Brain Food !!!

Oil-based salad dressings

The data support eating foods that are high in vitamin E and this includes healthy vegetable oil-based salad dressings, seeds and nuts, peanut butter, and whole grains
The benefit has been seen with vitamin-E rich foods, but not supplements.

A potent antioxidant, vitamin E may help protect neurons or nerve cells. In Alzheimer’s disease, neurons in certain parts of the brain start to die, which jump-starts the cascade of events leading to cognitive deterioration

Fish

Salmon, mackerel, tuna, and other fish are rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).  In the brain, DHA seems to be very important for the normal functioning of neurons

Another plus: Eating more fish often means eating less red meat and other forms of protein that are high in artery-clogging saturated fats.

Dark green leafy vegetables

Kale, collard greens, spinach, and broccoli are good sources of vitamin E and folate. For example, one cup of raw spinach has 15% of your daily intake of vitamin E, and 1/2 a cup of cooked spinach has 25% of your daily intake.

Exactly how folate may protect the brain is unclear, but it may be by lowering levels of an amino acid known as homocysteine in the blood. High levels of homocysteine may trigger the death of nerve cells in the brain, but folic acid helps break down homocysteine levels. High homocysteine levels have also been linked to an increased risk for heart disease.

Berries

The latest research presented at the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston found that blueberries, strawberries, and acai berries may help put the brakes on age-related cognitive decline by preserving the brain’s natural “housekeeper” mechanism, which wanes with age. This mechanism helps get rid of toxic proteins associated with age-related memory loss.

Whole grains

Fiber-rich whole grains are an integral part of the Mediterranean diet, which is also loaded with fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, olive oil, and wine.

This type of diet may reduce inflammation, oxidative stress, and other vascular risk factors such as high blood pressure—all of which may have a role in increasing risk for brain and heart diseases

When Obscurity at Work Is a Good Thing

When Obscurity at Work Is a Good Thing

Most of us strive to go noticed by a boss when we're first starting out at a new job, but as 37 Signals co-founder and author Jason Fried point out, sometimes that obscurity inherent when you're at a new job can actually work in your favor. 

When you're straight out of college, the natural reaction is to go all out and try to get your bosses to notice what you're doing. The problem is that you probably don't actually know what you're doing. Fried's suggestion is to embrace the obscurity that comes when you're a nobody at a new job and use it to your advantage with long term goals:

I think obscurity is your friend when you’re just starting out. People want to get rid of the obscurity so everyone knows who they are and what they’re doing, but it’s nice to have that cushion of being able to mess up without anyone knowing or caring so that you can learn without the spotlight on you. Once the spotlight is on you, there’s a lot of pressure and you don’t need that kind of pressure early on. Take it easy, have a long-term view on things, build on little successes, and learn more before you try to go out and change the world.

It's solid advice whether you're taking on your first job or just changing careers. Obviously you don't want to dawdle away in obscurity for too long, but if you take your time on that first project you'll be able to impress that new boss a lot more.

How to remember more in less time?

1. Spaced Repetition

The spaced repetition technique spreads information in specific time intervals and repeats that information in specific points in time so you’ll remember more indefinitely. How can that possibly work?

When our brain is exposed to information over a long period of time, it tends to remember that information due to the Spacing Effect. It is a psychological phenomenon that ensures we remember information which is presented to us through repeated long termed spaced studying. 

How the method works:

•You memorize a piece of information and then after a few minutes you repeat; exposing yourself again to the same information in increased intervals.

•The intervals begin with few minutes, than increase to hours, days, weeks, and eventually months.

•An example to such an interval can be seen in Pimsleur’s graduated-interval recall – 5 seconds, 25 seconds, 2 minutes, 10 minutes, 1 hour, 5 hours, 1 day, 5 days, 25 days, 4 months, and 2 years. 

Spaced repetition works so well because it uses your long-term memory instead of your short-term memory to process information. 

2. Mnemonic Techniques 

The mnemonic technique translates information you’re trying to memorize into a pattern your brain remembers better than the original form. There are many types of mnemonic applications including remembering sets of numbers (numeric), remembering lists and I also found it’s extremely effective when trying to remember new words in a foreign language. An example of mnemonic application can be learning the names of the stars in our solar system:

•My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos

•Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune (source). 

