Memory Games & Tips for Brain Health

We all know what it’s like to lose our train of thought, forget someone’s name, or struggle to remember a password. Memory is a tricky thing; we all have insignificant things we can’t forget and important items we can’t seem to recall. As we age, memory function becomes even more important as we worry about the onset of conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

June is Brain Awareness Month, and to help you retain and improve your memory function, we’ve compiled some smart tips and fun memory games to celebrate. Keep reading to learn more.

Tips to Strengthen Your Memory

There are many factors that affect memory and mental clarity, and even more ways to help yourself stay sharp. For one, staying physically active is directly connected with cognitive function, so go for a walk or join a friend for some time at the gym.

Speaking of friends, staying social is another important part of keeping your memory clear. Social interaction keeps depression and stress at bay, two factors that increase your risk of memory loss.

Additionally, keeping a clean and organized home will help your memory as well, research shows that a cluttered home contributes to confusion and forgetfulness. 

3 Memory Games

Use these fun and easy ways to keep your memory clear and your mental recall quick.

Sudoku and Crossword Puzzles

These puzzles are easy to come by, available in the newspaper and on your phone. By playing word and number memory games like crossword puzzles and sudoku, you help keep your memory strong. Studies show a strong correlation between doing these puzzles and delaying the onset of dementia.

The Tray Game

Enlist a friend to put an assortment of random items on a tray for you, without telling you what they are. Allow yourself a quick look at the tray for 15 seconds or so. Cover it back up and try to write down as many items on the tray as you can. When you’ve exhausted your memory, uncover the tray and see how many you got right. What details were you able to include? How many items did you get right in this fun memory game?

Lumosity

This website offers cognitive training exercises and memory games developed by top researchers. The site has both free and paid options, allowing you to customize your experience to hone the skills you’re most interested in developing.

Supplements to Support Memory

Want more ways to support memory? Try these quality supplements formulated to help older adults stay sharp.

Brain Health Memory & Focus for Adults 40+ from Garden of Life

Formulated by top doctors, Brain Health Memory & Focus for Adults 40+ from Garden of Life is a certified organic supplement that promotes memory and mental clarity. Each dose contains clinically studied organic grape extract, organic wild blueberry extract, and organic whole coffee fruit, plus essential nutrients and healthy fats.

Brain Memory from Douglas Laboratories

Brain Memory from Douglas Laboratories is designed to help with brain health memory recall. This supplement contains the choline, huperzine A, and Acetyl-L-Carnitine needed to support healthy membrane and neurotransmitter function.

Omega Memory with Curcumin from Nordic Naturals

Containing a blend of four potent nutrients, Omega Memory with Curcumin from Nordic Naturals supports cognitive clarity, memory health, and neurological function. The omega-3s EPA and DHA, combined with phosphatidylcholine, support the structure and function of brain cells. Optimized curcumin and huperzine A help move information throughout the brain and protect neurons by reducing the damaging effects of oxidative stress.

What fun memory games to you play to stay sharp? Share them with us in the comments section below.

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Photo by Anita Jankovic on Unsplash

Natural Flea and Tick Control for Pets

Our four-legged friends are, without question, a part of our family, and our houses would not be homes without them. We care for our pets with love, ensuring they have access to ample exercise, stimulating toys, and all-natural pet food. Another crucial area of care for pets is flea and tick prevention, which becomes even more important as the weather warms up.

Fleas are a nuisance to pets and humans alike, causing itching, scabs, and worms – not to mention they are a hassle to get rid of. Ticks, on the other hand, are harder to spot and can carry Lyme disease, which dogs and some cats can contract. Lyme disease can be impossible to get rid of and may cause joint pain, swelling, reduced appetite, and even kidney failure.

It’s clear that in order to provide the best care for our pets, we must place flea and tick control at the top of our lists, but is there a way to do so without harsh chemicals and poisons? Keep reading for tips on how to naturally keep your pet and home pest-free this summer, and all year long.

Understanding the Flea & Tick Population

The majority (up to 85%) of the flea and tick population is comprised of eggs and larvae, and killing them is the easiest way to reduce the population. However, most of the time when we see fleas and ticks on our pets they are the annoying adults which are more difficult to get rid of. Our best defense against fleas and ticks involves using preventative medication and treating our yards and surrounding areas to kill eggs and larvae before they mature.

