Over the past 12 years on my blog, we have talked about so many things – the psychology of nutrition and physical activity; body image, self esteem, and general psychological wellbeing; performance and relationships – but, it has dawned on me that we haven’t talked directly about the ‘engine’ that drives all of these things … the brain.
We’re going to remedy that now with an amazing guest blogger who I’ve been wanting to introduce to you for over ten years now, Dr Helena Popovic.
Dr Helena is an international speaker on brain health, positive ageing, and dementia prevention – I first saw her present at a conference where she named 50 different names for sugar off the top of her head – quite an impressive feat of brain performance in itself!
She shows people how to boost their brain at every age and stage of life so they can do things like:
- Perform at their peak throughout their career (one of the reasons why brain health is so important to me personally at the moment)
- Eliminate brain fog during menopause (a huge area for many of my clients and online program members), &
- Avoid Alzheimer’s and other dementias in retirement (a meaningful aim for all of us, I would imagine)
Her philosophy is that education is more powerful than medication, and – in her words, which I love – she believes in growing bolder rather than older.
Dr Helena is the best-selling author of multiple books, including Can Adventure Prevent Dementia? A guide to outwitting Alzheimer’s (known by many as the Bible for anyone wanting to improve their brain function!). And, today, she’s your guest blogger, who’s going to offer you a personal introduction into the fascinating world of brain health …
20 REASONS TO BOOST YOUR BRAIN
By Dr Helena Popovic
Faster than a speeding Ferrari!
More powerful than a supercomputer!
Able to leap at opportunities with a single thought! Look! Up in your head!
It’s your eyes!
It’s your ears!
It’s your brain!
Most people work on building up their financial assets. But how many people work on building up their greatest asset: their brain?
Despite being the command centre for every thought, feeling, decision, and experience we have, most of us spend more time looking after our cars than we do looking after our brains.
We service our vehicles, charge our phones, maintain our homes, and track our finances. But the one organ responsible for every one of those decisions often receives little attention until something goes wrong.
What if we changed that?
What if brain health wasn’t something we thought about later in life – but something we nurtured every single day?
If our brain isn’t functioning at its best – and in today’s frenetic, screen-obsessed, sleep-deprived, sedentary world, most people’s aren’t, even if they believe they are – we can’t achieve our best in anything we undertake. Most people greatly underestimate their own potential because they are unaware of how their lifestyle is impacting their brain.
Even while we’re sleeping, our brain remains remarkably busy. During sleep, it strengthens memories, removes waste products, regulates emotions, processes information, and prepares us for the following day. This is one reason why quality sleep isn’t a luxury. It’s one of the most important investments you can make in your brain.
Around three-quarters of your brain is made up of water. Water is the primary environment for all cerebral activity. It is crucial for maintaining the brain’s structural integrity, absorbing physical shocks, cushioning brain tissue, and facilitating the electrical signals that allow neurons to communicate. Even mild dehydration can affect concentration, mood, memory, and mental performance. That afternoon mental fog isn’t simply fatigue – it may be your brain asking for water, better nutrition, fresh air, or less time sitting down.
The great news is that the revolutionary field of neuroplasticity has shown that we can build a better brain at any age or stage of life. We can change the very structure and functioning of our brain. We can grow new brain cells, new circuits, and new connections, in response to what we do, how we think, and the way we respond to daily demands.
We are not a passive victim of our genes, our past, or our circumstances. We play an active role in how our brain develops throughout our life. However, most people are yet to realise the enormous personal power this gives them. When we discover how to boost our brain, we boost our performance, productivity, and resilience in every area of our lives.
For our brain to stay healthy and operate at its best, we need the right stimulation, motivation, nutrition, recovery, and reward. Most importantly, we need to take charge of our thinking because our thoughts play an integral role in wiring our brain for long term health and success.
But before launching into the how of boosting our brain, let’s begin with the why.
Why does a better brain equate to a better life?
Your brain isn’t simply an organ tucked safely inside your skull. It’s the source of your personality, your creativity, your resilience, and your ability to connect with others.
Every conversation – every memory – every brilliant idea – every goal you pursue – every challenge you overcome – it all begins in your brain.
When your brain is functioning well, life feels more vibrant. You think more clearly. You remember more easily. You make better decisions. Your emotions become easier to manage. You sleep better. You adapt more readily to change. You are much less likely to get dementia as you age.
The health of your brain determines the quality of your life. In fact, brain imaging has shown that the health of your brain drives the health of your body because your brain regulates heart rate, hormones, and immune responses. The faster your brain ages, the faster your body ages.
Brain health is also closely tied to mental health. Because the brain acts as the body’s command centre, its physical condition, cellular function, and chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) directly determine our thoughts, moods, behaviours, and overall psychological well-being. Mental states like happiness, focus, and motivation are influenced by chemicals such as serotonin, dopamine, and glutamate. An imbalance in these neurotransmitters, or a breakdown in how neurons communicate, is directly tied to conditions like depression, anxiety, and OCD.
Specific regions of the brain control our emotions. For instance, the amygdala (which processes fear and stress) and the hippocampus (which stores memory) communicate closely with the prefrontal cortex. Chronic stress or trauma can physically alter the size or activity of these regions, leading to persistent mental health challenges. But none of these states is irreversible …
In what you’ve just read, I’ve embedded 20 reasons to boost your brain. Can you find them? And can you add another 20 of your own? To quote Friedrich Nietzsche: ‘He who has a powerful why can conquer any unknown how.’ If you don’t have a compelling, personal reason to become proactive about your brain health, you won’t be motivated to implement what I share in the coming weeks.
I also recommend you focus on positive reasons such as:
- I want to sharpen my thinking and creativity
- I want to improve my concentration, memory, and decision-making
- I want to increase my capacity for learning and problem-solving
- I want to thrive through menopause
- I want to stay as sharp at age 100 as I was at age 30
Rather than negative reasons such as:
- I don’t want brain fog in menopause
- I want to avoid burnout
- I don’t want to get dementia like my grandmother
- I don’t want to end up in a nursing home
Fear can initiate change, but fear won’t sustain change. We are more powerfully driven to seek pleasure than to avoid pain.
The brain runs the show of our life. Discovering how to boost our brain is the single most important thing we can do to achieve our goals, solve complex problems, and create a fulfilling life. And most importantly, boosting our brain is a lot of fun – fun being a powerful brain-booster in itself. Most people are surprised to learn that brain-boosting strategies are simple, enjoyable, and accessible. The challenge isn’t that brain health is impossibly complicated, it’s that most people have never been taught where to begin.
I’ll be sharing more fascinating brain facts and brain-boosting strategies soon, so watch your inbox for the next instalment.
I hope you enjoyed Helena’s blog – every time I hear her present, speak, or write, I am inspired – it’s a brain booster in and of itself! And – as she promised – we’ll be back sharing more about how you can boost your brain and enhance your life really soon.
Yours in taking care of that beautiful brainbox!
Glenn
P.S. Helena and I have been working on an exciting project that we’re going to share with you soon – watch this space!