A foreign language mnemonic I use is associating words I find hard to remember to “link words” in my mother tongue, for instance:

•In Russian, the word cow (pronounced roughly “karova”) can be associated to “I ran my car over a cow.” 

Linkwords work in the following way:

First, you create the linkword > then you associate it with a story> the story leads to the meaning and there you have it.

Linkword > Story > Meaning 

After a while you’re able to remember the link word and meaning without the story, and eventually you remember the meaning, without the help of the link word or the story.

 

 

Ways to stay Mentally Sharp : 7

Learn How To Relax 

Last, but not least, stress is also one of the most dangerous factors that impact your cognitive function, not to mention the variety of negative effects it has on your overall health.

 

It is important to know when to detach from the daily routine and pressure – stress is directly related to anxiety, panic attacks and depression, and all these issues are known to dampen your cognitive function if not addressed in real-time

Ways to stay Mentally Sharp : 6

Mind Games Can Work Like Magic

Mind games and memory games are also a great choice when it comes to training your brain and staying sharp in the long run.

Scrabble, for instance, is a great way to expand your vocabulary and to improve alertness, while card games and board games will improve your memory and help you develop mental strategies quickly and effortlessly.

Ways to stay Mentally Sharp : 5

Learn A New Language 

In addition to lyrics, learning a new language is also a great way to train your brain – you will be amazed to see how easy you can connect languages and find similar words.

This is a fast, efficient and cost-effective way to improve your cognitive function, not to mention that you also have the chance to discover new mentalities and cultures, and this will certainly look good on your CV!

Ways to stay Mentally Sharp : 4

Reduce Your Alcohol Intake 

While it is true that computer games and watching too much TV can make you brain-dead, nothing damages your brain more than alcohol. You do not even need to consume alcoholic beverages in impressive amount, if you consume them on a regular basis they will eventually affect your memory. Alcohol is known to slow down the mental functions and to interfere with your cognitive ability as well. Otherwise stated, it prevents you from thinking clearly – one more reason to steer clear from it!

Ways to stay Mentally Sharp : 3

Train Your Brain With Numbers And Lyrics 

There are many different ways in which you can train your brain, but a pleasant and efficient way is to train it with song lyrics – after all, who does not like song lyrics? Not to mention that sometimes, we tend to memorize lyrics without even trying. Learning a few new lines and repeating them constantly is certainly a great way to train your brain. Moreover, it is also highly recommended to do easy math problems without relying on your calculator, if they do not involve complex mathematical equations.

Ways to stay Mentally Sharp : 2

2. Include More Brain Foods In Your Diet 

There are certain foods (which are commonly referred to as “super foods” due to their health benefits) that support the proper functioning of your brain in the long run. They protect your brain and they can even generate new brain cells, provided that you give your brain the nutrients it needs, the building blocks that are required to make new brain cells. Focus on foods that contain healthy fats and fatty acids, like the well-known Omega-3 and Omega-6 which can be found in fatty fish such as salmon or tuna. 

On the other hand, your brain also needs high amounts of antioxidants to function properly. The older we get the more exposed we are in front of free radicals, therefore you need to increase your intake of carrots, garlic, broccoli, grapes or blueberries. Olive oil is extremely beneficial for the health of your brain as well!

Ways to stay Mentally Sharp : 1

We live in a highly competitive world where our brain is our most important asset. The human brain is a complex machine, and although scientists have figured out how it works, there still are some unexplored areas of it – and, in the end, this is what makes the brain such a fascinating thing! Nonetheless, we need to train it properly if we want to have a great, sharp mind and to improve our cognitive function. Here are 7 ways of exercise brain and stay mentally sharp that will surely benefit you in the long run: 

1. Avoid Activities That Make Your Brain Numb 

Believe it or not, there are certain activities that not only make you numb and tired, but also destroy brain cells – once destroyed, these valuable cells do not regenerate, this is why it is essential to minimize this natural destruction. While it is true that brain cells get damaged as we age, why speed up the process with activities like watching TV or playing computer games? 

You want to look like this ?

