind, Body and Soul Series

“We should always remember that our mind is a physical organ, too. Show love to your brain by watching what you eat.”
— Mickie Kent

The fitness of the brain is the hot topic of our times. We all wait for the next transformative set of developments that could accelerate our knowledge of the brain, and this popular interest means that we talk about our brains as though they have a separate, unique identity.

That might not be such a bad thing - especially if we look at what we eat in terms of how it affects our brains, and not just our bodies. But really our body is so interconnected with our organs that it's better to think of it as what affects one, affects all.

This is true when we look at research that suggests a brain affliction like Alzheimer's disease may find solutions with blood pressure aids, or that our sense of smell may even help in its prevention - proving that our smell is connected with our cognitive function. As we strive to understand the individual in the human species, the secret to boosting your brain is to understand its interconnectedness, while focusing on its uniqueness.

We are told often that diet is important; and are provided with general guidelines to eat a healthy, balanced diet including five or more portions of fruit or vegetables every day, fish more than twice a week, and pulses more than once a week. Something as simple as ramping up the amount of fruits and vegetables we eat can dramatically drop your risk of heart disease. Fish oil is another big-time protector of heart health. And when it comes to cholesterol red yeast rice is suggested to be better than drugs.

Top foods for immune health.

In the United Kingdom, January has become a temporary teetotal month, and not drinking in the first month of year is chiefly about getting healthy after Christmas excess - and excess, especially for us lucky enough to have Western citizenry, is a major problem.

We will catch on the latest horror story about processed foods, or check the latest buzz about health foods, or every week read about the super food du jour experts are raving about based on numerous food studies. But we are not often told that the excesses of food and drink are equally important to control.

Researchers who have looked at global disease and dietary patterns say that eating fast food three times a week may lead to asthma and eczema in children, while fizzy-drink giant Coca-Cola is addressing obesity for the first time in an advert on television. With excessive intake also thought to cause death, some believe soft drinks companies need to display clearer warnings on their beverages.

All foods contain calories, and if we eat more than we expend, then we will put on weight, but it is not just weight that some experts say is the issue. Our eating habits can also affect our brains.

Your brain is under constant attack from free radicals, experts say, and what could be raising your risk of Alzheimer's disease is exposure to everyday toxins. These toxins are described by some as the common threat to your memory and brain.

We are exposed to toxic heavy metals, pesticides and other chemicals each day in a number of items we've become reliant on. For example, each time you use over the counter medications, antiperspirant, take an antacid, or drink soda or beer out of a can, your body is exposed to aluminium. Research shows people with Alzheimer's disease have a higher than average level of aluminium in their brains.

Learn how to treat your brain right.

Mercury is another metal known to harm your brain. A study at the University of Calgary Medical School found that even small amounts of mercury can kill brain cells. And mercury is found everywhere: in gasoline fumes, air conditioner filters, dental fillings, medications and vaccines and much more.

Articles on eating healthier and how to combat mercury poisoning

Click here to read tips to eating healthier and how to combat mercury and cadmium poisoning in the image above.

You're also constantly exposed to lead, since it's found in newspaper ink, ceramic mugs, cosmetics like mascara and even toothpaste (which has other carcinogen chemicals) - it's also found in paint on the walls of many older homes. As you may know, lead is linked to impaired brain development and decreased IQ in children - but it also causes memory loss and mental decline in adults.

Does green tea guard against dementia?

Exposure to toxic metals causes your brain to "age" much faster. A four year study at Johns Hopkins University found that adults with high levels of lead in their bodies suffered a much greater decline in mental performance making their brains at least 5 years older than their actual age.

Another overlooked cause of memory problems and Alzheimer's is a change in your brain that happens as you age. Some believe your brain shrinks as you age starting around 60, the thinking portion of your age begins to waste away, and the hipposcampus - the part of the brain believed to be involved in memory forming, organising, and storing - often becomes damaged.

Although this is a brain series on food and brain boosting foods, outside a nutritious diet there is more we can do for the benefit of our brains. Asking life's little (or big) questions may offer big brain benefits. In a recent study, older adults who had a strong sense of purpose in their lives were significantly less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease or cognitive impairment over the long haul. A purpose driven life can help us keep our brain fit.

