Think you’re fast? Mats Valk solved the 3x3x3 Rubik’s Cube in 5.55 seconds in March of 2013, setting a new world record. If hearing that makes you suddenly doubt your wit, you’re not alone. A perfect brain teaser, the Rubik’s Cube has been the world’s top selling puzzle game since 2009, and odds are that most of those cubes remain unsolved. The good news is, like the rest of the body, the brain is an organ that prospers and grows under the right conditions. It will also deteriorate if it does not receive care and exercise. What are the best ways to take care of your brain? Little games and tricks will give it daily exercise, and eating right will make sure it receives the nutrients it needs. Taking supplements that support your brain will ward off deterioration and help prevent serious problems in the future, like Alzheimer’s.

Test your brain today! Try one of these brain games to give your brain a workout:

• Practice an everyday activity… with your eyes closed! (Choose wisely. We recommend activities like getting dressed or brushing your teeth. We do not recommend activities that could be dangerous, like driving to work or cooking dinner without looking at what you are doing).
•   Mix it up. Drive on a different road to get to work, brush your teeth with the opposite hand, or go somewhere new.
• Be playful! Trying a new game, working on puzzles, and solving riddles are great ways to get your brain to work in new ways and think out of the box, developing new pathways in your mind.
• Focus. Try to drone out the distracting sounds of everyday life. Turn off the T.V. in the background, and work on focusing all of your energy into one activity. It’s harder than it sounds! If you struggle with being able to focus, consider taking Brain Storm or New Light for natural support.

The proper building materials are necessary to make healthy connections in the brain. Nutrient dense foods can help ensure that your brain has the materials it needs next time it gets a work out. It is also important to avoid foods that may harm your brain. Additives found in many processed foods are associated with the development of Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and Parkinson’s. Watch out for MSG and aspartame, which stimulate the brain to excess, and can cause brain damage.

Hanna’s Brain Energy Sandwich: Sprinkle sage on a piece of buttered rye bread.

Other foods to promote brain health: snack on almonds, make a tea from apple peels, add basil to your pasta sauce or salad, munch on shredded coconut, drink hawthorn tea or lemon balm tea, eat oatmeal for breakfast, or try a slaw of red cabbage.

Hanna’s tip for fighting the effects of MSG: Eat
cashew nuts daily for a week. Taking Polarity
Balancer is useful while avoiding foods that contain MSG. The herbal
combination is designed to help the brain stay in balance and keep the mind
strong while assisting the body to clear out stored MSG from overexposure.

Take the Right Supplements for Brain Health.

You can give your brain a little extra boost with natural supplements. Many herbs are high in antioxidants and will help scavenge free radicals, which could potentially cause damage to your mind and body. Herbs such as Gotu Kola have been used for centuries to boost performance and help maintain brain stamina, alertness, and efficiency. Try these herbs to help keep your mind working like a well-oiled machine:

Gotu Kola is noted for its anti-anxiety, antidepressant, and stress-reducing properties. In Ayurveda medicine, Gotu Kola was used as a “neuro tonic,” though in recent years much more scientific research has been done to prove why the herb is so effective in promoting brain performance. The herb has been shown to promote mental retention, and in one study, supplements of Gotu Kola improved the mental ability, academic performance, and test results of developmentally disabled children between the ages of 8 and 12. Gotu Kola may also aid in preventing future illness, through neuroprotection. The herb prevents amyloid plaque, a contributing factor in Alzheimer’s disease, as well as preventing dopamine neurotoxicity, a risk factor for Parkinson’s disease.

Dulse supports the nervous system, which is directly connected to the brain’s function. Rich in antioxidants and anticarcinagens, Dulse will help support longevity and ward off free radicals and toxins in the body. Dulse is also high in magnesium, which works to protect nerve cells from toxic substances, and can ward off headaches. Adding Dulse to your daily routine may lessen your fatigue. By providing nerve support, the herb can lower nervousness, anxiety, insomnia, and depression. In turn, the body will relax and recover more efficiently. Both Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 are found in Dulse. Vitamin B6 plays an important role in the metabolism of amino acids, which help build connections in the brain, and regulates serotonin, an important antidepressant neurotransmitter. Vitamin B12 is needed for the metabolism of nerve tissue.

Find the best blend for your brain. By taking an herbal blend, you can reap the benefits of more than one herb at once. Brain Care Blend (discontinued), by Kroeger Herb Products, is a capsule of carefully selected Gotu Kola, Dulse, and Eyebright designed to promote mental alertness.

Stay on top of brain health with the Brain Balance Kit (discontinued). This all-in-one kit is designed to help your brain on both the long term and the short term. The kit includes Brain Storm, for exposure to exotoxins, Polarity Balancer, designed to help return the brain to a healthy state after exposure to food additives, and Brain Care Blend (discontinued), which may help provide long term brain support, ward off the effects of an aging mind, and prevent future brain deterioration.

More on Hanna’s Brain Storm, New Light, and Mi Aura Vibropathics™

Hanna’s Brain Storm, New Light and Mi Aura Vibropathics™ are some of her most unusual products.  Both the Brain Storm and New Light are made from a base of Mi Aura Vibropathic™.  Mi Aura is designed to bring all of the energy centers (chakras) into balance and supports the subtle energies of the body. It is not only a gemstone elixir, but also a reiki elixir and has vibrations for each chakra, as well as vibrations for energy, polarity, mental & emotional balance and protection.  Excellent for use after trauma or surgery and/or electromagnetic imbalance.

Brain Storm is for addressing the concerns of chemicals known as excitotoxins that can settle in the brain and nervous system after a lifetime of exposure or from overexposure.  Excitotoxins literally overstimulate brain cells to death, causing many neurological problems and impaired brain function. Brain Storm is popular with aging individuals, but can be taken at any age.  In addition to the benefits of Mi Aura, Brain Storm targets Aspartame, Monosodium Glutamate (more commonly known as MSG) and Glutamic Acid (another form of MSG), which are all common ingredients found in processed food.  Aspartic acid and phenylalanine together make up aspartame and are also individually addressed.  Aspartic acid has been found by Dr. John Olney (Washington School of Medicine medical researcher) to be responsible for lesions to form in the brains of laboratory mice.  Phenylalanine has been known to encourage seizures and inhibit the normal production of serotonin, which affects mood, appetite and sleep.

New Light is for addressing the concerns of chemicals and heavy metals associated with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), but can also be used by individuals who have a hard time concentrating and/or focusing or believe they have had overexposure to chemicals and heavy metals. Used by all ages, this product expands the Mi Aura base to target lead, aluminum, nickel, silver and overall exposure to chemicals, including Ritalin.  It also has supportive and calming aspects to help with concentration and focusing and centering the mind and body.  New Light is combined with Plumbum (Lead) Vibropathic™ and Birthright Tea to make up the New Light ADD Kit. Birthright Tea was designed by Hanna to help the body heal from traumas associated with childbirth and early childhood.  Because ADD can be a real struggle during childhood (and the aftereffects into adulthood), this combination of products is excellent support for children or adults with ADD or similar symptoms.

Looking for more natural ways to promote brain health? Take a look at this post on Herbs for Brain Health. As your brain ages it is important to take special care of your mind. Read about Anti-Aging for Your Brain. Part of taking care of your mind means eating right. Hanna believed eating well led to good health. Find her recommendations for Brain Food, here. Some herbs can provide powerful support to the brain and your whole body simultaneously, like Rhodiola Rosea, which is a natural adaptogen herb that may aid in brain health.