5 Ways to Increase Brain Power

Ever since I saw the movie Limitless, starring Bradley Cooper, I've been obsessed with the idea of using your brain to its fullest potential. More specifically, the ability to remember everything you have ever learned, and be able to communicate that information quickly, effectively, and charmingly. So after years of trying to make myself limitless and chasing this peak mental performance, I've discovered that some of the most effective things that will help you get there are actually simple daily habits you can start implementing right away. So let's just cut to the chase. Here are five habits that you can start implementing today that will help you become limitless in real life.

 

1. Learn Broadly and Thoroughly.

 

What I mean by that is don't just read self-improvement books. If you want to be somebody who has just a mass of useful, relevant information, you have to expand your horizons. Read books about the cold war, Bitcoin, the stock exchange, ancient civilizations. Start getting some hands-on experience with repairing vehicles, repairing electronics, cooking good food by really pushing yourself to expand the subjects that you learn. Not only is that useful for you in your own life, but people will start looking at you like you're the most interesting man in the world.

 

The second part of this tip is to learn thoroughly. They say that you only need to read three books in a particular subject to know more about that subject than 99% of the population. Although this isn't concrete Science. It makes sense. A lot of people in this day and age don't have the patience or focus to get through one book from beginning to end. Let alone three books. So if you are someone who reads three books on a particular subject, you'll be an expert in that subject compared to most people on the planet. Also, when you read these books, make sure to pay attention. Don't be multitasking as you're reading. You might even want to bring a highlighter or a pencil, or if you don't want to mark up your book, bring a note pad.

So you can write down some of your thoughts on a chapter you just read. If you want to become limitless, reading isn't just an activity to pass the time. You're trying to soak in useful information that you can use in the future for when it's relevant.

 

2. Talk About New Ideas

 

Tip number two is to talk to somebody about the things you are learning and the books you are reading. So for the longest time, I'm talking several years; I was trying to teach myself how to be conversational in Spanish.

But every time I talk to somebody who actually knew conversational Spanish, I made the biggest fool of myself, but that all changed in the university. When I took two semesters of Spanish. And it wasn't because I spent a long time with my nose pressed in a book memorizing vocabulary because I've done that before. But the biggest game-changer was these conversation times that we had two to three times a week in Spanish in which the professor forced us for 20 or 30 minutes each lesson to implement all the vocabulary and new things we learned into our conversations with our classmates. As soon as the conversation went stale, we switched classmates and we just talked and talked.

In this process of soaking in information, thinking about it and then trying to use it in real life is integral. That is the full learning process. If you just do step one and you just read and read, it'll stay in your head and it will never come out. So if you really want to be somebody who is just overflowing with useful information, you have to practice not only the input of information but also the output of information. This is as easy as just talking to a friend for 30 or 40 seconds about a drink coffee or something like that. Just be like, "Hey, I've been reading this book and there's a concept in it that I find really fascinating." And hopefully, if you have a friend who's willing to actually talk about interesting ideas, that will spark a conversation and you can further reflect on the information and form new ideas around it. You can also join a book club or Toastmasters. Just anything that will help you communicate the information that you're putting in.

 

 

3. Learn to Meditate

 

Now if you're somebody who still hasn't tried meditation or you're kind of weirded out because you think it's some sort of Eastern Zen kind of; something to do with Chakras and spirit animals and stuff like that. That is not how meditation has to be. And my version of meditation is almost like a breathing exercise. It's more like a tool that helps me focus the longer the day goes on. I get completely scatterbrained. I'm such a multitasker, and I think of a million things in a million different directions all at once. So if I'm presented with a book or one single article editing task or something like that, it's very hard for me to focus on that one thing because my brain is just everywhere.

The way I collect myself is by this very simple meditation that I do. I just set a timer for five minutes. Doesn't have to take forever close my eyes. I breathe in and out very slowly for five minutes and I focus all my attention on my breath. I just bring all of my consciousness into my body instead of my mind.

That way, when the five minutes are up, I'm no longer scattered. I'm just in one place, and I can use that super collected state of mind to dive into the task that I need to dive into. My attention is now completely on that thing. It just does wonders for the input and output of information.

