8 illnesses that are connected to the brain and the nervous system are meningitis, brain tumors, Bell's Palsy, stroke, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis.
Alzheimer's disease is a brain disorder which affects your thinking, memory and behavior.
Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder which causes stiffness, slowness and tremors.
Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease that attacks the central nervous system and causes various neurological symptoms.
Epilepsy is a neurological condition that causes seizures as a result of abnormal brain activity.
Stroke is where blood flow to the brain is disrupted and is a medical emergency.
Bell's palsy is a condition that causes sudden paralysis or weakness of facial muscles on one side of your face.
Brain tumors are abnormal growths within your brain.
And Cerebral palsy is a condition that affects your movement and coordination as a result of brain damage.
The #1 worst eating habit for memory loss is eating a lot of sugary foods and drinking a lot of sugary drinks.
Sugar foods and sugary drinks cause excess glucose or blood sugar in the brain which can impair your memory.
Sugary drinks also often contain high fructose corn syrup that can lead to insulin resistance in your brain.
Sugary drinks such as energy drinks, sodas and sports drinks can also cause memory problems and be bad for your overall health.
A high sugar diet can also increase brain inflammation and impair your memory.
Other foods that are bad for your memory are foods high in salt, foods made with processed and industrial seed oils, microwave popcorn, foods with artificial sweeteners, alcohol, highly processed foods and foods high in trans fat.
You can boost your memory by staying physically active, doing problem solving and challenging your brain such as through mathematics, doing puzzles, learning new skills, doing memory techniques such as mnemonics and eating a brain healthy diet such as fatty fish, vegetables, fruits and healthy fats.
Practicing meditation, staying focused and repeating information can also help you boost your memory.
Using your brain often to solve problems can help keep your brain healthy and help you improve your memory.
Getting regular exercise also boosts the growth of new brain cells as well as the production of neurotransmitters and enhances memory.
Doing a mix of aerobic or cardio and strength exercises can improve brain health and even help improve blood flow to the brain.
Taking brain supplements can also help boost your memory.
The #1 brain supplement is fish oil supplements as they are a great source of docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid.
These are 2 types of omega 3 fatty acids which have been linked with many health benefits including improved brain health.
A natural amino acid known as L-theanine also has the potential for improving brain health and mental performance and especially when it's combined with caffeine such as coffee.
The drink that increases brain power is coffee as a result of the caffeine.
Other drinks that can increase brain power is green tea due to the L-theanine and beetroot juice which improves blood flow to your brain.
Orange juice is rich in Vitamin C and B Vitamins and turmeric lattes can also help boost brain power.
Blueberries and blueberry juice can also boost and increase brain power and keep the brain healthy.
You can know if your brain is OK by tracking your memory, mood and focus and by doing and taking cognitive tests.
Cognitive tests are one of the best ways of knowing if your brain is OK and how well it functions.
The signs that your brain is OK and healthy include you can think clearly and learn new things, you can move your body and balance okay, you can understand and also respond to emotions, you can sense any pressure, pain and temperature, you can make good decisions and solve problems, you have a good emotional balance and can interact with others.
Signs that your brain may not be OK include you're forgetful more often, you have trouble concentrating and focusing, you have poor judgement, you have difficulty sleeping, you have trouble with managing stress, you have low motivation, you have trouble following instructions or you have trouble finding your way around and getting lost a lot more than normal.
Taking a cognitive screening assessment test such as the MoCA and MMSE test can help you determine your brain health.
Tracking your focus and productivity and keeping a journal or using an app to track your mood and stress can also help you determine your brain function.
The best exercise for the brain are activities that challenge the mind and helps you learn new skills.
These exercises for the brain include learning new languages, physical activity and even games.
Staying physically active including through Aerobic exercise, mind body exercise are all good for the body and the brain.
To activate your brain you can challenge the brain with new skills and new information.
You can try learning a new language, reading, playing games, doing mental arithmetic, puzzles, learning to code etc.
Puzzles such as crossword puzzles, word finds, jigsaw puzzles and Sudoku are good for activating the brain and keeping you mentally fit.
Playing games like bridge, chess, computer games or bingo can also help activate the brain and keep it healthy.
Doing mental math instead of using a calculator can also keep the brain healthy and activate it.
Learning a language can improve memory, visual spatial skills and creativity and keep the brain healthy and active as well.
The brain can also heal itself overtime from anxiety and stress and overcoming anxiety disorder and panic and stress can help to repair your brain and return your brain to it's normal healthy state.
The brain can also repair itself from stress due to neuroplasticity but only to a certain extent.
The brain has the ability to rewire the neural pathways and adapt to new experiences and allows for some recovery from the effects of stress.
The brain can do better at repairing itself from stress when you implement stress management techniques and reduce your stress through social connection, meditation and exercise.
The amount of repair of the brain from stress will depend on the severity and duration of the stress.
Significant chronic stress can cause lasting changes in the brain function and brain structure.
Brain cells do regenerate but only to a certain extent.
Your brain cells regenerate through a process called neurogenesis.
Neurogenesis occurs in specific regions of your brain like the hippocampus and the olfactory bulb throughout your life.
The neurogenesis process is also facilitated by neural stem cells that reside inside the brain and have the potential to divide and differentiate into new neurons and other brain cells.
The brain can also repair itself to a certain extent depending in injury.
In response to a brain injury, the neural stem cells of the brain can become activated and produce new cells in order to replace any damaged ones.
This process of producing new stem cells is called regenerative neurogenesis.
However neurogenesis is limited in it's ability, scope and efficiency.
And the amount of new cells generated through neurogenesis is often small when compared to the total number of brain cells.
And any newly formed neurons may not always function perfectly or integrate fully into the existing neural network of the brain.
Age, genetics, exercise, diet and environmental factors also play a role in the ability of the brain cells to regenerate and repair itself.