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How can I improve my intellectual health? Dr. Mark Tramo, a neuroscientist at Harvard Medical School says, "We believe a handful of neural codes is used by the brain, so exercising the brain through music strengthens other cognitive skills. It's a lot like saying" If you exercise your body by running, you enhance your ability not only to run but also to play soccer or basketball." Ginkgo biloba: Ginkgo is gaining recognition as a supplement to improve cognition. It is also thought to be a vasodilator, anti-coagulant and free-radical scavenger. In a recent clinical investigation, the effects of ginkgo was compared to tacrine (Cognex) in elderly patients with dementia. Ginkgo was shown to produce greater increase in EEG activity. A meta-analysis on the effects of Ginkgo in Alzheimers patients also showed that there was a "small but significant increase in cognitive function in AD". Clearly, caution must be used in patients with bleeding disorders or on anti-coagulant therapy. (Courtesy of Frederick J. Goldstein, PhD) Relaxation, can help to improve your memory!!!! Diverse interactions: it’s a well-known fact that people learn from those around them. Experiencing it: if there is something in particular you want to know more about, give it a try or take a trip to visit it and learn about it first-hand. Playing games: games such as Trivial Pursuit, Jeopardy, and Cranium can be a fun way to add to your knowledge base while relieving stress! Even games such as Taboo require “thinking outside the box” and encourage creativity. Reading informally or taking an unnecessary class that interests you will definitely increase your knowledge and stimulate your intellectual health. Asking questions: don’t hesitate to ask questions or express your curiosity to the people around you whether they are professors or laborers, coworkers, family or friends, or simply acquaintances. This type of intellectual stimulation also fosters social health! Testing yourself: try some of the quizzes online! |