Don't underestimate what forced isolation or stress can do to you. Through mental torture we can even confess to things we haven't done. Experts advise we elevate our energy vibrations by thinking positively, and steering clear from negativity and negative thoughts.

Love-zap your stress.

Scientists have found that three simple changes in your attitude can even turn back the ageing clock and protect your body in ways that can actually be measured in your cells. Adjusting our attitude, removing stress from our minds, and orientate it inward with meditation seems to help boost the ability of our brains - and thus our bodies.

Some say there is an element of luck involved. Although there are measures we can take to help us live a long and healthy life and brain span, there may be an element of luck involved - depending on our DNA. Others believe that through scientific gene therapy and brain powers we can "cure" or rewrite our DNA. A few suggest meditation may improve a person's psychological well-being and that in turn these changes are related to activity in our cells, which has the potential to promote longevity in those cells.

Can you rewrite your DNA?

Activities that increase a person's sense of well-being may have a profound effect on the most fundamental aspects of their physiology. Some believe that our states of mind affect everything - even how (or if) we fall in love, and who we find attractive. While some believe love is just a state of mind, and that there is a science to our comparability.

Read about the science of twin flames.

There are some that go further to say that who we are - our memories and our soul - is even beyond the brain, acting only as an intermediary for the self. We always assume that all scientists believe the brain produces the mind, but in fact there are plenty who are not certain of that. Even prominent neuroscientists, such as Sir John Eccles, a Nobel prizewinner, believe that we are never going to understand mind through neuronal activity.

But what is true is that today every area of inquiry that used to be tackled by religion or philosophy is now tackled and explained by science. And what science tells us about boosting our brain is that our diet is a very important key not only to longevity of life and good health, but to an extended, supercharged brain span.

Brain boosting foods

A brain milkshake?
A brain-boosting milkshake that is said to reduce symptoms of early Alzheimer's has gone on sale in the United Kingdom.

Food is fuel. It provides our bodies with its energy, especially if we exercise our bodies and brains. Some believe you can't out-exercise a bad diet, and it has been well documented that water may boost brain power, while rearing babies on breast milk said to enhance a child's IQ. Experts say your brain can naturally clean itself of toxins and keep memory strong. But you have to feed it the right foods to fuel this mind-saving process.

Articles on eating healthier for better cognitive function

Click here to read tips to eating healthier for better cognitive function in the image above.

For instance, fruit has been proven to be the foe of many brain-related illnesses, while a study has indicated that hot chocolate can help stave off Alzheimer's. Drinking two cups of cups of cocoa a day were found to boost memory in elderly people by nearly one-third. The results are thought to be due to chocolate’s ability to increase blood flow to the brain.

37 Superfoods to start eating today.

Moreover, experts suggest sticking to fresh organic (pesticide-free) fruits, vegetables, poultry/fish products, and some dairy. Mental health research has shown that B vitamins, especially B1, B6 and B12 (take 1 B-complex daily), can be very helpful in mood disorders as well as dementia. Natural Vitamin E, 400 mg daily, is helpful, while omega-3 oils (fish, krill, flaxseed) help fight depression (-1-2,000 mg daily).

With your brain amongst one of your very best friends (it's what makes you, you after all), why poison it? There are a lot of articles out there informing us about all the chemicals we consume in our processed foods and drink that should be banned, and yet we still consume these with a gluttony that surpasses belief.

Somehow we feel like real food is unacceptable for a modern age, but research shows that some of the best foods to keep the brain detoxed are blueberries, strawberries and acai berries. These berries contain polyphenolics, compounds that help lower inflammation in brain cells.

Other brain foods we should consider to add to our shopping list (depending on our dietary needs) amongst others are milk, cherries, tomatoes, fish, chicken, almonds, pulses (beans), oats and celery. More brain food for you include red grapes, black berries, raspberries, grape juice and (although processed to an extent) high quality red wine (Merlot grape wines are deemed the best for the brain). All should be taken in moderation.

When the father of modern medicine Hippocrates said, "Let food by thy medicine and medicine be thy food" it's doubtful he knew just how important they would be thousands of years later. Eating healthy foods means eating healing foods that will boost you in all areas of your body and life - especially for your brain. So if you want to think better and for longer, you have to think about what you eat.

