Health,Wellness &FitnessGuide

DR. KAPLAN: Try something new

The brain does not like it if you are always doing the same thing.

Oone of the top three ways to improve memory is to perform novel or new activities. Many people are at home, sitting and working on the computer, sitting on the couch watching Netflix, sitting while playing video games, sitting while playing on social media, sitting while watching the news, sitting while browsing the internet, and and sitting while scrolling through their iPads. They are rarely learning new things.

If you want to improve your memory and focus, and prevent dementia and Alzheimerʼs disease, you must start doing new things, change up the things you already are doing, and do stuff that your brain is not used to doing.

I suggest you challenge your brain in different ways every single day. On Monday, do a word jumble, on Tuesday do a maze, on Wednesday do a crossword puzzle, on Thursday play Sudoku, on Friday play board games, on Saturday play cards, and on Sunday complete a jigsaw puzzle.

Every week try at least one new game that you have never played before because it will require using different areas of the brain.

It is very important to take care of our brains and learn new activities to ensure proper activation and create the most synaptic connections to function at the highest level.

As a result, your brain will undergo a process called neuroplas- ticity and that will help prevent dementia, stroke, Alzheimerʼs disease, Parkinsonʼs disease, ADD, autism, headaches, dizziness, concussion and even Covid-19 long haulerʼs syndrome. Unfortunately, many of the long haulers have neurological symptoms such as brain fog, confusion, memory loss, loss of smell, headaches, trouble focusing, and changes in behavior. These long haulers have been getting a lot of improvement, in addition to more energy, better sleep, better digestion, better memory, and better skin after using the hyperbaric oxygen chamber (HBOT) in our Emerson office.

The HBOT is a machine that fills up with oxygen and increases the oxygen flow into the cells by changing the pressure inside the machine. Many professional athletes have been using this therapy for years, and now, many hospitals have started incorporating the HBOT therapy because it is so successful with helping people improve their health.

People with diabetes, obesity, and heart disease can change their health and their outcomes with improving their exercise routine.

Physical exercise is necessary for the brain and body, but also make sure you “switch it up.” It would be great to jog 1 mile one day, run a half a mile one day, sprint a hundred yard dash one day, take a long walk one day, power walk one day, hike one day, bike one day, swim one day, row a boat one day, and rollerblade one day.

It is also good to keep changing up the routine with weights, bands, or balls.

If I were to invest in an exercise machine it would be the rowing machine, the best workout that uses the most important muscle groups while causing the least strain on the joints. If you donʼt want to get a machine or go the gym, there are