 

 4. Reduce Social Media Use

 

I love technology. But when it comes to social media, I'm a lot more skeptical. Especially something like Instagram when you have a discover feed or main news feed or something like that. When you're endlessly scrolling through the explore page on Instagram, you're practically turning your rational brain off and your primal brain on. And you become sort of this entity who only responds to what will give them the biggest dopamine rush like a hot girl or somebody getting whipped in the back with a pool noodle. I can't think of one good reason to enter into that kind of state. It's completely useless and it makes focusing on more complex tasks really difficult. Social media is a great tool for communication and getting messages across. I use social media all the time, but I really try to limit any time on the explore page, anytime where I'm just kind of turning my brain off and becoming a stimulus sponge.

 

5. Take Care of Your Body

 

This includes things like going to bed at a good hour, waking up at a good time, staying hydrated, eating well, getting exercise. Your brain is an organ in the body. So what's good for the body is also good for the brain. There's no point in practicing the previous four tips unless you get this one right. Because what good is putting information into an information machine if that machine is rusty, ill-maintained, and smells like Doritos. So physical fitness is a great way to increase your IQ.

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5 Amazing Benefits of Meditation

For many years people have been practicing meditation for their spiritual, emotional, and physical well being. But there are people in the world who do not know about the benefits of meditation. And if you are one of them then you should start practicing meditation. Meditation provides you many benefits. So we are going to learn about 5 amazing benefits of meditation in this article. Now let's begin.

 

1. Slower Ageing

As you age, your body gets slower and you start to lose your edge. But meditation can slow down the aging process in your brain. This comes from a 2015 study from UCLA. They found that long-term meditators had healthier brains than non-meditators. By meditating regularly, those people developed more gray matter.

And their brain volume stayed far more consistent. In other words, meditation held back many of the most detrimental effects of aging in the brain, awarding them a healthier, more productive mind for years to come.

 

2. Perception of Pain

Meditation is more than just a mental process. If you practice meditation regularly, you can reduce both mental and physical pain. Let's say you took a long hike yesterday, and your legs are aching. Is there anything you can do to minimize that pain? Well, meditation may do the trick. This was discovered in 2011 by a study in the Journal of Neuroscience. They found that meditation directly impacts pain mechanisms in your brain because the pain in many ways is a mental process.

While the injury isn't something you can control; your experience of that injury takes place in your brain. So if you can control your mental states, you may be able to control your pain too.

3. Finding Your Flow State

Have you ever been so absorbed in your work you forgot the outside world even existed?

This state of mind goes by a few different names. Some call it the zone; others say absolute focus, but most call this a flow state. It's a short period when you're 100% focused on one specific thing. Most people just can't snap in and out of this flow state whenever they want. But meditation makes that transition a whole lot easier by practicing mindfulness.

You can isolate yourself in any environment, and you can focus the entirety of your attention on small tasks like breathing. Regular meditators are amazing at this kind of attentional isolation which can boost, their concentration, their performance, and their time in a state of flow.

 

4. Unexpected Happiness

The next major benefit of meditation hits you when you least expect it. According to a 2008 study in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, many people who meditate experience a small boost in their mood. It's one of the most reliable ways to increase well-being and quality of life. But here's the part most people don't expect; meditation can also help you find happiness in the world around you. Frequent meditators view people and places in a new light. Their meditation helps them discover a new perspective. They find joy in small unexpected events and they learn to appreciate everything that life has to offer.

 

5. Social Gratitude

Gratitude comes naturally when you meditate. You'll begin discovering the value in many other things you once took for granted, especially the people who matter the most in your life. Meditation provides a new-found appreciation for the connections you've made and the bonds you've built. You may even reflect on all the ways your life has been shaped by your relationships for better or for worse. As you discover yourself and learn to live in the moment, you can truly enjoy the time you spend with your friends and loved ones. You see, they're so focused on making new friends. They never developed the ones they have. So by meditating regularly, you can learn to value the people in your life and appreciate the power of real human connection.