Think about what you eat

Sometimes even food we think of as healthy can be so heavily processed before it reaches our tables that it holds little or no benefit for our bodies, so experts say that any "brain foods" we consider to boost our mental mojo should be whole foods. Nutritionists say we should consider processed foods to be similar to synthetic drugs, and many believe we need to cut out the processed, synthetic products we put into our bodies. Many believe their kitchen cupboards holds a whole lot of properties with medicinal powers.

For instance, skin care products that combine natural ingredients with science, and teeth hygiene products, too, are much more popular today - there are a lot of kitchen ingredients such as lemon, lime, baking powder, honey that can be used in creams for rashes and cuts due to their antibacterial properties, and because they are natural, our body won't reject them, or feel them have to create an immunity against them.

This is a major benefit over synthetic drugs in my opinion, but we must never shrug conventional therapies either, without first consulting a trusted, medical practitioner. Plus, we also need to be sure we don't overdose - just because we know they are natural, even herbs or vitamins taken in high doses can be dangerous. So I would add such proviso we anything we put into our bodies, moderation and balance is key to our diet, whether it's to boost our overall bodies, or boost our brains.

Read about 6 foods to keep your mind young.

Moreover, it turns out the key to keeping your brain firing on all cylinders as you get older may have been in your kitchen all along. But this time I'm not talking about a superfood you should be putting ON the menu. Rather, it's a food you should steer clear of instead.

This should be easy, though - these are foods you should already have banned from your fridge. New research from the Mayo Clinic finds that eating a lot of carbohydrates and sugar puts you at higher risk for mild cognitive impairment as you age. That translates to problems with memory, thinking, and judgement. Mild cognitive impairment is also considered an early sign of Alzheimer's.

The study involved 940 people between the ages of 70 and 89. All of these folks were clear of cognitive problems at the beginning of the study. Within four years, though, 200 of them were starting to show signs of mild cognitive impairment. The study participants who ate the most carbs were about twice as likely to have mild cognitive impairment compared to those who were relatively carb-free. The highest sugar intake was associated with being 1.5 times more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment.

But, it's when fat, protein, sugar, and carbs were considered together, that things got really scary. Then, the people with the highest carb intake were 3.6 times more likely to develop cognitive impairment. The scientists think that the raised risk that comes from carbs and sugar could be because carbohydrates affect glucose and insulin metabolism. They point out that sugars provide fuel for the brain - so you shouldn't cut them out completely. But too much sugar can actually keep the brain from using that fuel properly. It's basically the same effect you see with type 2 diabetes.

But be sure that when you start cutting those carbs and sugars that you're replacing them with good fats and healthy proteins. People with the highest intake of fat were 42 percent less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment than people who ate the least. And those in the group with the highest intake of protein were 21 percent less likely.

Nutritionists do warn, however, that some patients develop might depression when first making the switch to a low-carb diet. This is because carbs allow the amino acid L-tryptophan to penetrate your brain. And L-tryptophan, of course, is the amino acid that triggers the "feel good" hormone serotonin.

The advice offered suggests taking supplemental tryptophan so there's more of it to penetrate the brain. Some doctors may typically recommend either 1,500 milligrams twice daily or, if that causes drowsiness (which is rare, but possible), all 3,000 milligrams can be taken at bedtime.

Just make sure not to take it when you're eating protein. It's best to take tryptophan with whatever small amount of carbohydrates you do eat. Over-the-counter L-tryptophan can be found in a few natural food stores and compounding pharmacies. If you have trouble finding the over-the-counter version, a physician skilled in natural medicine should be able to help you obtain a prescription for it. Seek medical advice before taking any supplements.

Show your brain some love

Although some have likened our brain to a computer - for example Stephen Hawking has expressed the brain to be a programme of the mind, which he says is a computer - others believe this to be a myth of an organ we understand very little about.

Certainly as of 2013, there is no computer as yet powerful enough to help us map our brains for a better understanding of how it works, but many believe that our brains are more powerful than any computer in general. This was the boast of chess world champion Garry Kasparov, who lost to an IBM computer named Deep Blue.

The match was a real-life battle of the human brain versus the power of a machine. Kasparov's defeat made headlines across the world in 1997 - tapping into the public's fears and expectations from science fiction.

But imagine if you were able to supercharge and reprogramme your mind into a super computer. The possibilities for achieving anything are endless. What if there was a way you could activate your brain like a switch? Some believe we all have this awesome power within us, most people just have no clue how to turn it on, or where to find the right switch.

