One of the best things you can do to keep sharp everyday at the office as well as reduce your risk for memory loss is to keep physically active. Studies support the benefits of regular exercise across the brain health board. In fact, of all the lifestyle changes we suggest for boosting brain health, physical activity is probably the most substantially supported and best understood.

One of the questions I am asked most often is what kinds of physical activities boost brain power. While most of the research has focused on the benefits of aerobic activity, there are a small but interesting number of studies looking at things such as strength training that has also shown benefit. Such exercises help us build endurance as well, which can in turn lead to longer and more beneficial aerobic workouts. Other complex activities, such as juggling or ballroom dancing (or even Dance Dance Revolution!) have been associated with better memory performance. In addition, I am a big fan of activities such as yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi, which can boost daily performance in a completely different way by retraining us to sustain focus and concentration and reduce stress.

Today’s tip asks you to mix up your exercise routine. Too often we can fall into an exercise rut, and by doing so lose out on ways we can keep both our bodies and our minds more challenged.  Chances are you have a favorite exercise you turn to regularly, be it walking, running, tennis or swimming. Take a few minutes to think about trying something out of your regular exercise routine that will force you to cross-train. Best bets include attention building activities such as yoga, or something that makes you think and move at the same time (and perhaps even socialize), such as a fast paced dance oriented class (try Zumba!).

Want a solid strategy for keeping your exercise routine brain healthy? Check out Dr. Green’s book (with the editors of Prevention Magazine) Brainpower Game Plan, a 30 day detailed program of diet, exercise and brain training.

Happy mixing!

Feeling stressed at work today? Or every day? Often the pressure we feel at work can quickly lead to distress and a constant state of feeling overwhelmed. This kind of chronic stress can affect our daily intellectual performance, making it harder for us to stay sharp and function effectively. There is even evidence in the research to suggest that dealing with these levels of stress over our lifetime may increase our risk for serious memory loss.

While stress may be part of your job, there are steps you can take to balance that pressure and keep yourself on an even keel. Today I want you to try a simple yoga breathing exercise, called Lion’s Breath, that can help you de-stress in just moments.

For this exercise, I’d like you to sit comfortably in your chair, with both feet on the floor and your hands resting comfortably in your lap or on your thighs. Start by taking a deep breath, breathing deep into your belly. Then as you exhale, stick out your tongue and exhale with a bit of force, feeling and hearing the air move out against the back of your throat. You may even make a bit of a sound as you force the air out along your throat, saying “ha” (assuming you have some privacy to do so).  Repeat these steps for a few breaths. When you are done, notice how you feel. Chances are that you will feel more alert, back in focus and even more relaxed.

Today’s tip is guaranteed to rev up your recall for things you absolutely have to remember, such names, codes or passwords.

The Storytelling Technique is a great way we can make anything more meaningful and easier to remember. What do you need to do? Simply make up a short, one-line story to help you learn and recall whatever it is you need to remember. Meeting Sam Waterford? Think “Sam forded the water” to make that name more memory-able. Need to remember the license plate of your rental car? Just convert “NZ110C” into a little ditty that is hard to forget – perhaps “In New Zealand it is 110 degrees Celsius.” Keep in mind that the more unusual or odd your story is, the more effective it will be.

Give Storytelling a try throughout the day today. If you like this strategy, keep practicing to perfect it so that it becomes a routine brain boosting habit.

Want to learn more about Storytelling and some other memory strategies you can use at the office? Check out Total Memory Workout for our complete memory strategy program.

Today is Sunday, a day when many of us get ahead on our cooking for the work week. Why not take the time today to cook up a brain healthy and easy chicken curry?

Studies have suggested that one of the main ingredients in curry, turmeric, may have properties that reduce inflammation and promote healthy aging. Turmeric is a spice commonly used in Indian and South Asian cuisine. Often found in curries, it is a great spice to add to your diet and cooking repertoire.

I’m happy to share this fool-proof recipe for Chicken Curry. Its a real favorite in our family, and makes great leftovers for lunch at the office over the next few days.  I learned the original recipe from our close family friend Cathy, and have added my own touches over the years! Warning: The recipe does contain peanut butter. For those with allergies, you can easily substitute an alternative or leave out the peanut butter.

Chicken Peanut Curry

(serves 4) Preheat oven to 350°

Ingredients:

Boneless and skinless chicken breasts, 4-6

1 cup Dijon or seeded mustard

1 cup honey

1 Tablespoon curry powder

1 Tablespoon peanut butter

¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped

- Rinse and pat dry chicken breasts. Place in lightly oiled baking dish.

- In a separate bowl, mix together the mustard, honey, curry powder and cilantro.

- Pour the mixture over the chicken, spreading evenly to coat all the meat.

- Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven.

- Carefully tilt the pan to one side, so that the sauce gathers to one area. Add the peanut butter to the sauce, mixing throughly with a fork so that the peanut butter melts into the sauce.

- Turn the chicken and resdistribute the sauce evenly. Return the dish to the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Not a regular Julia Child? No worries! Try ordering in curry for dinner tonight from a local Indian restaurant, or trying some for lunch at the office tomorrow.

Happy Saturday! Today we’re going to try a new way to soothe your spirits.

Lavender has been shown in studies to decrease agitation and enhance our sense of calm and well-being. It can also be useful as a natural sleep aid, as it has been shown to help promote better sleep. In fact, lavender is a big hit in our family, where we use it every night prior to bed. My school age daughter loves the calming effects, and it is a favorite part of our nightly ritual.

Take some time today to try some lavender. Look for high-grade essential lavender oil, which you can usually find at health food or similar stores. Good online sources for these high quality oils include Amrita (currently running a sale on wild lavender oil) and Young Living. There are several ways to benefit from your use of lavender oil. At first, you may wish to try taking a gentle whiff of the oil, and see how your body reacts. Do you notice a shift in your mood? If your reaction is positive (and your skin is not too sensitive), try applying some of the oil to your pulse points or chest prior to going to bed. You can also dilute the oil into high quality light oil, also available from these retailers.

After trying the lavender oil this weekend, think about ways you can bring it to the office next week. You can also look for items such as good quality lavender diffusers or candles (which may or may not work at your office setting).

Today’s tip gives you a surefire strategy to boost your ability to remember names.

Learning names can be one of the most challenging memory tasks we face at work. I often joke to my clients that remembering names is a bit like a pop quiz for the brain – we have little time to learn the information, and not much warning when we need the name again! There’s even more pressure on us to get that name right the first time at the office, where that personal touch of getting someone’s right the first time can really matter.

We can all boost our brain power for names by using simple strategies to make names more memorable. These strategies, based on techniques that have been around for centuries, help us in two significant ways: First, they hone our focus on the name; Second, they make the name easier to recall by making it more meaningful to us.

One of my favorite name-getting strategies is Connections. In Connections, you simply make a link between the name you are learning and someone or something that you already know. For example, if you meeting someone named Bernard, you might think of a St. Bernard, a favorite restaurant called Bernard’s, or even a long lost cousin named – you guessed it! Bernard.

Try Connections today at least 3 times. Practice it as you meet a new customer, are greeted by your server at lunch (since they often tell you their name), or chat with someone new on the phone. Keep in mind that practice definitely makes perfect when it comes to memory strategies. You’ll get the biggest boost for your memory power by making strategies such as Connections a regular habit.

Want to learn more about how memory strategies work or try other techniques to rev up your recall for names? Check out my Total Memory Workout program, which has a whole session devoted just to this topic (as well as 6 other easy strategies to ban name dropping from your work life).