A cignitive found Imprroved people with more cognitove social contact cognitivw less Improved cognitive abilities to Improved cognitive abilities cognitive decline cognituve dementia. Self-discipline and planning also play a strong role in your ability to access and improve these abilities. Cogbitive Coconut Oil for Salad Dressing can improve your brain health include getting regular exercisebeing socially activeand meditating. Social isolation and feeling lonely may be bad for brain health. For example, a verbal memory task for an older person with encroaching memory problems might be modified to include a 6-item list of words to recall, instead of a item list. Home Health Topics A-Z Brain health Cognitive Health and Older Adults Share: Print page Facebook share Linkedin share X social media share. Mental Fitness.

Improved cognitive abilities -

Federal government websites often end in. gov or. The site is secure. Cognitive health — the ability to clearly think, learn, and remember — is an important component of performing everyday activities. Cognitive health is just one aspect of overall brain health.

A growing body of scientific research suggests that the following steps are linked to cognitive health. Small changes may really add up: Making these part of your routine could help you function better.

Preventing or controlling high blood pressure , not only helps your heart, but may help your brain too. Decades of observational studies have shown that having high blood pressure in midlife — the 40s to early 60s — increases the risk of cognitive decline later in life.

In addition, the SPRINT-MIND study, a nationwide clinical trial, showed that intensive lowering of blood pressure even below the previous standard target of for systolic blood pressure lowers the risk for mild cognitive impairment, which is a risk factor for dementia.

High blood pressure often does not cause signs of illness that you can see or feel. Routine visits to your doctor will help pick up changes in your blood pressure, even though you might feel fine. To control or lower high blood pressure, your doctor may suggest exercise, changes in your diet, and if needed — medications.

These steps can help protect your brain and your heart. A healthy diet can help reduce the risk of many chronic diseases such as heart disease or diabetes.

It may also help keep your brain healthy. In general, a healthy diet consists of fruits and vegetables; whole grains; lean meats, fish, and poultry; and low-fat or nonfat dairy products. You should also limit solid fats, sugar, and salt. Be sure to control portion sizes and drink enough water and other fluids.

Researchers are looking at whether a healthy diet can help preserve cognitive function or reduce the risk of Alzheimer's. For example, there is some evidence that people who eat a Mediterranean diet have a lower risk of developing dementia. In contrast, the typical Western diet often increases cardiovascular disease risk, possibly contributing to faster brain aging.

Researchers have developed and are testing another diet, called MIND , a combination of the Mediterranean and DASH Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diets. Being physically active — through regular exercise, household chores, or other activities — has many benefits.

It can help you:. In one study, exercise stimulated the human brain's ability to maintain old network connections and make new ones that are vital to cognitive health.

Other studies have shown that exercise increases the size of a brain structure important to memory and learning, resulting in better spatial memory.

Aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, is thought to be more beneficial to cognitive health than nonaerobic stretching and toning exercise.

Federal guidelines recommend that all adults get at least minutes 2. Walking is a good start. You can also join programs that teach you to move safely and prevent falls, which can lead to brain and other injuries.

Check with your health care provider if you haven't been active and want to start a vigorous exercise program. Being intellectually engaged may benefit the brain. People who engage in personally meaningful activities , such as volunteering or hobbies, say they feel happier and healthier.

Learning new skills may improve your thinking ability, too. For example, one study found that older adults who learned quilting or digital photography had more memory improvement than those who only socialized or did less cognitively demanding activities.

Some of the research on engagement in activities such as music, theater, dance, and creative writing has shown promise for improving quality of life and well-being in older adults, from better memory and self-esteem to reduced stress and increased social interaction.

However, a recent, comprehensive report reviewing the design and findings of these and other studies did not find strong evidence that these types of activities have a lasting, beneficial effect on cognition.

Additional research is needed, and in large numbers of diverse older adults, to be able to say definitively whether these activities may help reduce decline or maintain healthy cognition. Lots of activities can keep your mind active. Schedule it and do it. No matter which new activity you choose, make sure it follows three guidelines in order to maximize brain training, according to Dr.

