(Photo: occasion dresses)The more you use it, the longer it will last. Wouldn’t you like to own a gadget of this nature?

Well, you already have a machine that follows the principle, except we, humans, don’t employ it enough.

“Our brain is composed of cells called neurons that connect with each other to form neural circuits,” says former Cornell University research scientist Dr Krithika Kumar. “The strength of these circuits is based on use. Use them enough, and they will recruits additional cells, form more connections, all resulting in better brain performance.”

Just like with a television, if you don’t use the brain’s circuit enough, connections could disappear, and cells may eventually die, resulting in lower brain function. This is what scientists refer to as the use-it-or-lose-it paradigm that concerns neuroplasticity or the ability of neurons and neural networks to change throughout life.

The average human brain processes 70,000 thoughts in one day. It also controls practically every human function, from emotion to action and reasoning. Now, the bummer: The brain shrinks in mass by 0.25 per cent every year after you hit 30. Which is why it’s sensible to use it more and keep it sharp.

Kumar, together with husband and fellow researcher Dr Nick Ratterman, has drafted a plan to realise the brain’s full potential, leading to the launch of India’s first brain fitness centre last month. Bangalore-based Better Brains devises mentally challenging workout modules for students, young professionals and senior citizens. “What these modules do is improve and enhance attention, memory, visual and spatial processing, executive functioning -which is the broad term that refers to reasoning, problem solving and flexibility -even offering protection against the onset of Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia,” Kumar claims.

WHO NEEDS IT?

Heightened brain functioning can mean different things at different ages. For a child, says Kumar, enhanced attention means being able to focus better at school and speedier learning of new skills. For professionals, it could mean avoiding distractions and working smarter. For seniors, it could lead to them leading more independent lives.

CROSSWORDS AREN’T ALWAYS THE ANSWER

Kumar hopes to erase the various myths surrounding improving brain function. One of them concerns the argument that the brain gets enough exercise while dealing with daily challenges. Here, she differentiates between what’s mentally challenging and stimulating or beneficial to the brain. “Solving crossword puzzles and Sudoku isn’t enough to stay sharp.Mental exercise is different from mental activity. For instance, watching TV is a mental activity. It uses a variety of brain functions -attention, visual processing and motor skills. What it’s not is a structured technique that targets either single or multiple cognitive functions,” explains Kumar, citing the example of driving a car.When we drive, we use our feet, hands and arms. But we don’t `exercise them’. We exercise them when we run, swim and weight train. The latter is a structured use of various anatomical areas to improve their functioning. Similarly, brain exercises should stimulate the organ in a pre-determined and systematic manner to prove beneficial.

Kumar offers you options that can help improve your grey matter to enhance the following cognitive abilities.Spatial skills: Give yourself an incomplete map of a neighbourhood or market. On it, attempt to locate restaurants, a certain heritage building or landmark, a prominent bookstore, or even a fire hydrant. When this becomes easy, take a walk through a new neighbourhood to make a mental map of the environment. When you get home, attempt replicating it on a sheet of paper as accurately as you can.Attention: Pick a quiet place and settle down with a book. Flip to any page and pick out a paragraph.

Count the words in the said paragraph once, paying attention to hyphenated and abbreviates words. When you are done, count again to ensure that you counted correctly the first time. After you get good at this, increase the difficulty level by counting the words in two paragraphs or even a whole page. You can time yourself too and simultaneously exercise your brain’s processing speed.To make it even tougher, move your attention-training exercise to a place with several distractions, like a children’s playground or a coffee shop.Memory: To help your short and long-term memory, try this simple and fun exercise before bedtime. Do it a few weeks. Retrace your day: go over all of the things you did from when you rolled out of bed to the time you got ready for bed. Think about the smallest details and visualise each activity in your mind. Integrate all of your senses. What smells did you encounter when you walked to the station from home, for instance? How did your seat on the bus feel? At first, you are likely to fly through the day within seconds. However, with practice, you will start to recall the intricate details and see an improvement in your recall of events. For children, parents can encourage this exercise by asking questions while guiding them, and recalling lessons learnt in school.

