Crosswords by the clock: booster

    You've probably read how doing puzzles can help keep your brain young. But if you want to stoke up synapses, get out the stopwatch.

    "Studies have found timed tests train your brain to work quickly," says Dr. Wasserman.

    Action: Try timing yourself when you solve a crossword or Sudoku. You'll get faster and even eliminate that tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon (where you can describe a word but can't remember it).

    Drinking alcohol regularly: drain

    Regular drinking lowers the levels of serotonin in your brain and can lead to depression, says Dr. Sarah Jarvis, GP and medical adviser to alcohol education charity Drinkaware.

    "Drinking heavily over a long period of time can also have long-term effects on memory," she adds. "Even on days when you don't drink, recalling what you did yesterday, or where you have been earlier that day, is difficult."

    Action: Many medical experts recommend taking regular days off from drinking to ensure you don't become addicted.

    Aerobic exercise: booster

    Besides increasing blood flow, exercise leads to an increase in the BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) our brain secretes, says Dr. Brockis. BDNF has been dubbed Miracle-Gro for brains as it helps grow and strengthen them, allowing us to learn and remember information better.

    Action: The best exercise for brains? "Anything that gets your heart rate up and makes you puff a bit," says Dr. Brockis. "A 30-minute plus session of aerobic exercise is ideal. Whether it's walking, swimming, running, cycling, table tennis, kayaking, rugby or golf, the trick is to schedule it on a regular basis, start slow and gradually increase the number of sessions each week, and their duration."

    Eating sugar: drain

    Studies have shown that adolescents who drink sugar-sweetened drinks daily show increased inflammation of the hippocampus, the area of the brain associated with learning and memory, leading to an impaired ability to remember.

    Action: Boost your glucose levels with the carbohydrates found in fruit and vegetables instead.

    Words to Learn 相关词汇

    消除

    xiāochú

    eliminate

    remove or get rid of, especially as being in some way undesirable

    上瘾

    shàngyǐn

    addicted

    become physiologically or psychologically dependent on an addictive substance, as alcohol or a narcotic

    看看你的生活习惯是健脑还是伤脑 (下)

    计时填字游戏：让大脑敏锐

    你或许已经阅读过如何通过益智游戏来保持大脑年轻活力。但如果你想建立更多的神经突触，拿出你的秒表开始计时。

    沃瑟曼医生说：“研究发现，计时测试能加速大脑运转。”

    建议：试着在做填字和数独游戏的时候给自己计时。你会思考得更快，还能告别话到嘴边却想不起来的情况，就是你可以描述这个词，但不记得确切说法。

    时常饮酒：让大脑迟钝

    Drinkaware协会（一家戒酒宣教慈善机构）的医学顾问、家庭医生萨拉?贾维斯认为，经常饮酒会降低大脑的血清素含量，易导致抑郁。

    她补充说：“长时间饮酒过量也会对记忆力产生长期影响，即使某天不喝酒时也很难记起昨天干了什么，或几个小时前去过哪儿。”

    建议：许多医学专家建议定期禁酒，以免上瘾。

    有氧运动：让大脑更敏锐

    布洛克斯医生称，运动除了可以加速血液循环外，还能提高大脑分泌物中脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）的含量。BDNF素有大脑“美乐棵”之称，它能强健大脑，提高学习和记忆能力。

    建议：想知道益于大脑的最佳运动？布洛克斯医生表示：“任何能够让你心跳和呼吸加速的运动都可以。最理想的是进行一组30分钟以上的有氧运动。慢步、游泳、跑步、骑车、打乒乓球、划皮艇、橄榄球、高尔夫，这些都可以，关键是要有规律，开始先慢慢来，之后逐渐增加每周的运动次数和时长。”

    吃糖：让大脑迟钝

    研究表明，每天都喝含糖饮料的青少年，海马体发炎的概率会上升，进而导致记忆力受损。海马体是大脑中负责学习和记忆的区域。

    建议：通过摄入水果和蔬菜中的碳水化合物补充糖分。