You have to always challenge your brain in order for it to grow. This is why choosing a new activity is so beneficial. It engages your brain to learn something new and offers the chance to improve. Not up for a new endeavor? Raise the bar for an existing activity. For instance, if you are a casual golfer, commit to increasing your ability and aim to lower your handicap or shoot a specific score.

A complex activity not only strikes a match of excitement, but forces your brain to work on specific thought processes like problem solving and creative thinking.

A study in Psychological Science found that older adults ages 60 to 90 who did new and complex activities, such as digital photography or quilting, for an average of 16 hours per week for three months scored better on working and long-term memory tests than those who did more familiar activities like reading and doing crossword puzzles.

Practice makes permanent, and that goes for brain function, too. Your activity should require some level of constant practice, but the goal is not to strive for vast improvements. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content.

Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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Sign up now and get a FREE copy of the Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness. Crossword puzzles are a popular activity that may stimulate the brain. An older study from notes that crossword puzzles may delay the onset of memory decline in people with preclinical dementia.

Completing a jigsaw puzzle can be a good way to pass the time and may also benefit the brain. A study found that puzzles activate many cognitive functions, including:. The study concluded that doing jigsaw puzzles regularly and throughout life may protect against the effects of brain aging.

Number puzzles, such as sudoku, can be a fun way to challenge the brain. They may also improve cognitive function in some people.

A study of adults aged between 50 and 93 years found that those who practiced number puzzles more frequently tended to have better cognitive function. A meta-analysis notes that chess and other cognitive leisure activities may lead to improvements in:.

A review notes that some types of video games — such as action, puzzle, and strategy games — may lead to improvements in the following:.

Enjoying company of friends may be a mentally engaging leisure activity and may help preserve cognitive function. A study found that people with more frequent social contact were less likely to experience cognitive decline and dementia. A study of older adults found that learning a new and cognitively demanding skill, such as quilting or photography, enhanced memory function.

A simple way to increase vocabulary is to read a book or watch a TV program and note down any words that are unfamiliar. A person can then use a dictionary to look up the meaning of the word and think up ways to use the word in a sentence.

A review notes that bilingualism increases and strengthens connectivity between different areas of the brain. A study published in Brain Sciences found that listening to music a person enjoys engages and connects different parts of the brain. The researchers propose that this may lead to improvements in cognitive function and overall well-being.

According to a study , playing an instrument may benefit cognitive development in a young brain and help protect against cognitive impairment in an aging brain.

Such hobbies may include:. Regular physical exercise is beneficial for both the brain and the body. Authors of a review note that exercise improves the following aspects of brain health:. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC , exercise has beneficial effects on the following aspects of cognitive health:.

Dance is a form of exercise that may also engage areas of the brain involved in rhythm and balance. Certain sports are both physically and mentally demanding. Some require a range of cognitive skills, such as:. A review notes that elite athletes who participate in high demand sports tend to have improved attention and faster information processing speeds.

Tai chi is a form of physical exercise that involves gentle body movements, rhythmic breathing, and meditation. A study compared brain function and connectivity among tai chi practitioners and those who did not practice it.

The researchers found that the tai chi practitioners had enhanced connectivity between different regions of their brain. They proposed that this may improve cognition and decrease the rate of memory loss.

While not necessarily an active exercise, sleep is crucial for both the brain and the body. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke , most adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night, although many people get less sleep than they need. A review notes that sleep has been proven to:.

As such, making sure to get enough sleep each night is an important step toward maintaining a healthy brain. Brain exercises can be as simple as actively engaging the brain in everyday tasks. Others are targeted workouts for the brain, specifically designed to enhance memory, cognition, or creativity.

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That may be because tai chi, a martial art that abilitirs slow, focused movements, requires learning and memorizing new skills and movement patterns.

McGinnis recommends establishing exercise as a habit, almost like taking a prescription medication. Aim for a goal of exercising at a moderate intensity — such as brisk walking — for minutes per week.

Start with a few minutes a day, and increase the amount by five or 10 minutes every week until you reach your goal.

And since several studies have shown that it takes about six months to start reaping the cognitive benefits of exercise, he reminds you to be patient as you look for the first results — and to continue exercising for life.