ध्यान(Meditation) के 5 अद्भुत फ़ायदे।

 

कई वर्षों से लोग अपने आध्यात्मिक, भावनात्मक और शारीरिक कल्याण के लिए ध्यान का अभ्यास कर रहे हैं। लेकिन दुनिया में ऐसे लोग भी हैं जो ध्यान के लाभों के बारे में नहीं जानते हैं। और अगर आप उनमें से एक हैं तो आपको अभी से ध्यान का अभ्यास शुरू कर देना चाहिए। ध्यान आपको कई लाभ प्रदान करता है। तो हम इस लेख में ध्यान के 5 आश्चर्यजनक लाभों के बारे में जानने जा रहे हैं । चलिए अब शुरू करते हैं।

 

1. धीमी उम्र

जैसे-जैसे आपकी उम्र बढ़ती है, आपका शरीर धीमा होता जाता है और आप अपनी धार खोने लगते हैं। लेकिन ध्यान आपके मस्तिष्क में उम्र बढ़ने की प्रक्रिया को धीमा कर सकता है। 2015 में एक अध्ययन किया गया और उन्होंने पाया कि लंबे समय तक ध्यान करने वालों में गैर- ध्यानी की तुलना में स्वस्थ दिमाग था। नियमित रूप से ध्यान करने से उन लोगों का दिमाग़ अधिक विकसित पाया गया। और उनके मस्तिष्क की मात्रा कहीं अधिक सुसंगत रही। दूसरे शब्दों में कहा जाये तो, ध्यान ने मस्तिष्क में उम्र बढ़ने के सबसे हानिकारक प्रभावों में से कई को नष्ट किया और उन्हें आने वाले वर्षों के लिए एक स्वस्थ, अधिक उत्पादक मस्तिष्क प्रदान किया।

 

2. दर्द की धारणा

ध्यान सिर्फ एक मानसिक प्रक्रिया से कहीं अधिक है। यदि आप नियमित रूप से ध्यान का अभ्यास करते है, तो आप मानसिक और शारीरिक दोनों तरह के दर्द को कम कर सकते हैं। मान लीजिए कि आपने कल एक लंबी पद यात्रा की, और आपके पैर दर्द कर रहे है। क्या आप कुछ भी करके अपने उस दर्द को कम कर सकते हैं? 2011 में जर्नल ऑफ न्यूरोसाइंस के एक अध्ययन से पता चला था कि ध्यान सीधे आपके मस्तिष्क में दर्द तंत्र को प्रभावित करता है। क्योंकि कई तरीकों से दर्द एक मानसिक प्रक्रिया है। जबकि चोट में ऐसा नहीं है जिसे आप नियंत्रित कर सकते हैं। उस चोट का आपका अनुभव आपके मस्तिष्क में होता है। इसलिए यदि आप अपनी मानसिक स्थिति को नियंत्रित कर सकते हैं, तो आप अपने दर्द को भी नियंत्रित करने में सक्षम हो सकते हैं।

3. अपनी प्रवाह स्थिति का पता लगाना 

क्या आप कभी अपने काम में इतने तल्लीन हो जाते है कि आप बाहरी दुनिया को भूल जाते है?

मन की यह स्थिति कुछ अलग नामों से जानी जाती है। कुछ इसे ज़ोन कहते हैं; अन्य लोग पूर्ण ध्यान कहते हैं, लेकिन अधिकांश इसे प्रवाह की स्थिति कहते हैं। यह एक छोटी अवधि है जब आप एक विशिष्ट चीज़ पर 100% केंद्रित होते हैं। ज्यादातर लोग इस प्रवाह स्थिति से बहार नहीं निकल पाते।लेकिन ध्यान मन को अभ्यास करके उस परिवर्तन को पूरी तरह से आसान बना देता है।

आप अपने आप को किसी भी वातावरण में अलग कर सकते हैं, और आप अपना ध्यान सांस लेने जैसे छोटे कार्यों पर केंद्रित कर सकते हैं। इस तरह के चौकस अलगाव में नियमित ध्यान लगाने वाले अद्भुत हैं जो अपनी एकाग्रता, अपना प्रदर्शन और प्रवाह की स्थिति में बढ़ावा कर सकते हैं ।

