Brain Fitness Training Is The New Resolution

By Martin G Walker

If historians are correct, the ancient Babylonians, one of
the earliest civilized societies, practiced the art of the
New Year's resolution. To this day, cultures around the
world use the turning of the year as a time to reflect on
what's past while looking to the future. This New Year more
people than ever before will be making brain fitness
training their top resolution.

Many of the traditional favorites - losing weight,
exercising, quitting smoking, to name a few - already move
us in the direction of better brain health. Brain training
takes us a big step further by fostering brain plasticity, a
state that we can use to improve our memory, concentration,
and mental acuity while helping to stave off the onset of
Alzheimer's symptoms and early dementia.

Although scientists had long since dismissed the idea that
the adult brain could grow and change, research from the
last few years overturns that theory with studies proving
quite the opposite. The right conditions can cause the
production of new neural nerve cells and the brain, in fact
proves to be remarkably adept at rewiring connections work
more effectively with the right training. (The concept of
brain plasticity is even being applied in new therapies for
stroke victims, restoring motor capabilities that
traditional therapies could not.)

Brain Training Benefits

Academics: Good brain training software may be one of the
most effective and affordable test prep programs you can
buy. Test prep typically helps you increase your test scores
but won't help you do better in school, whereas brain
training can boost your attention and general
problem-solving ability. And if you have a diagnosed
learning dysfunction, it's possible that a targeted brain
exercise will help. Where possible, many learning
specialists have begun to use brain training in preference
to accommodations as a way to address a deficit directly
rather than working around it.

Career Improvement: If your career involves creative
problem-solving and focused mental activity brain training
provides a way to stay sharp. Modern workplace demands tend
to disrupt the brain's ability to form memories and
stimulate new cell growth. Brain training can significantly
increase effectiveness and success in the workplace.

Long-Term Mental Health And Well-Being: Unless we do
something to stop it, by age 40 our brains have begun to
decline. With regular mental exercise, however, we can
reduce or eliminate memory loss, and lower our risk of
developing Alzheimer's symptoms and dementia. Researchers
have even found that depression responds to the kind of
stimulated neural growth that brain training can induce.

Self-Growth: The recent upsurge in brain training
technologies has revealed that brain exercise can lead to
improvements in seemingly unrelated areas - such as musical
ability and self-esteem. When we reflect on the brain's
central role in any and all aspects of thinking (including
feeling) this begins to make perfect sense. If we're already
engaged in activities such as physical exercise, yoga,
reading, therapy, and mindfulness meditation, a program of
mental exercise fits right in.

Making The Resolution Stick

Studies have shown that we tend not to keep our New Year's
resolutions. Women will do better at them if they share them
with their friends. And men succeed more often if the goals
are broken down into manageable milestones. Brain training
has the built-in advantage of challenge and reward. If we
find a training program that works for us, it will become an
activity we look forward to. Many programs also provide the
option to share our achievements in some form of on-line
community, and to track our detailed progress through our
training scores.

The brain training marketplace can be a little confusing at
first. There are many products out there and it's not always
clear which ones work. Some training programs provide don't
require much focus and attention and won't stimulate brain
plasticity. Others might work extremely well but cost
several hundred dollars and demand a significant time
commitment.

It's important to verify a program's scientific basis. The
vendor should state clearly what improvements the program
will bring about and in what time period. And the product
should come with a training schedule that will help you
judge whether it is right for you.

Brain training could be the best New Year's resolution
you'll ever make. With the right level of commitment it can
bring about a big jump in mental ability and set us on the
road to long-term brain health.

Oxford-trained scientist, author, and technologist, Martin
G. Walker is a member of The British Neuroscience
Association, Learning and The Brain, and MENSA. His company
(http://mindevolvesoftware.com) Mind Evolve Software

publishes free information on the field of neuroscience and
brain training as well as effective and affordable
(http://mindsparkebrainfitnesspro.com) brain training
software under the brand name Mind Sparke.