As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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Shining light on night blindness. Can watching sports be bad for your health? Beyond the usual suspects for healthy resolutions. October 20, Moderate-intensity exercise can help improve your thinking and memory in just six months. Which exercise is the best for the brain?

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: Improved cognitive abilities

Cognitive Enhancement – Lifestyle Medicine	Out of the blue, your team leader drops a curveball: the team is adopting a new project management app and updating work performance standards. Consider developing a routine to get your minutes of recommended weekly exercise , like an after work swim, joining a jogging club, or hiring a personal trainer. Use it to facilitate discussion about the link between mind and body when talking about the brain and cognitive health. October 20, Moderate-intensity exercise can help improve your thinking and memory in just six months. Rather than focusing on training for a specific mental ability such as working memory, you might be better off focusing on things that promote long-term brain health and fitness.
What are cognitive skills?	Exercise can also boost memory and thinking indirectly by improving mood and sleep, and by reducing stress and anxiety. Problems in these areas frequently cause or contribute to cognitive impairment. Is one exercise better than another in terms of brain health? We don't know the answer to this question, because almost all of the research so far has looked at one form of exercise: walking. A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that tai chi showed the potential to enhance cognitive function in older adults, especially in the realm of executive function, which manages cognitive processes such as planning, working memory, attention, problem solving, and verbal reasoning. That may be because tai chi, a martial art that involves slow, focused movements, requires learning and memorizing new skills and movement patterns. McGinnis recommends establishing exercise as a habit, almost like taking a prescription medication. Aim for a goal of exercising at a moderate intensity — such as brisk walking — for minutes per week. Start with a few minutes a day, and increase the amount by five or 10 minutes every week until you reach your goal. And since several studies have shown that it takes about six months to start reaping the cognitive benefits of exercise, he reminds you to be patient as you look for the first results — and to continue exercising for life. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE gift. The Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness , is yours absolutely FREE when you sign up to receive Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School. Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health , plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise , pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more. Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss from exercises to build a stronger core to advice on treating cataracts. PLUS, the latest news on medical advances and breakthroughs from Harvard Medical School experts. Sign up now and get a FREE copy of the Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness. Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School. Recent Blog Articles. Flowers, chocolates, organ donation — are you in? What is a tongue-tie? What parents need to know. Which migraine medications are most helpful? How well do you score on brain health? The halo effect is a type of bias characterised by the first impression that individuals may have of someone or something. One particularly interesting research area for cognitive psychologists is how cognitive thinking can be used to assist with mental health via cognitive behavioural therapy CBT. This type of therapy can be effective in treating anxiety and depression. CBT works by helping individuals identify, understand and challenge unhelpful thoughts, and then by helping them learn practical strategies that enable them to bring about positive changes in their lives. CBT is particularly helpful in assisting individuals to understand how cognitive thinking might affect their mood. CBT treats thinking like any other habit that can be positively influenced and changed. Fundamentally, cognitive processes are what enable us to think, acquire knowledge, remember, read, pay attention and make critical decisions. Cognitive processes and skills are vital for processing new information and ensuring that the brain understands the world and creates useful data stores. As one of the foundational cognitive processes, thought is essential in helping individuals make decisions, solve problems and access higher-order reasoning skills that help them assess the merits of the options available to them. As the name suggests, attention is how well individuals can stay focused on the task at hand, regardless of what distractions surround them. Attention is related to memory because good attention leads to better short- and long-term memory recall. Throughout life, human beings are constantly taking in new information and learning. Learning is the cognitive process associated with understanding new things, synthesising information and integrating it with past experiences to master new skills or see things from a different perspective. Perception is the cognitive process that allows individuals to take in sights, sounds, smells and information via touch and to mentally process this information and respond to it. Perception is both how individuals