This exercise works out multiple cognitive functions. Apart from enhancing your memory, which is obvious, since you have to stay focused while trying to recall your day, it also enhances attention. Our minds are ever-wandering. By practising a staying on-task, you will improve inhibition.Executive functions: Learn to play a musical instrument. Musical training improves selective attention, working memory, flexibility and problem solving skills. All of these are classified as executive functions.Already play one? Learn to play a new one. Unlearning what you already know and learning new ways to use your hands or legs helps enhance cognitive flexibility, inhibition and other executive functions.

BRAIN WORKOUT CHRONICLES

The earlier you start with exercises, the better your brain will function, both, at that point and later in life.z It is never too late to do it. It’s untrue that the brain develops only in childhood. With the right kind of exercise, your brain will get better with age. For exercises that target a narrow range of cognitive functions, it is important to create an exercise routine that’s balanced. Sure, you could build up a massive memory, but how useful is it if you aren’t able to use it meaningfully? While practice makes perfect, and that’s important, it is the process of learning that is beneficial. Therefore, once the exercises start to get easy, switch to those that continue to rewire your brain. Read more here:cheap formal dresses uk

‘(Photo:cheap evening dresses uk )The anxiety of pregnancy followed by painful childbirth dogs most women. However, following a few easy steps and making adequate preparations can significantly make labour easy.

Dr Duru Shah, obstetrician and gynaecologist, and Dr Rita Shah, Lamaze consultant, tell you what to do.

Know it all

Fear of the unknown is one of the biggest factors that contributes to pain. Throughout labour, the woman, if not aware, will be anxious whether the developments in her body are normal or not, which is why it is important to tell women beforehand what to expect. It is imperative to educate them about right nutrition habits and how to carry themselves when going through the labour process. Women who know what to expect reportedly experience less pain vis-a-vis those who don’t. The well-informed ones time their contractions well.

Not to forget, in the process there are many emotional upheavals that a woman experiences. When she knows that her feelings are ‘normal’, she is better equipped to deal with them. Because she feels ‘under control’, it makes it easier for the doctors to help and communicate with her. Build up her confidence and the job is half done.

Tutor the husband

Having the husband by the side is a big emotional boost which can take away considerable pain. Many hospitals in the city don’t allow husbands in the delivery room and leave the woman at the care of nurses and other hospital staff, who though well-equipped, are still strangers. The husband’s presence can be a big emotional boost and help the woman deal with pain in a better way. For instance, many times, during labour, the woman, in spite of having adequate knowledge, forgets the right breathing technique. The husband can step in and remind her of the same with adequate love and affection.

Go for the epidural

Epidural delivery, though not novel, isn’t very widespread amidst Indian women. That’s because many pregnant women consider it essential to experience pain during the birth-giving process. Some even attach inability to bear pain to personal ‘failure’. The fact that it is a little expensive is yet another deterrent. However, not everyone has an equal threshold of pain. It is a process where delivery takes place under local anaesthesia which blocks pain during labour. The most important benefit is observed in cases where the labour process is prolonged.

Work it out

Squats: Regular squatting exercise helps the baby to descend and gets the head locked in the birth canal. The baby’s head gets fixed in the right position, which helps during labour. However, make sure you consult an expert before engaging in this workout.

Strengthening exercise: Elders are often heard saying that there isn’t a woman who hasn’t experienced back and abdomen pain during pregnancy. That’s because the changes in the body put strain on these parts. Here’s an exercise to help you deal with that pain: Go on all fours. Ensure that your hands are directly under the shoulder. Move your back upwards, lowering your head. Hold. Then, push the back in horizontal position, lifting the head to the front. Repeat 10 times.

For the cramps: Pregnant women often develop cramps in their calves. This exercise will help relieve those cramps. Stand facing the wall, using your hands to support yourself. Bring one leg forward with knee bent at right angle to the ankle. Keep your other leg stretched backwards and the both feet flat on the floor. Count till 10. Repeat the same for the other leg. Read more here:evening dresses online cheap

(Photo: black prom dresses)The age old remedies from mama’s kitchen are back to cure the most common of illnesses — headaches. This is a condition that escapes no one. Right from a 10th standard student appearing for his exams to a retired man, everyone complains of a headache.

The most likely solution for a headache in this new generation of chemicals, is popping a pill, but for people with more frequent headaches and for those who would rather not put unnecessary toxins in your body, herbs is the way to go. There are various causes for a headache and an equal number of remedies, so before going through the long list of probable cures you should first start by finding the source of your headache. For some, a strong scent could be enough to get them flinching while for others long days of work are the cause of their agony.

