In this episode, I want to share how our brain works in daily life, how it stores ourmemories, what IQ really means, and what science suggest we can do, to protectour brain and delay cognitive decline as we age.

 Now let’s take a simple practical tour of the brain:

Let us seehow some of our ordinary day to day works are linked to the brain, also  Let’s take the example of a simpleconversation, which involves multiple areas.

Languageregions decode words, emotional centres, colour, the tone, and memory systemscompare with what I am hearing now and with what I have experienced before. Most of this happens below conscious awareness, which is why the brainhas been compared to a supercomputer summing millions of parallel processes.

When youwant to catch a ball, dance, type or even scroll in your mobile, yu can do so smoothly, because the Cerebellum fine tunes it.

The ‘gut-brain’connection allows what you eat, and even the bacteria in your intestines, toinfluence your mood energy and thinking speed.

Supposing you feel stressed before a big meeting, it is again your brain which signals your adrenal glands to release stress hormones.

There is no clear line between ‘Mental’ and ‘Physical’ health.

Taking care of all aspects of the body is one of the most powerful ways to protect and enhance the brain.

I have oftenheard that the left brain is logical and the right brain is creative.  Soon, I learnt this interesting fact, formost right-handed people, the left side handles language details, grammar, wordchoice and step-by-step reasoning.

The rightside is more tuned to big-picture patterns, tone of voice, facial expressions,music and spatial awareness.

Rather thanthinking ‘left’ or ‘right’ it is more accurate to say ‘left and right’,together.

100 is anaverage IQ for any population.  IQ can be influencedby education, Health, Environment and event test, anxiety.

Friends,Brain care is not only for older adults or people with problems, it is a lifelongproject.

For childrenand teenagers out there limiting excessive screen time, ensuring sleep, goodnutrition, play, and offering emotional safety can shape stronger attention andresilience and a great brain.

 When I stepback and look at all of this, one message stands out, the brain is not fixed.  From childhood to old age, it responds to howwe live, how we move, what we eat, how we sleep, what we think and how we treatone another.

So, friends,caring for the brain is not an extra task on a long to to-do list, it is the foundationthat makes every other task possible. This is the crux.

Want todevelop a sharp brain.  Here are a fewsimple exercises for you.

1.    Daily brisk walk with any mental tasklike recalling a list or counting backwards.

2.    Doing a short puzzle for 10-15 min.

3.    Practicing 5-10 minute of mindfulbreathing.

4.    Learning or practicing some newskills or learning a few words of a language every day.

5.    Using your non-dominant hand forsimple tasks like brushing teeth, eating or opening doors to challenge yourusual brain pathways.

Did youknow that,

1.    Your brain generates enoughelectrical activity to power a small bulb.

2.    Your brain uses 20% of your body’stotal energy though it weighs only 2 % of your body.

3.    About 95% of the decisions your makeevery day happen sub consciously even without you realizing it?  Isn’t it great?

4.     

If there isone take away from this episode, it is this;

Love yourbrain enough to give it good fuel, geed rest, good challenges and of coursegood company, because the quality of your brain shapes the quality of yourlife.

So friends,before your brain lets this episode fade, let us remember one thing, everythought you choose and every habit you repeat, is quietly wiring the person youwake up tomorrow.

So dearstake care of your brain.

With thesewords it is your Host Leena Madan signing off till next.

Love youall,
Bye-bye.