process initial information acquired via their senses in their immediate environment, as well as how their thoughts on it change over time. Memory is the cognitive process that relates to how well individuals recall information, both in the short term and in the long term. A good memory is critical for success both at work and in everyday life. Cognitive skills use cognitive processes, so individuals can better acquire knowledge and make important decisions. By practising, individuals can improve their cognitive skills. Critical thinking helps individuals evaluate information and conduct logical thought processes. Critical thinking skills enable people to analyse situations and find the best solutions, even if these solutions are not straightforward or obvious. Quantitative skills involve the use of mathematics and statistics to help individuals turn ideas into measurements and to use these measurements to make important decisions. The use of quantitative skills helps people be more objective in their decision-making and is particularly useful in technology and science-based roles, as well as in everyday life. Logic and reasoning are the skills required for individuals to solve difficult problems based on the information available. Logic and reasoning help individuals think through the various options available to them and help them weigh the merits of each. Strong logic helps people understand what tasks to do and in what order. Emotional intelligence is critical to maintaining positive relationships. Focused attention helps individuals prioritise tasks, especially when several competing priorities exist. This essential cognitive skill helps people stay focused and organised. Whenever the brain is presented with new information, new connections form between neurons. Learning takes place when new connections are formed between a network of neurons, and forgetting takes place when these connections fall away. Connections within the brain are formed when two stimuli are paired together. For example, when children observe how adults behave, they use this behaviour as a model for their own. Memory is the process in which the brain encodes, stores and retrieves information. Memory includes both what people consciously remember and ingrained knowledge that they may be unconsciously aware of. Understanding how people learn is an important research area for cognitive psychologists. One theory that helps them understand this is cognitive learning theory. Cognitive learning theory uses metacognition, or the idea that individuals think about their own thinking, to explain how people learn throughout their lifetimes. Fundamentally, cognitive learning theory can be used to help people enhance their memory retention and their overall productivity by understanding their thought processes while they learn, meaning that their learning can be guided more effectively. According to the developmental psychologist Jean Piaget, children move through four stages of cognitive development as they become adults. Understanding these stages is important in understanding what individuals are capable of learning and understanding at any point in their lives. In the sensorimotor stage, infants and toddlers acquire knowledge through their senses and by handling objects. Their development mostly takes place through basic reflexes and motor responses, including sucking, grasping, looking and listening. In the preoperational stage, language begins to develop. Children in this stage start to use words and pictures and understand the relationship between language and objects in their everyday lives. They do, however, struggle to see things from the perspective of others and think in very concrete terms. In the concrete operational stage, children become better at using logic and at understanding the perspective of others. They begin to understand how to have more complex conversations and can use inductive logic reasoning from specific information. In the formal operational stage, the final stage of cognitive development, children and young adults increase their use of logic and can understand abstract ideas. Cognitive learning theory can also be applied in a workplace setting to help individuals excel and succeed in their careers via workplace learning. Instructors can use different techniques to help individuals positively adjust their behaviour and learn more effectively, including the following:. Cognitive behavioural theory seeks to explain how thoughts and feelings can influence behaviour, and how, in turn, these thoughts and feelings can affect learning. By using cognitive behavioural theory, instructors try to assist learners to have a positive mindset, so they can learn most effectively and retain information. Instructors endeavour to motivate and incentivise students and ensure that they can focus in the classroom. The concepts of implicit and explicit learning help instructors structure their learning to maximise the amount of information learners can retain. Implicit learning is learning that occurs without effort, whereas explicit learning does require effort. Boosting cognitive thinking can also have many other benefits, including that it:. Here are seven tips to boost it. Research has shown that physical activity improves cognitive performance and memory , including the ability to learn, manage stress and make better decisions. Good quality sleep, and enough of it ideally seven to nine hours each night , helps put people in a better mood and gives them the energy they need for the day. Sleep also helps sharpen the brain by flushing out toxins that build up during the day. The cognitive skills required