You won't even notice the software re-programming your brain for success. But underneath your conscious mind, new instructions are being stored and carried out, beyond your ability to forget them, and it changes the actual information being sent/received in your brain, so your entire life changes. We can't change for the better, until we better ourselves; but it doesn't matter what you want to improve, reduce or remove completely, experts say if it's in your brain, it can be changed.

Read a formula for supercharging your brain.

The latest scientific research has shown that lifestyle and certain exercises can improve the health of your brain, no matter what age you are. This is due to neuro-plasticity which allows the neurons (nerve cells) in the brain to change their connection to compensate for injury or disease, and to adjust their activities in response to new situations or to changes in their environment.

The amazing thing about this discovery is that it suggests our brain health is now completely in our hands. Outside a nutritious diet, there are mental and physical exercises it's believed you can do to strengthen and rework your neural connections. For example, imagine being able to improve your memory with certain simple techniques.

Or boost your intelligence, because physical exercise may improve brainpower by strengthening the cardiovascular system. Increasing blood flow to the brain offers a significant boost to cognitive function. Exercising for 20 to 30 minutes a couple of times a week not only slashed Alzheimer's risk by as much as 60 percent in a study, but also cut the risk of regular dementia in half.

Most people, especially those who are not as intelligent as Albert Einstein, would want to have a boost of their brain power. If you are one of those people who want to think better, your brain power boost might be just a few steps away if such theories are correct.

Is your brain a supercomputer?

But whether we adhere to this way or not, there is general consensus over practical steps we can take to show our brain some love. Experts suggest these seven steps might help you in your quest to keep your brain working perfectly fine.

Engage yourself in regular exercise. Do simple exercises like a simple walk or jog. It may not be as intense as a full-blown work-out. You just have to keep your body physically fit and active. Simple work-outs may trigger the release of neuro-chemicals known as endorphins. These chemicals are responsible for making us feel happy and by feeling happier, a more positive effect on the brain can be observed.
Many suggest employing yoga to overcome anxiety, combat depression and awake the chemicals in your brain by influencing our thoughts and feelings believed to illicit happiness. As well as good for increasing flexibility, physical ailments and as an aid to sleep, yoga gurus suggest you can improve a bad mood with yoga exercises.
If life's got you feeling frazzled or blue, they say you can adjust your bad mood for the better by striking a few yoga poses. According to a small study, this popular joint-loosening, muscle-toning exercise cranks up brain levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that helps take the edge off anxiety and helps bust up blue moods.
Why do yoga exercises boost a bad mood? It may have something to do with your nerves. In particular, a thing called your vagus nerve. This long nerve helps turn on your parasympathetic nervous system - the part of your central nervous system that's responsible for boosting GABA and making you feel happy and relaxed. And, as it turns out, yoga does a mighty fine job of activating the vagus nerve, enabling that whole chain of feel-good events in your body to happen.
In fact, in the study, yoga exercises even bested walking when it came to improving a bad mood. Folks who practised an hour of Iyengar yoga three times a week experienced greater jumps in GABA levels and felt happier, more tranquil, and more energised than a control group that engaged in 3 hours of equally intense walking each week. So although all forms of exercise do a great job of increasing feel-swell brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins, it's probably not a bad idea to mix in a yoga session or two each week for extra-happy measure.
Click here to get physical.
Moreover, as well as being only one workout from a good mood, you could even be just a workout away from even better sex. A German study from Cologne University Medical centre found that physical exercise can be effective as Viagra with over 80% of participants.

Supplement your diet. Some experts suggest natural supplements to have a good effect on the brain. These supplements are believed not only keep your body healthier, they also maintain the fitness of your brain; thus resulting to better brain power. These supplements are so popular that they can be found anywhere, from your local health and food store up to the web pages of the internet.
Are vitamin pills dangerous?

