Cognitive Skills Archives - Brainfit Resorts

Our Multi-Domain Approach

Prof. Dan J. Sherman — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 15:57:01 +0000

Age-related cognitive decline and dementia are strongly associated with lifestyle choices; therefore, their prevention requires a multi-domain approach (that is tailored to address individual risks). This means that any prevention strategy needs to address all the domains of our lives: food and eating habits, physical and mental activities, sleep patterns, perceived psychological stress, as well as emotional and social engagement. Therefore the pillars of our multi-domain approach will address all these aspects and include:

Individual risk factors assessment
Nutrition, supplements and brain-healthy diet
Physical activity and exercise
Stress reduction and management
Sleep health
Memory and information load management
Cognitive stimulation and training
Social engagement
Innovative cognitive enhancers/stimulants

Is Memory Loss A Sign Of Dementia?

Vishan S Gill — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 10:24:44 +0000

Healthy people can experience memory loss or memory distortion at any age.

Some of these memory flaws become more pronounced with age, but unless they are extreme and persistent, they are not considered indicators of Dementia or other memory-impairing illnesses.

What causes normal memory loss?

There is a natural tendency to forget facts or events over time.

You are most likely to forget information soon after you learn it, however, memory also has a use-it-or-lose-it quality; memories that are called up and used frequently are least likely to be forgotten.

Although this might seem like a sign of memory weakness, brain scientists regard it as beneficial, because it clears the brain of unused memories, which makes way for newer, more useful ones.

Also, you tend to forget when you do not pay close enough attention to things.

You forget where you just put your pen because you did not focus on where you put it in the first place.

You were thinking of something else (or, perhaps, nothing in particular), so your brain did not encode the information securely.

We discuss the differences between what is normal and abnormal memory loss in our video series.

Click HERE to watch it now.

Memory Blocks

“Memory blocks” are another type of forgetfulness: the temporary inability to retrieve a memory.

Someone asks you a question and the answer is right on the tip of your tongue — you know that you know it, but you just can’t think of it.

Scientists believe that memory blocks become more common with age and that they account for the trouble older people have remembering other people’s’ names.

Research shows that people are able to retrieve about half of the blocked memories within just a minute.

Memory vs. Reality

In fact, there is no such thing as a “true” memory, for even the sharpest memory is not a flawless snapshot of reality.

In your memory, your perceptions are filtered by your personal biases, this includes your experiences, beliefs, prior knowledge, and even your mood at the moment.

Your biases affect your perceptions and experiences in the very moment that they are being encoded in your brain.

Amazingly, when you retrieve a memory, your mood and other biases at that very moment can influence what information you actually recall!

Most people worry about forgetting things, but in some cases, people are tormented by memories they wish they could forget but cannot.

The persistence of memories linked to traumatic events, negative feelings, and ongoing fears is another type of memory problem.

Some of these memories accurately reflect horrifying events, while others may be negative distortions of reality.

Keeping Up With Information

We now live in an age where there is a tremendous rise in the amount of information that we must absorb and process.

Numerous information sources (such as the internet, television and radio, newspapers and magazines, books, lectures, and movies), provide a constant influx of information.

This barrage of data is so immediately accessible via computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones, that the result can easily become an information overload that can be difficult to keep up with.

At BrainFit Resorts we teach all our participants in the ProtectMyBrain Program how to manage information overload, optimize technology so that it gives rather than takes energy from you, and also, how to forget or delete memories, and effectively make room for new memories to form.

Just scratching the surface

There’s a myriad of information around memory loss, and what are some of the steps you can take to help improve your memory and cognitive abilities day-by-day.

Below we’ve listed for you some of our information and resources that might just help you with some hints and tips you can apply to your daily life and improve your memory.

Be sure to hit the SUBSCRIBE button below so we can send you new feature articles and videos just like this one, as we release them.

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Of course, if you have any concerns that you are experiencing “irregular” memory loss, do make it a point to consult with your physician.

If you would like us to feature a particular topic or interest in one of our upcoming articles or videos, leave a comment below with the details or alternatively, send us an email to info@brainfitresorts.com.

We’d love to hear what’s on your mind.

