mymidlifegapyear: About Neuroplasticity…or keeping that brain alive!

Dan Siegel, a Clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA School of Medicine has been studying human behaviour and the brain for decades. He says there are 6 things that assist the brain to keep learning and adapting and functioning optimally.

(and don’t we all want that?)

Check his website http://drdansiegel.com/ or read his books including Mindsight

His 6 tips for Neuroplasticity which have been validated by extensive research are;

Aerobic exercise
Good sleep
Omega 3’s and Gingko
Novelty
Caring relationships, and
The close paying of attention- mindful meditation

I am happy to say that based on the above my brain is just firing today!

I have just come back from a bike ride, along the beach and into a neighbouring town. (Aerobic exercise) tick !

I had a good night’s sleep (last night I moved into a new temporary home right across the road from the sea. My hosts know how much I love the water and offered for me to stay here a few days…I woke up this morning relaxed and energised. (Good sleep) Tick!

Omega 3’s are very much part of my Mediterranean diet at the moment. Coincidentally I was looking at Gingko in a health food store yesterday but the euro price was pretty scary so (Omega 3’s) half a tick!

Omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids: They are necessary for human health but the body can' t make them -- you have to get them through food. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in fish, such as salmon, tuna, and halibut, other seafood including algae and krill, some plants, and nut oils. Also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), omega-3 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function as well as normal growth and development. They have also become popular because they may reduce the risk of heart disease. Doctors recommends eating fish (particularly fatty fish such as mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon) at least 2 times a week.

Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and may help lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. Omega-3 fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain and appear to be important for cognitive (brain memory and performance) and behavioral function. In fact, infants who do not get enough omega-3 fatty acids from their mothers during pregnancy are at risk for developing vision and nerve problems. Symptoms of omega-3 fatty acid deficiency include fatigue, poor memory, dry skin, heart problems, mood swings or depression, and poor circulation.

(The Mediterranean diet, has a healthier balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Many studies have shown that people who follow this diet are less likely to develop heart disease. The Mediterranean diet does not include much meat (which is high in omega-6 fatty acids) and emphasizes foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, including whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, olive oil, garlic, as well as moderate wine consumption.

4 Those of you who know me well, know that although I love my rituals, I also love variety. I get bored easily and enjoy doing different things every day. I am so glad that the research endorses this practice as being good for my brain! If you want to look after those neurons, but it is not possible to change your schedule, you can try doing the same things in a different way. For example, this morning I still exercised, but I did it differently (on a bike instead of walking) and I went in a different direction to the one I went yesterday. If you enjoy going to the same restaurant or holiday spot keep doing that, but (for your brain’s sake at least) try sitting in a different spot or varying your timetable. Novelty. Big tick!

5 I am very blessed to have many caring relationships. It is those relationships that have helped to sustain me through

past and recent difficult times. Although I enjoy my own company a lot, and am very independent I also appreciate and need the intimacy and affection that true friendships provide. Knowing that I am seen, heard and felt, that I have impact and matter to other people is important to me. Scientists tell us that as social animals, our brains are hard-wired for connection. Hearing from a dear friend in Australia yesterday who took the time to tell me something that she knew would make me feel good and being able to share my joy and vulnerability with her was priceless. Talking to my family and receiving messages and emails reminds me of those connections.

Caring relationships. Big Tick!

6 It has been a daily practice for me, for many years now, to pause, even briefly…and switch into awareness, to notice what is going on in my body, my heart, my mind and my spirit. This simple practice helps me regain equilibrium and perspective and appreciate the many things I am grateful for. It helps me to reconnect, with myself, with others, with nature and with the world in general. It is in my “being” that I tap into that creative and wise part of myself that eludes me when I allow myself to get stressed. For years I have been teaching a chocolate meditation (you can also be mindful while eating other things, drinking wine, doing chores, having sex or making love, shaving, putting on make up, exercising, having a shower…pretty much every activity can be done mindfully) and I was talking to an alternative doctor here who practices a kind of homeopathic acupuncture called Mesotherapy. She treats her patients from a whole body perspective, often suggesting an holistic approach to wellbeing. She told me that she teaches her “housewives” to make tomato sauce mindfully! As they prepare the rich sauce which will be served with their home-made pasta, the women are encouraged to tune in to their senses; inhale the rich smell of sweet, just picked ripe tomatoes, and later the sauce as it is cooking, feel the soft pulp squeeze through their fingers and the dense consistency as their wooden spoon stirs the pot, lose themselves in the vibrant colour, flavour, smell and feel and sound of this versatile ingredient which is such a critical component of Southern Italian cuisine. I can just imagine all those Nigellaesque women with their naturally full lips and bosoms dipping their fingers into their pots to taste the sauce for salt and wiping their hands on a well used apron!

getting around on my borrowed bike like one of the locals...joyously no helmets required (I know , I know...but it's not the same)

nothing like picking your own fresh veggies and herbs...lettuce, broccolini, onion, garlic, chillies, rosemary, basil, parlsley...figs will be ripe in a few weeks

my new home for a few days!

fresh anchovies, cleaned, washed in wine vinegar, then sprinkled with salt, fresh lemon juice and olive oil , fresh chilli and parsley...wait 2 hours and then eat with crusty bread and local wine! sashimi Italian style..yuummmm!