Use your brain. If you are to exercise your body, you should exercise your brain as well. Use your brain muscles more often - think and learn. You may read, talk with other people or even play educational games. Any activity that can keep your brain working effectively may be tried out.
Playing brain games regularly will also help you prevent brain-ageing. Some of the brain training games available online are scientifically designed by neuroscientists and help with improving both speed and focus. Your cognitive abilities can be maintained or improved by exercising the brain. Playing chess or bridge and other brain training games will help improve your memory and brain abilities.
The brain, like many parts of the human body, needs regular exercise in order to maintain strength and vitality. Scientifically speaking, consistent mental challenge by novel stimuli increases production and interconnectivity of neurons and nerve growth factor, as well as prevents loss of connections and cell death. Some more common brain strengthening exercises include fun activities like crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and other word- and number-based brain teasers. These may not make you smarter, but they can help you train your brain.
There are other more academic ways as well, like completing maths, word problems and exercises relating to spatial relationships and geometry. Such games rely on logic, word skills, maths and more. These games are also fun. You'll get benefit more by doing these games a little bit every day, spend 15 minutes or so, not hours. Even simply reading this article gives your brain a slight workout.
Top tips for brain training and fitness.
But if these ideas are a little too scholarly for you, try simple things like mixing up your routine. Just brushing your teeth with the opposite hand or walking a different way to work forces your brain to work harder than usual, which is ultimately what you want to do. Sex is also a brain booster. Orgasms are proven to be better than crosswords to keep the mind young; sex makes us feel good, and good sex in a trusting relationship not only boosts the relationship, but our brains, too. It's a positive, reinforcing cycle.
One activity experts suggests is doodling, another is talking to yourself. These are not only said to alleviate mental maladies, such activities can help you problem solve, too. If you've got a a tricky problem you've been noodling for days, experts say you'll solve it faster if you talk it out. Whether you're rearranging the living room furniture, planning a party, or doing complicated maths calculations, research shows that problems get simpler when you discuss them out loud. The key to a sharp mind is to process the problem verbally.
In a recent study, researchers found that college-level mathematicians who talked themselves through solving problems got faster, more accurate answers than the number-crunchers who kept their mouths shut. Sketching and scribbling while they worked seemed to give students the problem-solving edge as well.
Talking and drawing stimulate those little grey cells inside your noggin. A very good thing, because getting more brain centres involved helps you grasp a problem more quickly and analyse solutions more effectively. So do right by your brain, and help your brain do its best work by using it efficiently and effectively.

Play games. Choose games that will definitely have a good effect on your brain. Refrain from playing games which are "no-brainer." Nowadays, most computer games are designed to exercise your brain, so all you have to do is to choose well the games that you will play. Gaming consoles are also following the fad into increasing brain function. So, do your part in boosting your brain power, play games that will increase your brain power. Skip the violent games, and go for ones that challenge your thinking.
Can brain training make you smarter?

Enjoy an educational hobby. Choose a hobby that will give you some lessons at the end of the activity. This will not be such a difficult task since most of the time, we learn something from our experiences. Just be sure to do things that are not monotonous. Your hobby should be something that will help you learn new things every time you perform it. This way, you will be able to use some parts of your brain which are left unused before.
Learn a new language, or to play a musical instrument. get trained in a new craft, or just do something new. Shaking up your brain, and getting it to experience new things, or doing old routines in a new way. Simply listening to new music has been shown to benefit the brain in studies, or just help you to relax.
Read 5 ways to be more creative.

