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.