Willow Bark: The most ordinary treatment for a regular headache is the ingredient that aspirin is made of, the willow bark. A mixture of peppermint, chamomile and willow bark tea is excellent for a more severe headache.

Peppermint: Peppermint works like a charm for migraines. It has been used as a headache remedy for hundreds of years. From tea to extracts, there are lots of ways to enjoy it.

Primrose: If you are one those workaholics with a 9 to 9 job, maybe a daily evening primrose supplement is the way to go for you. High on phenylalanine, a pain relieving compound, primrose, also has various other constituents that help with a number of problems. But for those with chronic migraines there are two herbs that completely steal the show, bay and feverfew. A tea made from both these ingredients are the best to ail a throbbing head and just for a bit more taste you can add a dash of peppermint.

Other herbs: A number of other herbs can be included in your daily diet just to make sure that the headache monster doesn’t get you next. Herbs like garlic, ginger, red pepper, thyme, parsley, cherries, lavender and sunflower seeds are a few easily available remedies that you could use. So next time you want to heal a hurting head, make your way to the kitchen instead of reaching to the medicine cabinet. Read more here:long prom dresses uk

(Photo: vintage prom dresses)A new study has revealed that high-fat diet alters behavior and produces signs of brain inflammation.

High-fat diets have long been known to increase the risk for medical problems, including heart disease and stroke, but there is growing concern that diets high in fat might also increase the risk for depression and other psychiatric disorders.

The study at Louisiana State University raises the possibility that a high-fat diet produces changes in health and behavior, in part, by changing the mix of bacteria in the gut, also known as the gut microbiome.

The human microbiome consists of trillions of microorganisms, many of which reside in the intestinal tract. These microbiotas are essential for normal physiological functioning. However, research has suggested that alterations in the microbiome may underlie the host’s susceptibility to illness, including neuropsychiatric impairment.

Non-obese adult mice were conventionally housed and maintained on a normal diet, but received a transplant of gut microbiota from donor mice that had been fed either a high-fat diet or control diet. The recipient mice were then evaluated for changes in behavior and cognition.

The animals who received the microbiota shaped by a high-fat diet showed multiple disruptions in behavior, including increased anxiety, impaired memory, and repetitive behaviors. Further, they showed many detrimental effects in the body, including increased intestinal permeability and markers of inflammation. Signs of inflammation in the brain were also evident and may have contributed to the behavioral changes.

John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry, said that this paper suggests that high-fat diets impair brain health, in part, by disrupting the symbiotic relationship between humans and the microorganisms that occupy the gastrointestinal tracks.

Indeed, these findings provide evidence that diet-induced changes to the gut microbiome are sufficient to alter brain function even in the absence of obesity.

Further research is necessary, but these findings suggest that the gut microbiome has the eventual potential to serve as a therapeutic target for neuropsychiatric disorders. Read more here:blue evening dresses

(Photo:plus size prom dresses uk )While healthy individuals find it very difficult to resist the temptation of a mouth-watering delicacy, especially when they are hungry, anorexics face no such trouble as hunger does not increase their intensity of food rewards, says a new study.

The study published in the journal Biological Psychiatry, sheds new light on the brain mechanisms that may contribute to the disturbed eating patterns of anorexia.

“Hunger is a motivating drive and makes rewards more enticing,” said Christina Wierenga, associate professor of psychiatry at University of California, San Diego.

“We have long been puzzled by the fact that individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) can restrict food even when starved,” Wierenga noted.

They examined reward responding in relation to metabolic state (hungry or satiated) in 23 women recovered from AN and 17 healthy women without eating disorder histories (e.g., the comparison group).

The healthy women, when in a state of hunger, showed increased activity in the part of the brain that motivates the seeking of reward, but the women recovered from AN did not.

Women who have recovered from anorexia nervosa showed two related patterns of changes in brain circuit function that may contribute to their capacity to sustain their avoidance of food.

First, hunger does not increase the engagement of reward and motivation circuits in the brain. This may protect people with anorexia from hunger-related urges.

Second, they showed increased activation of executive ‘self-control’ circuits in the brain, perhaps making them more effective in resisting temptations.

“This study supports the idea that anorexia nervosa is a neurobiologically-based disorder,” Wierenga noted. Read more here:blue formal dresses