Saturday, April 9, 2011

How to keep Your Brain Healthy--- A Practical Solution

A recent interesting report from the Alliance for Aging Research encourages all of us to keep our brains healthy. It's important as you age, but also important at any age.

At this time of the year, when people make all kind of resolutions, one of the most frequent is to improve our state of health in one way or another.

This can also include keeping our brain's healthy. Here is a list of actions you can take, and make part of your life to assure your brain stays in the best of shape.

Step 1 - Eat a Brain-Healthy Diet.

What is a brain-healthy diet?
It is one that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids (commonly found in fish, specially fed chicken (via their eggs) some fruits and vegetables), essential amounts of proteins only, plentiful antioxidants (found in a host of natural foods) lots of fruits and vegetables, foods rich in vitamin B (such as lentils); minimum amounts or no trans fats; and fiber-rich non-processed carbohydrates.

Step 2 - Stay Mentally Active

Every year resolve to learn something new. Let it be a language, a skill, some dance, something new each year. Keep your mind active.
Stay away from TV as much as you can, and replace it with the computer.
Take classes in something, and read as much as you can. The brain needs this stimuli to maintain its cognitive levels.

Step 3 - Exercise Regularly

Nothing is as important for the body and brain as regular exercise.
Regular exercise always increases circulation, improves one coordination, and helps prevent conditions that increase the risk of dementia such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Step 4 - Remain Socially Active

 
Do not remain a recluse. Be with your friends, become a volunteer and work with people, take regular outings to new places, and new countries. Let your eyes see new sights, your ears new sounds, taste new foods.

Step 5 - Sleep Well

The healthy brain needs for your body to sleep and rest. When you are deprived of enough sleep, the brain suffers.

Step 6 - Stress Management

Simple stress is often healthful, but long protracted stress puts the brain (and body via the immune system) at increased risk.
There are wonderful ways to manage your stress, such as yoga, enjoyable hobbies, regular journeys to spas, healthful massage, and a host of other options. Use them, and let the stress pass away from you.

Step 7 - Safety

Don't take chances. The damage an injury to the head cannot be under-estimated, especially triggering the onset of dementia.

 
Step 8 - Watch Your General Health

Keep a healthy weight, control high-blood pressure, hypertension, and guard against diabetes. Each of these can negatively affect your cognitive state.

Step 9 - Avoid Unhealthful Habits

If you smoke, stop now.
If you over drink stop, and limit yourself of moderate amounts of wine, and an occasional drink.
Illegal drugs of any kind will negatively affect your cognitive state, and surely hasten the onset of dementia.

Step 10 - Genetic Disposition

If there is any history of dementia, or other cognitive diseases in your family, you can take steps before it become too late. The previous 9 steps are a good start, and consultation with your doctor can be the start of protecting your brain's health

Thursday, April 7, 2011

A Good Story About Corporate Life ...

Once upon a time a Washerman was bringing up two donkeys.
Let us say Donkey-A and Donkey-B.

Donkey-A felt it was very energetic and could do better than the other.  It always tried to pull the washerman's attraction over it by taking more load and walking fast in front of him.

Innocent Donkey-B is normal, so it will walk normal, irrespective of the washerman's presence.  After a period of time, Washerman started pressurising Donkey-B to be like Donkey-A.  But Donkey-B unable to walk fast, got continuous punishment from washerman.  It was crying and told personally to Donkey-A "Dear friend, only we two are here, why to compete with each other....we can carry equal load at normal speed ".

That made Donkey-A all the more energetic and next day it told to washerman that it can carry more load and even it can run fast also.

Obviously happier washerman looked at Donkey-B.., his BP raised and he started kicking Donkey-B. Next day with smile, Donkey-A carried more load and started running fast. But it was breathtaking for Donkey-B and it couldn't act that way....But the washerman was frustrated, so he harassed Donkey-B terribly, and finally it fell down hopelessly.

Then Donkey-A felt itself as a supremo and happily started carrying more load with great speed.  But now the Load of the Donkey-B is also being carried by Donkey-A., and still it has to run fast.   For some period it did, finally due to fatigue it got tired and started feeling the pain.  But washerman expected more from Donkey-A. It also tried best, but couldn't cope up with his owners demand. The Washerman got angry with Donkey-A also and started harassing to take more load... Donkey-A was crying for long time and then tried its best... But it couldn't meet the owner's satisfaction.  Finally the day came when due to frustration the washerman killed Donkey-A and went for searching some other Donkeys.

Its an endless story..........

But the moral of the Story in Corporate and social life is......,

"Think all colleagues are same and that everyone is capable.... Always Share the Load equally..... Don't ever act smart in front of your Boss and never try for getting over-credit...

It doesn't matter if you are 'A' or 'B'

For the Boss you shall be always DONKEY!!!