Sleep well. Wakeful exercises for the brain are great and necessary to help improve brain function so you can get smarter. But what about sleep? Not a whole lot is known about sleep, but we know now that scientists were wrong for years with the belief that the brain simply shut down during sleep to recharge.
Sleeping is the time when your body rebuilds and recharges itself. It varies from person to person, but between six and eight hours of sleep for adults is generally recommended. Some professionals believe that you can divide this into "two-sleeps".
Aside from these hours, you should also try to take ten-minute power naps. What our elders have known for generations is that the cure for existential angst, morbid self-doubt and overwhelming anxiety is not always a very expensive course of therapy. Sometimes, it is just a good old-fashioned nap.
After these refreshing sleeps and naps, you will surely feel energised to take on more activities for the day. Do not deprive yourself of sleep, and you will then realise that your brain will function better with more hours of sleep.
Learn how to love your sleep.
Studies suggest that lack of sleep blights pupils' education and late nights can sap children's brain power. We all know that a bedtime routine, plenty of sleep, a healthy and varied diet and a lot of love will give a child the very best start in life. The same is true for adults.
Experts think it's a great idea to have an hour "no technology" time before your normal sleep time. Some professionals suggest a three hour gap, which means cutting out phones, laptops, tablets, TV for about an hour to three before your normal sleep time. It really allows your brain to relax. You may even find that you are sleeping slightly less, but feel more "awake" in the morning.
Sleep is also important because our brains need to dream. With scientists claiming to have found a way to "read" dreams, the importance of dreams will become ever more clearer. We're at the lightest level of consciousness bar waking when we are dreaming, where rapid eye movement (REM) occurs, so-called because the eyes can be seen moving rapidly from side to side. But dreaming is essential.
Although we have discussed further above about the erroneous brain-computer analogy, some scientists liken the brain to a computer continually sorting and analysing information when we are awake. They believe the subconscious mind serves as your personal computer. It regulates your heart, plays chemist for your digestive system, and analyses input from your senses like an ultra sophisticated computer. So to prevent it blowing a fuse if the circuits become jammed, it dreams to clear itself of redundant information at night.
Research now indicates that the brain may actually do a little night time filing during sleep. The information from the previous day is catalogued and put in the proper mental folders so it can make the journey from short-term memory to long-term. Sleeping problems have been known to exacerbate other brain issues, so it makes sense that a good night's sleep can help increase the brain's function and ability to focus.
This theory is supported by the fact that brain cells only manufacture the essential chemicals needed for intellectual functioning while we dream. Dream cycles occur on average four times a night, the first almost immediately after falling asleep, and the last just before we wake. If dreaming is suppressed by something like a sleeping pill, we can feel hungover the morning after.

Relax. Because of the complexities of our society today, your brain is exhausted just as much as your body. Thus, you should take the time to relax and cleanse your mind of the worries and stresses that might overwhelm your thoughts. You may want to try on spas or meditations to give your mind a break from all the hassle.
Taking a sauna is also believed by some to be a form of meditation. Sauna for your mind can really help you to calm down in a modern society where it is never quiet. You enter this meditative place, because it's dark and it's usually so hot that you don't want to speak. After the relaxation, you will feel that you are prepared to take on another complex day! This is how you make better your brain's health and performance.
To learn how to calm yourself click here.
For thousands of years, we've known the benefits of meditation. The practice of meditation can be different for each person, but it generally involves quiet, focused breathing exercises in which the practitioner is able to achieve a state of mental calm.
Regardless of whether you believe that this mental calm is an enlightened state of consciousness, no one can deny the benefits of relaxed, focused breathing. FMRI scans have revealed that regular meditation also affects the actual structure of the brain.
Researchers believe that memory, function, attention span and focus all benefit from meditation. One study showed that regular daily meditation can even increase the size of parts of the cerebral cortex. Not surprisingly, some of the world’s leading and forward-thinking corporations offer meditation classes for their employees.
Such methods can also help you focus your brain to achieving your goals - to strengthen willpower and motivation and help beat procrastination. For example, focus in one goal you want to accomplish in the next 30 days - monetary goal, love goal, personal goal - be specific about what you want and don't want, so e.g. by the first of January next year I will be in a better job, and in return for this I will have done whatever is necessary and appropriate in a inspired and fun manner. This gives your brain purpose, and drive, and boosts its power.
Click here to rewire your mindset for success!
Spend at least 10 minutes creating a mental picture of you having achieved your goal in the exact date specified. You will have to close your eyes and make it as vivid as possible, involving the physical senses of smell, sight, touch, hearing and taste as fully as possible in the picture you create in your mind's eye. Such a process is also believed to strengthen your memory and brain capacity, too.
Do this the first thing thing upon waking up and 10 minutes before bedtime. Remember in the theatre of the mind, repetition is vital.
Also keep in mind you can slow down your efforts to boost your brain power into manageable steps, allowing new healthier habits and behaviours to arise over time that make self-control easier overall and wellness restoration an achievable goal.

And as you boost brainpower and keep your mind fit with the expert tips above, in the next part of this mini series we shall go into more detail about the foods we should eat, why we should eat them, and how to supplement our diet with the correct nutrients and vitamins necessary to supercharge our brains - and in doing so, charging our bodies and our lives with the very vigour of life.

Because it's never too late to make smart lifestyle changes that will protect your health in years to come and boost the brain.

Read more in this series: -1 -2 -3

Yours in love,

Mickie Kent