4. अनपेक्षित ख़ुशी

ध्यान का अगला प्रमुख लाभ आपको तब मिलता है जब आप कम से कम इसकी उम्मीद करते हैं। एनाल्स ऑफ बिहेवियरल मेडिसिन में 2008 के एक अध्ययन के अनुसार , बहुत से लोग जो अपने मनोदशा में एक छोटे से बढ़ावा का अनुभव करते हैं। यह जीवन की भलाई और गुणवत्ता को बढ़ाने के सबसे विश्वसनीय तरीकों में से एक है। लेकिन यहाँ पर अधिकांश लोगों की अपेक्षा नहीं है की ऐसा भी हो सकता है; ध्यान आपके आस-पास की दुनिया में खुशी पाने में भी मदद कर सकता है। बार-बार ध्यान करने वाले लोग एक नई रोशनी में लोगों और स्थानों को देखते हैं। उनका ध्यान उन्हें एक नया दृष्टिकोण खोजने में मदद करता है। उन्हें छोटी-छोटी अप्रत्याशित घटनाओं में खुशी मिलती है और वे हर उस चीज की सराहना करना सीखते हैं जो जीवन को पेश करनी होती है।

 

5. सामाजिक आभार

जब आप ध्यान करते हैं तो आभार स्वाभाविक रूप से आता है। आप एक बार दी गई कई अन्य चीजों में मूल्य की खोज करना शुरू कर देंगे, विशेष रूप से वे लोग जो आपके जीवन में सबसे ज्यादा मायने रखते हैं। ध्यान आपके द्वारा किए गए जुड़ाव और आपके द्वारा बनाए गए सम्बंध के लिए एक नई सराहना प्रदान करता है। आप अपने जीवन को उन सभी तरीकों पर भी प्रतिबिंबित कर सकते हैं जिन्हें आपके रिश्तों ने बेहतर या बदतर के लिए आकार दिया है। जैसा कि आप खुद को खोजते हैं और पल में जीना सीखते हैं, आप अपने दोस्तों और प्रियजनों के साथ सही समय का आनंद ले सकते हैं। आप देखतें हैं , वे नए दोस्त बनाने पर ध्यान केंद्रित कर रहे हैं। उन्होंने कभी पहले ऐसा अनुभव नहीं किया। इसलिए नियमित रूप से ध्यान लगाने से, आप अपने जीवन में लोगों को महत्व देना सीख सकते हैं और वास्तविक मानव संबंध की शक्ति की सराहना कर सकते हैं।

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Benefits of Vitamin C

Vitamin C as an Effective Antioxidant

Vitamin C is one of the most important antioxidants that protect molecules from free radical damage. These molecules include DNA, RNA, proteins, fats, blood. This means Vitamin C (along with other antioxidants) helps protect against cancer and other degenerative diseases.

Vitamin C Strengthens the Immune System

Our body’s immune cells have a high concentration of Vitamin C, but it is quickly depleted when infected. Therefore, taking Vitamin C before a cold can help to reduce your chance of catching a cold. Unfortunately, Vitamin C is not known to help cure the common cold but can help to reduce further complications.

Vitamin C as an Antihistamine

An allergy is when the body overreacts and releases histamines to fight harmless substances like pollen, dust, and many more. And many people face allergies in the springtime. The most common method of relief is antihistamine pills. It has been found that Vitamin C in high doses (500 mg per day) helps to reduce the release of histamines in the blood by destroying the molecular structure of the imidazole ring of the histamine molecule.

Vitamin C Manages the Results of Stress

In today’s busy world, everyone of all ages is faced with ever-increasing amounts of stress. Vitamin C is a nutrient that is highly sensitive to stress. This means Vitamin C is lost when you are stressed, thereby reducing the efficiency of your immune system. A healthy dose of Vitamin C to your system can help to restore such deficiencies.

Vitamin C Repairs Body Tissues

It has also been found that higher concentrations of Vitamin C can positively affect cells in your body. It promotes growth development and repair of body tissues. This means a smaller chance of skin wrinkles, skin dryness, and skin aging. Vitamin C is also required for the production of collagen, a main structural protein in skin, bones, connective tissues (ligaments and tendons) and blood.

Tags: antihistamine, antioxidant, body tissues, collagen, immune system, stress, vitamin c