5 Questions To Ask About Meal Replacement Diets

So you've decided to start a meal replacement program.
Before you begin however, you need to ask a few simple but
helpful questions. Protect you health, and save yourself
some money by first asking the following five questions:

1. Does the program work? The first question may seem
obvious, but many do not even bother to ask. Does the
program actually work? Your goal in being on any diet is
weight loss. Stray away from programs that cannot prove how
well they work or that do not provide any guidance or
support. If a program does what it says, it should be able
to provide success stories from some of its customers. If
it can't you should start looking elsewhere.

2. What kind of professional supervision is provided? A
meal replacement program should only be undertaken with
proper medical supervision. Medical evaluation and
emotional support are both very important in any weight loss
program, especially a meal replacement program. If you are
investing your time and money in a program, it should offer
you professional guidance by qualified professionals.

3. What kind of ongoing maintenance support do you offer?
Losing the weight is only the first step. It is the very
beginning of a lifelong change in lifestyle and dietary
habits. You will need support to stay on track once you've
reached your goal weight. Choose programs that help keep
you motivated and connected with follow up support, and
offer options for intervention should you start to regain
weight.

4. How much does it cost? The important point of this
question is not that you should try to skimp out and choose
the "cheapest" program, but you should choose a program that
gives you your money's worth. You could end up paying
thousands of dollars for food, enrollment fees, and other
hidden fees for a regimen that is poorly designed that
doesn't work. Furthermore, it may offer no training or
support. However, a program that is less expensive could be
highly effective. All in all, choose the best program that
fits your budget.

5. Are there hidden fees, and can you get a refund? A true
sign of confidence is a weight loss program that offers a
money back guarantee. A program that is confident in what
it can do will have no problems with offering to give you
your money back if you are not completely satisfied with the
results. Also, be careful of hidden fees, like additional
consultation and supplement fees. Reputable weight loss
programs will always be upfront with what it's going to cost
you to participate.

Relaxation And Stress Management

Many people get caught up in their day to day lives and
focus on the future which can bring about anxiety or stress.
Stress can cause many problems such as concentration issues,
lack of good judgment, negativity and lack of productivity.
The best way to combat these feelings of stress is through relaxation.
Relaxation plays a key roll in leading a healthy happy life.
Relaxation takes as little as ten minutes a day and can be as simple
as breathing exercises, or as challenging as a kick boxing class,
the choice is yours.

Relaxation can happen anywhere, at work, at home or on a
little deserted island off the coast of Mexico. Unfortunately
not everyone can take a nice vacation to that dream island or
a seven year sabbatical. Many need to learn to relax in the
comfort of their own homes and lives. The key is to find something
you enjoy and teach your mind to relax when you do it.

There are many ways in which you can relax. Finding your
method is really your biggest obstacle, but it is easy, just
think about what you enjoy most. Maybe you like listening to
music, reading, meditating or walking. Any of these
activities can be a relaxation method and can be scaled down
to as little as ten minutes.

Watching TV, listening to music, surfing the web and
reading all offer a break from regular day to day
situations. They each create an alternative world that is
entirely your own. Your mind visually escapes into a place
that is different and exciting instead of dull, boring and
always the same as so many of us think our lives are.

Learning to control your breathing and meditation can be a
little more complicated since you must learn these
techniques in order for them to work properly. Meditation
can help you learn to reflect on situations and to control
your breathing to calm your mind. These techniques need to
be mastered and exercised in order to achieve the maximum
result. Once you have achieved your goal, you can relax at
the drop of a hat and find inner control in as little as ten
minutes.

Other people prefer to hit the gym to relax. Some like to
run, walk or lift weights. Others might prefer cycling,
kick boxing or tai chi classes. Running and walking burn off
excessive built up energy, however not everyone wants to run
a marathon. For them there are other types of classes which
sole purpose is relaxation such as yoga. Many people choose
to skip the classes and gym all together and simply walk
their dogs in the park.

Your body will tell you what it likes and what it doesn't
like, you just need to learn to listen. Take note of what
worked and what didn't while you were practicing different
relaxing techniques. If one doesn't work don't be afraid to
try a different approach. Make sure to keep yourself
motivated by reminding yourself you will be healthier and
happier in the end and think how nice it is to do something
enjoyable.