Finally, if you know someone who may benefit from this article or any of our other features, please SHARE this article with them using the icons below, and help us to better enrich the lives of those who need it.

Until next time… Live Strong. Live Well. Live BrainFit.

What Are The Main Causes of Dementia?

Vishan S Gill — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 10:24:17 +0000

Forgetful? Losing your train of thought? Can’t quite get the words out?

Most will boil this down to signs of age.

The unfortunate truth is, these seemingly frivolous issues can often be attributed to something much more worrisome.

Dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease?

Dementia is a syndrome that has a number of causes.

The common characteristic symptoms of Dementia are generally associated with difficulties in memory language, problem-solving and other cognitive skills that affect a person’s ability to perform everyday activities.

These difficulties occur when the nerve cells (neurons) in parts of the brain involved in cognitive function, have been damaged.

Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of Dementia, is a degenerative brain disease, in which neurons in other parts of the brain are eventually damaged or destroyed, including those that enable a person to carry out basic bodily functions such as walking and swallowing.

People in the final stages of the disease are bed-bound and require around-the-clock care.

Unfortunately, Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease are ultimately fatal, as today, no cure exists for any of these conditions.

What actually causes Dementia?

The two main causes of Dementia in older persons, being Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which accounts for about 70% of cases, and Vascular Dementia (with many mixed forms).

Alzheimer’s is characterized by the presence of abnormal structures within the brain which are believed to damage and kill nerve cells.

These abnormal structures are thought to play a critical role in blocking communication among nerve cells and disrupting processes that these cells normally perform.

Certain individuals with a strong family history of Dementia may be carriers of genetic mutations (in the APOE4 allele) which predispose them to the earlier onset and more rapid progression.

Vascular Dementia occurs when vessels that supply blood to the brain become blocked or narrowed, whereas a “stroke”, takes place when the supply of blood carrying oxygen to the brain is suddenly cut off.

Vascular Dementia can occur over time as “silent” mini-strokes pile up.

With the exception of Alzheimer’s caused by genetic mutations; experts believe that Alzheimer’s, like other common chronic diseases, develops as a result of multiple factors rather than a single cause.

Generally speaking, identified risk factors for dementia include depression, diabetes, physical inactivity, hypertension, obesity, smoking, high cholesterol, coronary heart disease, renal dysfunction, and low unsaturated fat intake.

What can be done?

For every downside, there is an equally opportunistic upside.

If you think you may be at risk of onset Dementia, many preventative measures are also available.

These include physical activity, brain-healthy nutrition, supplements, stress and sleep management, cognitive stimulation (AKA “brain gym”), correcting hypertension and curbing unhealthy habits like smoking and alcohol.

So you see, something as simple as modifying your diet and exercise regime could not only save your life but save the person you are!

If you believe you may be at risk for Dementia or a related disease and want to know how you could PREVENT having any of these diseases, you owe it to yourself to take action now!

We discuss many different hints, tips, and strategies that you can apply to your daily life and habits here in our blogs and videos.

See below for a few examples.

If you’d prefer to invest your time into something much more tailored and personalized to suit your requirements, take a look at our ProtectMyBrain Program.

Click HERE to find out if our ProtectMyBrain Dementia Prevention Program is right for you

We’d love to hear what’s on your mind.

Until next time… Live Strong. Live Well. Live BrainFit.

Top 5 Ways To Train Your Brain

Vishan S Gill — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 10:22:44 +0000

The human mind is a wondrous thing.

Just look around you at the development of technologies, economies, experiences, and interactions that could not have existed even 20 years ago.

We create things. Develop things. Turn concepts into reality.

We seek ways to improve our livelihoods and environments for the better of mankind… for the most part.

However, as we age, it becomes critically important to exercise this giant muscle sitting atop our heads, in order for it not to fail us.

The need to train our brains

Just like we need to train our bodies through physical activity, so that it doesn’t fail us, we need to be cognizant of the fact that our minds also have a “use it or lose it” quality.

In the same way, we use a treadmill or go for a brisk walk outdoors we are exercising our bodies, each time we read a book, newspaper or have to apply thought to solve problems, we are exercising our minds.

However, in the world of on-demand entertainment services like YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, etc. and the significant increase in social media platforms like Facebook, we are actively “dumbing down” the required brain power we need to exercise each day.

