Author Archives: Michael Cole

About Michael Cole

Fit Brains combines brain games with specially designed tracking tools to help users of all ages maximize and round-out brain skills that help maintain a brain healthy lifestyle

Your Brain Health Lifestyle with Dr. Paul Nussbaum

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For everything the human brain has accomplished, it’s a little ironic that our brains don’t fully understand how they, themselves, actually work. Dr. Paul Nussbaum(FitBrains CSO) is getting closer to understanding, and his new book, “Your Brain Health Lifestyle,” is all about how to make the most of your brain. Click here for the video of Dr. Nussbaum talking about brain health on Twin Cities Live

Nutrition…

Antioxidants clean up harmful free radicals – free radicals lead to decline in cell function
Get antioxidants from beta-carotenes, vitamins A, C, E, and mineral selenium

Physical Activity…

Physical activity increases blood flow to the brain – try to take 10,000 steps daily!
Obesity can lead to brain function decline later in life
Increased blood flow to the brain areas releases endorphins
25% of blood generated by each heartbeat goes to the brain!

Mental Stimulation…

Read and write daily – try things that are novel and complex
Developing a good language system is linked to a decreased risk of Alzheimer’s
Do puzzles and games that are “novel and complex” – playing Scrabble every single day won’t do it, so change it up!
Try writing with your non-dominant hand

Fit Brains Survey

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Due to an overwhelming response, we have extended our survey. We at Fitbrains are always looking for ways to improve your experience on the site. Please take a 2 minute survey. Five participants will be selected at random to receive a free 1 year membership to Fitbrains.com

Take the FitBrains Survey

Resveratrol. Is it the answer?

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60 Minutes ran a segment about the health benefits of red wine, specifically the apparent powers of resveratrol, a polyphenol that is found in the skin of grapes and is thought to prevent illness and promote longevity (the Brain Fitness Blog reported on this a few months ago). Resveratrol is said to have a role in preventing clots and is believed to inhibit the production of LDL cholesterol. The 60 Minutes episode highlighted the work of Dr. Christoph Westphal and Harvard biochemist David Sinclair, whose research suggests that resveratrol can delay the aging process and prevent many gerontological diseases. A few years ago, scientists reported that resveratrol may discourage the onset of one such illness, Alzheimer’s. It is also claimed that this antioxidant can boost stamina, reduce lung inflammation stemming from chronic pulmonary disease, and help stave off cancer. Scientists in Cambridge, Massachusetts, also say that they’ve isolated the chemical and given it to mice. The mice given high doses of Resveratrol were able to run farther, didn’t gain as much weight, and lived 20% longer.

Wine Consumption and Health

Sleep in America poll reveals that One-Third of Americans Lose Sleep Over Economy

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The world economic situation is fertile ground for anxiety, some realistic and other perpetuated from misinformation and personal agendas. According to the National Sleep Foundation, One-third of Americans are losing sleep over the state of the U.S. economy and other personal financial concerns. The poll suggests that inadequate sleep is associated with unhealthy lifestyles and negatively impacts health and safety.

The Brain Fitness Blog has reported on this in the past and we believe it is important to take some time to consider the following as methods for coping with these uncertain times:

1. Information and knowledge will help to reduce anxiety, even when the information is not positive. Most of us experience anxiety or unease when we are confronted with uncertainty. As such, it is a good idea to spend some time researching the economic issues (stock market, credit, employment, etc) from a variety of viewpoints. You may have noticed that reading and predicting the economy is not a science, but for those in the stock market, there are predictable patterns based on many years of past behavior. This should provide some certainty even though the present represents a turbulent time.
2. Meet with your financial planner to review all investments and liabilities. He or she will help you reduce your risk and loss while planning appropriately for the near and long term future.
3. Have a family meeting to discuss the issues and to provide a forum to express fears and hopes. Make a family plan that adapts spending and saving to the current market demands.
4. Place a focus on your emotional condition and make an extra effort to exercise and eat healthy. This will enable your body to handle the stress better.
5. This is a great time to use relaxation procedures such as breathing and progressive muscle relaxation. Meditation is also a good daily activity.
6. Have faith in our human innovative and adaptive nature and believe that we will survive this period of uncertainty.
7. Reach out to others who may be in a particularly difficult situation and offer them your time and friendship.