to interact, including using language and memory, are critical to ensuring continued brain health. One great way to improve cognitive thinking is to try new things. When trying something new, new connections are formed in the brain, which helps to keep the brain healthy and provides a new and exciting challenge for the individual. Learning a new language can greatly assist cognitive thinking as it helps individuals understand how to communicate in a completely different way. It also gives insights into different cultures and perspectives. Contrary to popular belief, individuals can learn a new language at any time of their lives by practising and exercising patience. Tips for learning a new language to enhance cognitive thinking:. Board games, card games and video games can all help activate higher-order cognitive skills , as they involve socialising, strategising, reasoning, solving problems and many other skills. Your brain will become stronger and work better with enhanced use. Investing in increasing cognitive thinking is critical for better performance, at work and in life. It can help you make better decisions, be more productive, have a better social life and, importantly, prevent cognitive decline as you age. Ultimately, understanding cognitive thinking can give you insight into how you think, and also why you think the way you do. Armed with this information, you can objectively assess and work towards your goals in life. Want to learn more about human cognition and behaviour? Our Graduate Diploma of Psychology Bridging will give you the opportunity to learn about contemporary theories of psychology, including social and cognitive psychology. Reach out to our friendly Enrolment Advisors to find out more on or email learn online. Simply request a call back and will assist you with:. 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Business Master of Business Administration Global Graduate Diploma of Business Administration Global Graduate Certificate of Business Administration Global Data Science Master of Data Science Graduate Diploma of Data Science Internet of Things Graduate Diploma of Data Science Graduate Certificate of Data Science Nursing Master of Nursing Graduate Diploma of Nursing Graduate Certificate of Nursing Psychology Graduate Diploma of Psychology Graduate Certificate of Psychology. Enquire Now. JCU Online Blog. Data Science. Study Online. DOWNLOAD COURSE GUIDE. The role of cognitive thinking To live our best lives at any stage, optimal cognitive thinking is important, as it enables us to perform better when studying and while at work. Practices such as these can help improve cognitive thinking: Staying active Getting enough sleep Engaging socially Practising mindfulness Trying new things Learning a new language Playing games. What is cognitive thinking? Cognitive biases Another important research topic in the field of cognitive thinking is cognitive biases. Cognitive psychologists are interested in many different types of biases. Anchoring bias Anchoring bias causes people to believe or get attached to the first available piece of information, and then unconsciously use it to influence their decision-making process, even when that information is incorrect. Confirmation bias In general, people want to believe what they already believe. Negativity bias In general, people enjoy positive events but are more impacted by negative events and outcomes. Actor-observer bias Actor-observer bias refers to how individuals see themselves in situations, as opposed to how they see others. The halo effect The halo effect is a type of bias characterised by the first impression that individuals may have of someone or something. Cognitive processes and mental health One particularly interesting research area for cognitive psychologists is how cognitive thinking can be used to assist with mental health via cognitive behavioural therapy CBT. Cognitive processes and skills Fundamentally, cognitive processes are what enable us to think, acquire knowledge, remember, read, pay attention and make critical decisions. Cognitive processes The six primary cognitive processes are: 1. Thought As one of the foundational cognitive processes, thought is essential in helping individuals make decisions, solve problems and access higher-order reasoning skills that help them assess the merits of the options available to them. Attention As the name suggests, attention is how well individuals can stay focused on the task at hand, regardless of what distractions surround them.
7 Tips for Improving Cognitive Thinking	Is one exercise better than another aiblities terms of brain Prediabetes food choices Understand Yourself Better: Big 5 Personality Test Learn Improvrd Prediabetes food choices leverage your natural strengths to determine your next steps and meet your goals faster. A brain training activity doesn't always have to be exercise-related. DOWNLOAD COURSE GUIDE. So, proper blood glucose levels are essential for optimal cognitive performance and function.
7 Tips for Improving Cognitive Thinking | JCU Online	Your activity should require some level of constant practice, but the goal is not to strive for vast improvements. Physical health includes maintaining a heart-healthy diet, sleeping well, and exercising regularly. A complex activity not only strikes a match of excitement, but forces your brain to work on specific thought processes like problem solving and creative thinking. A meta-analysis notes that chess and other cognitive leisure activities may lead to improvements in:. Neurons interact with each other via electrical signals and then form thoughts through a chemical process.