Real world benefits

Numerous studies have shown that cognitive stimulation in older adults, for example, reading or playing board games and other thinking games, can prevent the decline in the mental function we tend to experience.

This includes both normal age-related cognitive decline, as well as the abnormal decline of Dementia.

With all of these great reasons to keep our brain nice and sharp, we’ve listed out our Top 5 Ways To Train Your Brain, which you can implement into your daily routines and start doing TODAY!

Embrace Repetition

What is the simplest way to help yourself remember what you see?

Repetition.

For example, let’s say that you’ve just met someone for the first time:

“Hi, my name is John”

Don’t just respond with, “Nice to meet you”. Instead, say, “Nice to meet you, John.”

This simple act of repeating John’s name will significantly increase your chance of committing it to memory.
You can even add in an interesting feature that you notice to increase your memory recall about John.

For example, maybe John has a nice pair of shoes. Or a big smile. Or a striking eye color.

Looking for certain physical features or other attributes will also help your mind record this information as belonging to John, and associating them with John on the next recall.
Aim to do the same old things in different ways

This can put some people out of their comfort zones, but imagine wearing your watch on your right arm instead of your left, or swapping your hands when using cutlery.

It will seem strange at first, but in doing seemingly mundane, everyday tasks in a different way, your reengineering your neural pathways to find a new method of success in your task.
Seek out new information to learn

While we may have accumulated significant information, education, skills and for some even mastery of certain knowledge in our lifetimes, the sheer volume of things that we consciously know that we “don’t know” is a much, much larger piece.

Maybe start learning a new language. Take a vacation to somewhere you’ve never been. Preferably on the other side of the world. Where the spoken language is different from that of your own.

OK, admittedly these examples are a little extreme.

But, simply by being open to learning new things, seeking out new knowledge and experiences, and enjoying the process of doing so, it means we are constantly forcing our brains to be malleable and adaptable, resulting in ongoing higher brain activity.
Exercise.

We’ve spoken earlier in this post about needing to work our minds as well as our bodies, but the two work harmoniously.

Engaging in consistent physical activity of more than 20 minutes per day will increase blood flow to all your vital organs, and, subsequently, produce wonders for your brain.

Consistency is key here, as exercising for 20 minutes two days per week will not help you, either physically or mentally.
Our bodies are rhythmic machines, which is why so many people “get into a routine” when it comes to exercise.

We train our bodies and our minds together, so both know when it’s time to get up and get moving.

Studies show that consistent physical activity improves brain function, memory recall, creative thinking and at a neurological level, helps in the destruction to the buildup of plaques in the brain that cause cell damage.
More social, less media

Engaging in social gatherings, or even just more regular conversations with friends and loved ones will not only increase your emotional baseline but engage your mind in all aspects.

Humans are social beings. It’s baked into our DNA. The act of being together with the people we love and care for not only strengthens these relationships but requires us to utilize our brain functions faster.

Thus, the more social we are, the more brain activity we see.

This DOES NOT, however, extend to “liking” a photo of someone on Facebook or commenting on a shared post.

We need to make a conscious effort to get off our screens and tablets and use our “smartphones” for what they were originally designed for.

Phone calls.
(And yes, we see the irony in the fact you’re reading this article from your screen or tablet now.)

Brain Training Through Technology

These days we are blessed to have multi-faceted resources, allowing us to combine the ongoing support of a community, with modern tools such as computerized brain training products.

Such tools have been shown to significantly improve cognitive skills such as attention, processing speed, visual-spatial memory, and self-reported measures of everyday function.

In fact, several recent reviews reinforce the benefits of computerized brain training products in promoting healthy brain aging (1,2)

Furthermore, in people with a higher risk of Dementia (mild cognitive impairment, MCI), this type of training improves overall attention as well as working memory, learning and even psychosocial functioning (3).

We have incorporated specific brain training systems into our “Brain Gym” here at BrainFit Resorts, and through our ProtectMyBrain Program, participants experience a personalized brain training regime that has been proven to increase cognitive skills over time.

If you would like to find out more about cognitive training, and whether the ProtectMyBrain Program is right for you, click on the link below for more details.

