Archive for the ‘Mental Health’ category

Caring Your Brain From Aging

May 24th, 2011

There are signs to let you know when your brain is aging: memory loss, mental exhaustion and difficulty multitasking. What can we do about it? We can make personal choices to keep our brains younger in order to avoid what some people call senior moments. The following are some of the many choices we can make:

  • Oxygen is very important to our brains. If we live a sedentary lifestyle, we don’t get enough oxygen. It is important to get a lot of exercise and fresh air; deep breathe and yawn. Exercise grows brain cells.
  • Our brains are comprised mostly of water so it is necessary to keep hydrated. Most people need at least eight glasses of water, tea, juice, etc. every day.
  • Proper nutrition is very important for our brains. Protein especially means brain growth and makes our brains more focused. Some of the foods that are important to have in our diets are nuts, eggs, fish, white meat, whole grains, fruits and colorful vegetables. An example of a healthy breakfast is fruit, whole grain and a protein.
  • Other healthy brain foods are: wheat germ, cauliflower, soybeans, brown rice, turkey, soy products, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, olive oil, peanut butter, beans and avocados.
  • Foods high in antioxidants are especially helpful for keeping a youthful brain. These include carrots, yams, spinach, cranberries, apples, prunes, plums, tomatoes, grapes, strawberries and raspberries. Blueberries are the winner in the antioxidant category.
  • Herbs such as garlic, mint, rosemary, thyme and barley are also good for the brain as is green tea.
  • It is important to take supplements, or those foods rich in Omega 3′s which include fish and flax seed. A general multivitamin supplement is recommended plus vitamin C, the B vitamins and particularly for seniors, vitamins D and E.
  • Stress and sleep deprivation take a heavy toll on the brain. Other things are saturated fats and trans fatty acids also. White sugar is poison, not only for your health but for your brain too.
  • Smoking is detrimental to the brain as it damages blood vessels and can cause blood clots. And too much caffeine reduces blood flow to the brain.
  • Overuse of alcohol detrimentally affects the brain. Hangovers are brain damage. » Read more: Caring Your Brain From Aging

Six Steps To Help The ADHD Adult Become Better Organized

May 24th, 2011

ADHD is a complicated condition which often changes over time and is characterized by the primary symptoms of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity/restlessness. This very common mental health concern affects somewhere around 10 million adults and only exists as a singular condition in 3 out of 10 cases making successful treatment, diagnosis, and self help symptoms management a real challenge.

But despite all the intricacies and diagnostic challenges one of the best self help steps any ADHD adult can take is to learn to become better organized. If your are truly ADHD, with a healthy dose of inattention, your likely will not be able to completely vanquish disorganization and forgetfulness from your life but you can certainly manage it well enough to effectively conduct your daily tasks while reducing the burden on others around you.

That said, I would like to pass on a couple of interesting paragraphs from “The Everything Health Guide to Adult ADD/ADHD” about the dangers of disorganization for the ADHD adult.

  • Chronic disorganization and forgetfulness may render an ADHD spouse unreliable and unpredictable when it comes to handling household chores, taking care of and disciplining children, or managing family finances. The non-ADHD spouse is often forced to pick up the slack. She may become very angry and resentful toward her ADHD spouse or come to view him as another child.
  • ADHD spouses tend t leave clutter and messiness in their wake. This can annoy and frustrate spouses and family members and make it difficult for everyone to keep track of things, get and stay organized, and keep the house tidy and clean. » Read more: Six Steps To Help The ADHD Adult Become Better Organized