FOLLOW YOUR BRAIN YOUR HEART'S AN IDIOT

The brain is not a muscle but it behaves as one. Strictly speaking and at the physical level, the brain is an organ. it's described as a muscle in the sense that it can be trained to improve various cognitive functions i.e. working memory.

Mounting research shows spending anywhere from three minutes to three days surrounded by nature can immensely benefit your health in many ways. Even the simple act of walking through a local park rather than along a city street significantly slows the flow of blood in the prefrontal cortex aka the command center of the brain.

According to a 2015 study, the experience of nature reduces rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation. Additional evidence suggests mental stimulation improves brain function and reduces the risk of cognitive decline as well as related diseases.

Mental stimulation or 'exercise' encourages the brain to grow stronger, faster, and improve its ability to complete the millions of daily tasks from memory to problem solving to attention, not to mention controlling every aspect of the rest of the body.

Here are a few easy ways to exercise your brain every day:

1. Engage in intellectually stimulating conversations and brainstorm solutions to challenging life problems.

2. Read a book in order to stimulate the imagination. In this way, our brain creates mental images that better explain the story.

3. Learn a second or third language! Not only is it mentally taxing (in a tremendous way), you'll be prepared for travel ventures!

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