Fit Brains brain games.

Brain Games: Memory Mountain Themepark

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Memory Mountain Themepark is a brain game designed to strengthen Short-term, Long-term and Visual Memory. You have recently purchased your very own amusement park. You must effectively remember names, faces and personal traits in order to successfully hire a team of skilled workers to operate the rides and help build the park into a world-renowned Flagship Themepark.

Features:

Improves your memory of names, faces and personal traits
Strengthens Short-term, Long-term and Visual Memory
Remember names, faces and personal traits in order to successfully hire a team of skilled workers to operate and help build the park into a world-renowned Flagship Themepark.

Memory Mountain Themepark is a memory game. Click here to play Memory Mountain Themepark

Can Exercising Your Brain Prevent Memory Loss?

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Scientists all over the world are starting to agree that stimulating the brain can improve brain power. Numerous studies show that activities such as interactive games can help maintain key cognitive functions.

According to a new study presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 61st Annual Meeting, participating in certain mental activities, like reading magazines or crafting in middle age or later in life, may delay or prevent memory loss. The study involved 197 people between the ages of 70 and 89 with mild cognitive impairment, or diagnosed memory loss, and 1,124 people that age with no memory problems.

The study found that during later years, reading books, participating in computer activities, playing games and doing craft activities such as pottery or quilting led to a 30 to 50 percent decrease in the risk of developing memory loss compared to people who did not do those activities.

To read the full article

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Brain Games: Hidden Gem Bingo

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Hidden Gem Bingo is a colorful, Concentration-based brain game that takes the classic game of Bingo to the next level with challenging new layers designed to improve your focus and attention. Create a variety of “Bingo Words” by matching letters and colors on increasingly complex boards full of gems, bonus patterns, hidden jackpots, and more!

Features:

Inspired by the widely popular game BINGO, packed with fun Bonuses and other incentives.
Targets all areas of Concentration, increasing in challenge and complexity as the game progresses.
Uses strategic gameplay, layered Game Boards and a wide variety of BINGO Words for increased replayability.

Hidden Gem Bingo a concentration game. Click here to play Hidden Gem Bingo!

Brain Games: Busy Bistro

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Busy Bistro helps you to improve short and long-term aspects of memory amidst the distractions of a busy kitchen environment. In this brain game, you are the apprentice of a chef with a variety of great recipes, but a poor memory for the finer points. Can you help the chef remember the finishing details on his next delightful creation of culinary genius? Your ability to remember details is the key, and practice makes perfect. Let’s get cooking!

Features:

Fun cooking-themed characters, appliances and environments to keep you motivated
Hundreds of real recipes to challenge your memory
Designed to improve short and long term memory

Busy Bistro is a game of Memory. Click here to play Busy Bistro!

Brain Games:Super Word Scrapers Brain Game

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Super Word Scrapers is a brain game that utilizes vocabulary and word fluency to strengthen your core language skills. Create words for every letter of the alphabet to fill an empty skyline with majestic skyscrapers that defy the very laws of gravity. Test and strengthen your language skills with a wide variety of quick word scrambles, tricky riddles, and other fun language activities found in the frequent “Super Word” challenges.

Features:

Improve your vocabulary and word fluency while building majestic skyscrapers
Over 150,000 unique words in the Word Scraper dictionary
Hundreds of fun Super Word Challenges to test every aspect of your language skills
Combine your word-building skills with those of your Friends and Family in an exciting Team Game

Super Word Scrapers is a game of Language. Click here to play Super Word Scrapers!

The Wonder Juice Machine

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The Wonder-Juice Machine is a brain game of Executive Functions (Logic) that strengthens your deductive and visual skills. Use your skills of reasoning to direct a variety of colorful fruit and vegetables through a tricky, juice-making contraption, in order to create healthy “Wonder Juice” smoothies for your customers. The puzzles get more challenging as the game progresses, so be sure to put on your thinking cap!