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August 29, 2006
| Boost your brain power |
1. Eat blueberries: Researchers at Tufts University in Boston found that blueberries are the ultimate brain food because of their rich antioxidant content. They help with co-ordination, concentration and short-term memory.
2. Learn to juggle: Juggling balls for 60 seconds a day can boost your brainpower significantly, found researchers at the University of Regensburg in Germany. They carried out brain scans on subjects and found that in those who taught themselves to juggle, certain areas of the brain had grown. DrArne May, who led the research, said jugglers had more grey matter - largely nerve cells - in the areas of the brain that process visual motion information. However, when they stopped juggling, their brains reverted back to their normal size.
3. Opt for Broccoli: Scientists at King's College London have found it contains anti-acetylcholinesterase subtances found in drugs used to treat degenerative brain conditions, such as Alzheimer's. Potatoes, oranges, apples and radishes are also good.
4. Get more iron: Inadequate levels of iron are known to cause a drop in concentration and energy. When Dr Michael Nelson of the department of nutrition at King's College London looked at the scores in verbal, reasoning and memory tests of 140 schoolgirls, he found that those whose diets were high in iron had higher IQs and performed significantly better in cognitive assessments. While supplements may be prescribed by a doctor if iron levels are too low, a diet packed with iron-rich foods will help. Red meat, leafy green vegetables, fortified breakfast cereals, sardines and eggs are good sources.
5. Don't skip Breakfast: When the exam results of 500 schoolchildren were analysed at the University of Israel, it was found that those who had eaten cereal on the morning of the exam had better results than those who ate nothing. A more substantial breakfast of grilled bacon and eggs seemed to have an even more positive effect.
6. Get moving: A study of secondary school pupils found that those who exercised regularly performed better in exams and tests of mental agility. Researcher Angela Balding, of the University of Exeter's health education unit, tested more than 1,400 schoolchildren and found sport or physical activity boosted academic success.
7. Have a little of what you fancy: A study of schoolchildren at the University of Florida found that those who ate lunch consisting of foods such as hotdogs, chocolate drinks, pizzas and biscuits recorded an improvement in test results.
Posted by Mark at August 29, 2006 02:55 PM