There is nothing wrong with these two activities when enjoyed moderately, the problem is that most people end up spending hours in a row doing nothing else but watching low-quality TV shows. These activities will eventually take their toll on your memory, your ability to concentrate and your cognitive function

If You Have Too Much Debt

If you’re struggling with too much debt you’re not alone.  It seems as if the whole nation has a borrowing hangover, over leveraging for property & buying on credit.  For years, credit was easy and many people became overextended.  But, economy might be slowing down, we now must learn to live in austerity and it’s time to get our affairs in order. 

The five strategies you may want to avoid: 

The first advice of experts in the field is to be sure you don't make your situation worse by making common mistakes.  In particular try to avoid:

•Paying only the minimum payment on your debt, as this will result in the amount you owe actually growing, and your problems will only become worse.

•Relying on friends and family, as this can damage relationships with the most important people in your life.

•Unscrupulous credit counselors that demand cash upfront, or high fees for help they promise, but don't deliver.

•Using new high-interest loans to pay off lower interest rate loans--while it may be easier to just have one payment, it will actually increase the amount you have to pay back.

•Declaring bankruptcy--this can have permanent and severe consequences on your financial future; avoid if you can, especially when debt settlement may work for you...

Foods to eat before exams

March is looming close by, before you know it, it'll be there….. the  dreaded month for all college and university students. If you eat right, you might have an advantage over your classmates! Serious. Can you imagine revising when your energy is low? Nothing will stay in your brain!

Well experts suggest these foods

1. Oily fish e.g. salmon & sardines. Forget about your favourite fried ikan bilis hee…

2. Eggs

3. Vegetables & fruit

4. Peanut butter – I know it’s fattening but it’s so delicious & full of energy!

5. Coffee with crackers!

Did you know that.....

Henry Ford produced the model T only in black because the black paint available at the time was the fastest to dry.

How to study better 2

Here are some ideas to get started:

1. Metaphor – Metaphors can allow you to quickly organize information by comparing a complex idea to a simple one. When you find relationships between information, come up with analogies to increase your understanding. Compare neurons with waves on a string. Make metaphors comparing parts of a brain with sections of your computer.

2. Use All Your Senses - Abstract ideas are difficult to memorize because they are far removed from our senses. Shift them closer by coming up with vivid pictures, feelings and images that relate information together.

3. Teach It - Find someone who doesn’t understand the topic and teach it to them. This exercise forces you to organize. Spending five minutes explaining a concept can save you an hour of combined studying for the same effect.

4. Leave No Islands – When you read through a textbook, every piece of information should connect with something else you have learned. Fast learners do this automatically, but if you leave islands of information, you won’t be able to reach them during a test.

5. Test Your Mobility - A good way to know you haven’t linked enough is that you can’t move between concepts. Open up a word document and start explaining the subject you are working with. If you can’t jump between sections, referencing one idea to help explain another, you won’t be able to think through the connections during a test.

6. Find Patterns – Look for patterns in information. Information becomes easier to organize if you can identify broader patterns that are similar across different topics. The way a neuron fires has similarities to “if” statements in programming languages.

7.Build a Large Foundation - Reading lots and having a general understanding of many topics gives you a lot more flexibility in finding patterns and metaphors in new topics. The more you already know, the easier it is to learn.

8. Don’t Force - I don’t spend much time studying before exams. Forcing information during the last few days is incredibly inefficient. Instead try to slowly interlink ideas as they come to you so studying becomes a quick recap rather than a first attempt at learning.

9. Build Models – Models are simple concepts that aren’t true by themselves, but are useful for describing abstract ideas. Crystallizing one particular mental image or experience can create a model you can reference when trying to understand. When I was trying to tackle the concept of subspaces, I visualized a blue background with a red plane going through it. This isn’t an entirely accurate representation of what a subspace is, but it created a workable image for future ideas.

10. Learning is in Your Head – Having beautiful notes and a perfectly highlighted textbook doesn’t matter if you don’t understand the information in it. Your only goal is to understand the information so it will stick with you for assignments, tests and life. Don’t be afraid to get messy when scrawling out ideas on paper and connecting them in your head. Use notes and books as a medium for learning rather than an end result.