7 ways to grow a better brain

Exercising regularly, getting plenty of sleep and eating a balanced diet are your first steps to a stronger, healthier mind. For extra credit, squeeze in these seven easy tasks as often as you can: 1. Drink more milk Calcium keeps your brain cells healthy, and there’s perhaps no better source than a glass of milk. One study found that subjects who’d recently had milk also had higher levels of an antioxidant called glutathione, which prevents cellular damage in the brain. Try to work in three 250ml servings a day – skimmed and low-fat milk are just fine. If that’s too much, you can also get calcium from dark leafy greens, cheese (whoop whoop!) and yoghurt. 2. Write things down Use an old-fashioned pencil and you’ll remember your grocery list or a new word more easily than if you had typed it. It helps you process the information: one study found that students who used a laptop in class mindlessly transcribed, while pen-and-paper note-takers wrote down only what was important. 2. Write things down Use an old-fashioned pencil and you’ll remember your grocery list or a new word more easily than if you had typed it. It helps you process the information: one study found that students who used a laptop in class mindlessly transcribed, while pen-and-paper note-takers wrote down only what was important. 3. Take a new route ‘The brain works largely out of habit,’ says Dr Ian Robertson. ‘When you do something unfamiliar, your brain fires o—ff neurotransmitters that improve communication between the di—fferent regions in the brain.’ Checked this one off— your list? Find other ways to disrupt your routine: by brushing your hair with your left hand, for example. 4. Snack on seeds Both pumpkin and sunflower seeds contain magnesium, and most of us fall short of the 400mg per day that’s recommended for better health, says Dr Drew Ramsey, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University in the US. Magnesium fuels brain growth and soothes the nervous system, keeping you calm. 5. Opt for wholegrain bread It’s an excellent source of zinc, which helps the olfactory part of the brain process smells and flavours, two senses that tend to decline as you grow older. 6. Play ball Throw a tennis ball against a wall and catch it with one hand or bounce it on a racket to give the circuits that connect your eyes, hands and brain a good workout. Any throwing and catching will do, and the smaller the ball (next up: Ping-Pong), the greater the challenge. 7. Read a novel Research shows that fiction fosters emotional intelligence, helping you empathise with others, the way you might with characters. It’s never too late to be a better person – with an amazing brain. PHOTO: iStock/portishead1