Did You Know Crossword Puzzles Can Help You Stay Younger?

Love to play word puzzles such as crosswords? It may improve brain function and keep your brain ten years younger, a study has found. The results indicated that the more regularly people engaged with word puzzles, the better they performed on cognitive tasks assessing attention, reasoning and memory decline of which may lead to the development of dementia. Further, such people also have brain function equivalent to ten years younger than their age on tests of grammatical reasoning speed and short-term memory accuracy.

"We found direct relationships between the frequency of word puzzle use and the speed and accuracy of performance on nine cognitive tasks assessing a range of aspects of function, including attention, reasoning and memory," said Keith Wesnes, Professor at the University of Exeter in Britain. "Performance was consistently better in those who reported engaging in puzzles and generally improved incrementally with the frequency of puzzle use," Wesnes added.

For the study, presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) 2017 held in London, the team analysed data from more than 17,000 healthy people aged 50 and over, submitted in an online trial. Along with keeping the mind active, exercising, avoiding smoking and eating a healthy balanced diet may also help reduce the risk of developing dementia, the researchers suggested.
Do you find it difficult to concentrate? Are you eating the right foods? The human body needs all kinds of nutrients to lead a good healthy life. So you should be very careful with your diet. If you go to the market, you may find umpteenth amount of foods and super foods which claim to boost your health but do you know exactly which food items will help build your overall focus and concentration? Here in this article, we tell you about those brain foods that can help you enhance your concentration levels.

1. Caffeine

Want to stay alert? Go for a coffee. Substances such as caffeine can help you to get more energetic and concentrate better. Apart from coffee, you can take energy drinks, chocolates, etc. You should not consume these in higher than adequate quantities to avoid becoming dependent on them.

2. Sugar

If you want to enhance your thinking abilities, stimulate your mental ability or increase your memory power, then go for sugar. But be careful not to increase the normal intake of sugar in your diet. Consult your doctor and understand what amount of sugar is ideal for you.

3. High fibre food

Add dairy products, nuts, whole grains and fruits in your diet. This is essential to fuel your brain as high fiber helps in improving attention issues and short term memory problems. Nuts are strong sources of antioxidant vitamin E and whole grains such as whole wheat and popcorn provide vitamin E and dietary fiber. It is recommended that you should add these food items in your breakfast so that you start your day with a boost. As per experts, you should avoid high calorie breakfast and rather have something that is nutrient rich.

4. Fish

Fish is a strong source of protein and it helps in enhancing one's metabolism. Also, it is widely recommended for its omega-3 fatty acids. People with dementia, mental decline, and stroke risks can take fish in their diet. Since it helps in enhancing memory, it is ideal for older people. Not just brain, one can eat fish for heart's health too.

5. Avocados and Blueberries

Avocados help in enhancing the blood flow and it is good for both brain and heart.As a matter of fact, it can reduce risks of plaque buildup, bad cholesterol and heart disease. Blueberries help in reducing age inclined issues such as dementia or Alzheimer's disease. These protect brain from any kind of damage from free radicals and help in improving one's learning and muscle functioning.

In a nutshell, everything zeroes down to your diet. If you want to accelerate your concentration levels, you simply need to get a nutritious diet. Keep in mind that if there is anything that doesn't suit you, make sure you inform your doctor.

With inputs from IANS

 

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