Teaching your body something new is always a challenge,
however once you get the hang of it, it is like riding a
bike, your body won't forget how. It is important to find an
activity which you enjoy and know you will stick with, but
you must make a conscious effort to remind and train your
body to relax while performing this task. It may take time,
but in the end the rewards will be fantastic for your mind,
body and lifestyle.

Panic Attacks and Anxiety

Although panic attacks and anxiety can be related to each
other, they can also be completely separate entities with
their own set of symptoms. Either of these conditions can
become problematic if the symptoms escalate beyond the
normal range. It is at this point, that treatment will need
to be sought.

Anxiety is a reaction to stress, and this is considered to
be normal. It is something that can help someone deal with
tense situations in different areas of one's life, such as
at work, school, or just something that requires facing a
crowd of people. If anxiety starts to become an excessive
and irrational dread of facing everyday situations, it has
crossed into the area of a disabling disorder.

Panic attacks and anxiety differ in the fact that, while
anxiety usually builds to a point, panic attacks can hit at
any time with no warning. Unlike anxiety, a panic attack is
an irrational fear of something that can't be named. There
is rarely any obvious reason for the feelings of panic, and
is much more intense than the feelings of anxiety or being
overly stressed.

One out of every 75 people in the world will have a panic
attack at some point in their lives. The good news is that
most of these adults will never have another panic attack.
However, these statistics show that panic attacks and
anxiety are the most common emotional disorders, even more
so than bipolar disorders, ADHD, depression, OCD
schizophrenia, phobias, and alcohol abuse. In addition to
this, people suffering from panic and anxiety disorders
rarely go looking for help with their problem.

Of course, there are similarities between panic attacks and
anxiety attacks, and anxiety attacks can lead to panic
attacks. Suffer from enough anxiety and it can escalate into
a panic attack. So if you begin to find yourself becoming
overly anxious, it's time to get help in bringing it under
control before it gets too much to cope with.

Panic attacks and anxiety are not pleasant and can actually
become quite debilitating. But people who suffer from
anxiety or panic attacks can take some comfort in knowing
there is help around to lead a regular life. All it takes is
asking for the help you need.

Is There A Link Between Coffee And High Blood Pressure?

It's no surprise to my friends and family that I pride
myself on living a healthy lifestyle. This is why, I
suppose only half-joking, that they refer to my Grande
coffee from Starbucks as my "vice."

A friend recently told me to "watch out," while at Starbucks
the other day as I drank my coffee because her doctor told
her that coffee can contribute to high blood pressure, or
hypertension.

Watch out? My friend was telling me this quite literally,
as she was exhaling cigarette smoke. Did her doctor mention
that this behavior is far more a contributor to high
blood pressure?

Did the doctor actually state that more than anything, my
friend's overindulgence in food, smoking and sometimes
alcohol largely caused her hypertension but she only heard
"coffee?" Hard to know but I was curious, why did the
doctor even list coffee as a contributor?

To date, there is no definitive evidence that coffee leads
to the development of high blood pressure.

Some studies have shown that drinking coffee does raise
one's blood pressure slightly, but only temporarily. In
fact, these same studies have shown that over time, this
slight increase in blood pressure is reduced.

Researchers are starting to notice that the reason coffee is
so often associated with the actual contributors to
hypertension (cigarettes, and obesity) is because many
people tend to combine drinking coffee with these bad
behaviors.

Does this mean that coffee causes hypertention? No - it is
not coffee's fault that some people cannot drink a cup of
coffee without partnering it with cigarettes and/or over
eating.

While I'm always excited to read about amazing results from
people who've given up coffee and reduced their blood
pressure, I'm even more interested in knowing what other bad
behaviors where dropped when these people gave up coffee.

I believe moderation truly is the key as far as coffee (and
well, everything) is concerned. I like my coffee and will
continue to drink my occasional cup until proven otherwise.