Click HERE to find out more about the ProtectMyBrain Dementia Prevention Program by BrainFit Resorts.

Final thoughts

Do you agree with our list? Is there anything else that you do regularly that helps you to keep your mind sharp?

Why not leave us a comment below with your best-kept secret, or write to us at info@brainfitresorts.com

We hope these tips provide you with some insights and assistance to living your most brain healthy life.

If you enjoyed reading this blog, and want to see more of our articles relating to cognitive skills and training, check out the links to some of our other articles below:

Be sure to hit the SUBSCRIBE button below so we can send you new feature articles and videos just like this one, as we release them.

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We’d love to hear what’s on your mind.

Until next time… Live Strong. Live Well. Live BrainFit.

References:

How To Improve Cognitive Skills

Vishan S Gill — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 10:21:49 +0000

Cognitive skills, sometimes referred to as cognitive or brain functions, are the “tools” we use to mentally learn, remember, process and interpret the world around us.

We also use cognitive skills to evaluate, analyze, apply knowledge, reason, decide, solve problems and take actions.

While some of these abilities seem to be innate, most cognitive skills must be developed and practiced to reach their full potential.

In other words, with a little effort and experience, it is possible to become more skilled.

Click the video below to find out more.

Ongoing Training

Cognitive skills are not something that will simply improve overnight.

It takes an ongoing application of training, assessment, and consistency to achieve improvements.

Just like how when we consistently exercise our bodies do we see results, so too we will with our cognitive skills.

Think of starting cognitive training like engaging a personal trainer to get you into shape.

You need to start with a baseline assessment to understand where you currently are, and what areas need focus.

A specific training plan would need to be outlined, and an exercise regiment detailed.

Naturally, any training plan will only e as good as the end user’s level of engagement, so one’s ability to stick with it and take action is what inevitably yields results.

Online Platforms

Considering some of the available tools out there in the big, wide world of the internet, we are now in an age where many online platforms can support the types of cognitive skills training that can show real improvements in cognitive abilities over time.

Some examples include Elevate, CogniFit, and NeuroNation as some of our top picks.

Cognitive assessment and Memory test

A cognitive assessment involves a series of cognitive tasks to determine an individual’s level of cognitive function.

Such tests can be divided into several components to test skills such as:

Visual and Auditory Processing
Language Understanding
Attention (Selective, Divided or Sustained)
Memory (short and long-term)
Logic and Reasoning
Problems Solving
Processing Speed
Motor Skills

At BrainFit Resorts, our ProtectMyBrain program encompasses many of the most effective cognitive assessment methods, to give you an accurate description our your current cognitive skill level.

We will further define any potential areas of shortcoming, and give you the tools you need to increase your cognitive skills in select areas so that you will continue to improve long after your time spent with us.

If you would like to find out if the ProtectMyBrain Program might be right for you, simply click on the link below.

Click HERE to find out more about the ProtectMyBrain Dementia Prevention Program by BrainFit Resorts

We hope these tips provide you with some insights and assistance to living your most brain healthy life.

If you enjoyed reading this blog, and want to see more of our articles relating to cognitive skills and training, check out the links to some of our other articles below:

Be sure to hit the SUBSCRIBE button below so we can send you new feature articles and videos just like this one, as we release them.

[hubspot type=cta portal=5502853 id=b6abb010-c90d-42a9-a9c7-01be1dbcced9]

We’d love to hear what’s on your mind.

Until next time… Live Strong. Live Well. Live BrainFit.

Cognitive Skills Archives - Brainfit Resorts

Our Multi-Domain Approach

Is Memory Loss A Sign Of Dementia?

What causes normal memory loss?

Memory Blocks

Memory vs. Reality

Keeping Up With Information

Just scratching the surface

What Are The Main Causes of Dementia?

Dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease?

What actually causes Dementia?

What can be done?

Top 5 Ways To Train Your Brain

The need to train our brains

Real world benefits

Embrace Repetition

Aim to do the same old things in different ways

Seek out new information to learn

Exercise.

More social, less media

Brain Training Through Technology

Final thoughts

How To Improve Cognitive Skills

Ongoing Training

Online Platforms

Cognitive assessment and Memory test