In my last blog, I shared three ways to keep the brain vital and growing no matter what your age:

1.)   Keep learning new things.

2.)   Be physically active.

3.)   Keep hydrated, a dehydrated brain can’t think.

Here are three more to add to the list.

4.)   Be social: Get together with other people, share a walk, a meal or a cup of tea and talk.  We are communicators and the more we communicate the more activity we have in our brains.  Being with other people exercises our brains.  The best communication is face-to-face because not only do we form ideas and thoughts, we  use words, facial expressions, and actions to communicate.  We are also stimulated by listening and observing others.  

5.)   Be Enthusiastic:  Start by thinking about how you feel when you are enthusiastic. and imagine that whenever you are attempting a task. Neuroscientist Richard Davidson states that being enthusiastic increases it’s positive benefits in brain health.  We grow longer and stronger dendritic material and enhance our brains connectivity.  The saying that reminds me of this important quality is: Happiness is not doing what you like; but liking what you are doing.

6.)   Be Goal Oriented:  Having goals gives our brains something to work on.  The brain is a natural problem solver.  If you have a few minutes to yourself without distractions you will find your thinking naturally goes toward solving a problem, even if it is formulating a plan for dinner.  When we set goals we become aware of things around us in light of what we are trying to accomplish.  If our goal is to purchase a new car, we begin to see ads for cars we like.  We also consider our resources, our personal tastes, and observe friends’ new cars, etc. when making our decision.  Setting goals helps us to see our environment in new ways.

How many of the six steps have you done today?  Try working on one tip each day to keep your brain healthy.