Brain Power Boosting: Yogic way

Have you ever suffered this experience of standing before the cupboard with an intention of removing something from it but just cannot remember what it was? You also secretly fear that you are ‘losing it’? You worry this is the onset of physical and mental degeneration? Don’t worry. There are many who feel exactly like you, bumbling through the day forgetting names of people whose names they cannot afford to forget or forgetting crucial phone numbers, 

Why we suffer memory problems?

Brain has short-term and long-term memory sections. Most information reaches the short-term part giving you the feeling that you are going to retain it. After sometime, however, the brain sorts through this, decides what it wants to put away into the long-term compartment. And if you have not given the brain enough cues for long-term storage the brain dumps it because it is being efficient actually. This is when you forget.

Stress is a memory-buster. Under stress the brain turns dull. Long-term stress is known to causes severe neural damage. Yoga combats this by kicking the habit of stress.

Other reasons why yoga boosts memory power?

In inverted poses and the forward bends, there is a powerful gush of blood to the brain. This opens up unused blood vessels, boosting a physiological recovery for the brain. Also these poses have a powerful de-stressing effect on the brain. 
Balancing asanas steady the mind, while the inversions in yoga send a rush blood to the brain, stimulating it. They are considered memory-boosters. The king of asanas or the sirsasana (head asana) is contraindicated only in high blood pressure, retinal detachment, heart disease, ear infections, neck pain.

Yogic food habits to help your mind:

• Avoid alcohol and caffeine overload. Particularly alcohol, which blocks the processing of brain vitamins like B1 or thiamin.
• Smoking too causes arteriosclerosis of the brain’s blood vessels, blocking a steady and healthy supply of blood to the memory center.
• Caffeine may be a short-term booster but is damaging long-term.
• Memory boosters are vitamin C, E, anti-oxidants like selenium, magnesium, carotenoids, flavenoids. Good sources for these are, as you guessed, fresh fruits and vegetables with deep colours ranging from red, yellow, orange and deep green. And herbs, including herbal teas, green tea.
• Avoid too much fat and protein which cause plaque on the blood vessels blocking the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the brain.
• Also avoid too much sugar, which causes the insulin yo-yo in the blood, making you feel fuzzy.

Mind power with yoga pose

Yogamudrasana (Psychic union pose)

Sit cross-legged (If you are a regular practitioner you may sit in the classic lotus pose). Pass hand in front placing palms on ground. Inhale. Exhaling, bend torso, bringing forehead to floor (you may not be able to touch it, but dip your head low, or place a low stool or bolster on which to rest head). Continue breathing, holding for as long as you can. Relax hold. Repeat a few times.

Avoid: If having very high BP, cardiac problems, or lower back ache.

Benefits: It relaxes the upper back, where tension is usually lodged. The gush of blood to head soothes the brain. The spinal stretch relieves and untangles tension knots. Relieves anxiety due to pressure on stress glands. Provides relief in anxiety-induced insomnia. Boosts memory power.