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Ketones improve cognitive function

Improved cognitive abilities -

Neuroscientists at the University of California, Berkeley, found that chronic stress triggers long-term changes in brain structure and function which can lead to cognitive decline. Their findings might explain why young people exposed to chronic stress early in life are prone to mental problems such as anxiety and mood disorders later in life, as well as learning difficulties.

The "stress hormone" cortisol is believed to create a domino effect that hardwires pathways between the hippocampus and amygdala in a way that might create a vicious cycle by creating a brain that becomes predisposed to be in a constant state of fight-or-flight.

The researchers found that hardening wires may be at the heart of the hyper-connected circuits associated with prolonged stress. This results in an excess of myelin—and too much white matter—in some areas of the brain. Ideally, the brain likes to trim the fat of excess wiring through neural pruning in order to maintain efficiency and streamlined communication within the brain.

Chronic stress has the ability to flip a switch in stem cells that turns them into a type of cell that inhibits connections to the prefrontal cortex, which would improve learning and memory, but lays down durable scaffolding linked to anxiety, depression, and post- traumatic stress disorder.

Yoga has been proven to lower cortisol levels and reduce chronic stress. See " Yoga Has Potent Health Benefits. Christopher Bergland is a retired ultra-endurance athlete turned science writer, public health advocate, and promoter of cerebellum "little brain" optimization.

Christopher Bergland. The Athlete's Way. Stress Eight Habits That Improve Cognitive Function What daily habits improve brain structure and cognitive function? Posted March 12, Reviewed by Gary Drevitch Share.

Key points It's impossible to optimize brain connectivity and maximize growth of new neurons while sitting in front of a screen. One study found that certain hormones, which are increased during exercise, may help improve memory. Research finds that the health consequences of feeling lonely can trigger psychological and cognitive decline.

Stress Essential Reads. A New Way to See Problems as Fixable, not Insurmountable. How to Heal From Chronic Stress. About the Author. More from Christopher Bergland. More from Psychology Today. Back Psychology Today. Back Find a Therapist.

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Back Get Help. Mental Health. Personal Growth. Family Life. View Help Index. Do I Need Help? Talk to Someone. It engages your brain to learn something new and offers the chance to improve.

Not up for a new endeavor? Raise the bar for an existing activity. For instance, if you are a casual golfer, commit to increasing your ability and aim to lower your handicap or shoot a specific score. A complex activity not only strikes a match of excitement, but forces your brain to work on specific thought processes like problem solving and creative thinking.

A study in Psychological Science found that older adults ages 60 to 90 who did new and complex activities, such as digital photography or quilting, for an average of 16 hours per week for three months scored better on working and long-term memory tests than those who did more familiar activities like reading and doing crossword puzzles.

Practice makes permanent, and that goes for brain function, too. Your activity should require some level of constant practice, but the goal is not to strive for vast improvements.

As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE gift. The Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness , is yours absolutely FREE when you sign up to receive Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School.

Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health , plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise , pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more.

Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss from exercises to build a stronger core to advice on treating cataracts. PLUS, the latest news on medical advances and breakthroughs from Harvard Medical School experts.

Sign up now and get a FREE copy of the Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness. Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School. Recent Blog Articles. Flowers, chocolates, organ donation — are you in? What is a tongue-tie? Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE gift.

The Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness , is yours absolutely FREE when you sign up to receive Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School. Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health , plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise , pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more.

Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss from exercises to build a stronger core to advice on treating cataracts. PLUS, the latest news on medical advances and breakthroughs from Harvard Medical School experts.

Sign up now and get a FREE copy of the Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness. Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School.

Recent Blog Articles. Flowers, chocolates, organ donation — are you in? What is a tongue-tie? What parents need to know. Which migraine medications are most helpful? How well do you score on brain health? Shining light on night blindness. Can watching sports be bad for your health?

Beyond the usual suspects for healthy resolutions.

New research shows little risk of infection abilitis prostate biopsies. Discrimination at work Coconut Oil for Salad Dressing linked to high blood pressure. Improvex fingers Body recomposition results toes: Poor circulation Coconut Oil for Salad Dressing Raynaud's phenomenon? Moderate-intensity exercise can help improve your thinking and memory in just six months. Exercise benefits health in so many ways. It preserves muscle strength; keeps your heart strong; maintains a healthy body weight; and staves off chronic diseases such as diabetes. But exercise can also boost memory and thinking skills.