Natural Flea and Tick Prevention

Some natural ways to reduce fleas and ticks in your yard are surrounding areas are by planting rosemary and putting out tick tubes, which use permethrin soaked cotton balls to kill ticks where they hatch. You can also use a spray that introduces nematodes (tiny worms) into your yard, within 24 hours, this method can decrease the number of larvae in your yard by 90%.

In addition, Wondercide, a natural pet care company, makes a Flea & Tick Control Yard + Garden Concentrate which is eco-friendly and designed to keep fleas and ticks out of your yard.

When it comes to your home’s interior, you can sprinkle boric acid on your carpet before vacuuming to eradicate ticks and spray a safe chemical called nylar to your hard floors and surfaces.

Our Favorite Flea and Tick Control Products

When it comes to skin care and bath products for your pet, we recommend purchasing natural, trusted items that will prevent pests while being kind to your pet’s skin.

Anti-Itch Sprays

When fleas, ticks, or other skin irritations pop up, sooth your pet with Itchy Owie Ointment from Pet Wellbeing. This balm uses a blend of soothing herbs like calendula and marshmallow root, as well as aloe vera juice and vitamin E in a base made of nourishing coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil and certified-organic beeswax.

Preventative Sprays

Keep fleas and ticks off your pet by coating their fur with a natural, preventative spray like Flea + Tick Spray for Dogs and Cats from Pet Naturals of Vermont. Using a blend of essential oils, this product soothes your pet’s skin while keeping pests at bay.

Bath Products

Flea and Tick Natural Shampoo Bar from Wondercide uses citronella and geranium protect your pet from insect bites.

How do you keep your beloved pets free from fleas and ticks without an added side of harsh chemicals? What natural pet care products do you use on your furry friends? Share your tips in the comments section below.

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Living a Green Lifestyle? Ride a Bike!

We compare a lot of life skills to riding a bike – once you’ve learned you never forget, right? One of the best childhood milestones for many of us is the day we learned to ride a bike without training wheels. Few things in adulthood can compare to the freeing feeling of riding a bike around the streets of our hometown with our friends. Why is it that when we get our licenses and get busy, we forget how wonderful and simple the very act of riding a bike can be? 

May 8, 2019, is National Bike to School Day, and to highlight it we’re going to tell you all the healthy, eco-friendly reasons why should unearth your biking skills, assuming you’ve let them go that is.

6 Health Benefits of Riding a Bike

Cycling is Great for Your Heart

Studies have proven that taking your bike to work is an incredibly smart and healthy habit. Cycling to work, or wherever you need to go, can extend your lifespan, lower your risk of heart disease, and decrease your odds of a cancer diagnosis.

Bikes are Easy on the Joints

If you struggle with joint issues, especially in your knees, biking may become your best cardio option, as it’s easier on the joints than walking or running. If you struggle with arthritis or other joint pain, cycling allows you to get the full range of motion you need to stay active without the joint compression of other exercises.

It’s Safer Than Taking Your Car

When compared to automobile fatalities, bikes were proven to be a safer mode of transportation. Despite the sometimes terrible news stories, taking a bike is still safer than taking a car. You’re more likely to get into a car crash than an automobile accident. However, if you’re still worried about traffic or other safety issues, opt for a less busy route to your destination. It’s also a smart idea to invest in a quality helmet, and wear it anytime you’re on cycling on the road.

Cycling Can Cut Your Commute Time

If you live in a busy downtown area, you can actually get to work quicker on your bike than in your car. Cycling eliminates your risk of traffic jams and other commuter issues, ensuring you have more control over your commute. As an added bonus you’ll get a healthy dose of sunny vitamin D and lots of fresh air as well.

Helps You Meet Your Weight Loss Goals

Biking can be a great way to lose weight! Anytime you up your physical activity, you increase calorie burn and energy production, both of which are key factors in weight loss. Time and intensity matter more than distance when it comes to cycling for weight loss, so be sure to log your mileage and consider wearing a fitness tracker to measure heart rate.

Improves Focus and Mental Clarity

Being physically active, especially first thing in the morning, is statistically proven to improve your mental wellbeing. The time it takes you to cycle to your destination can free your mind to process worries, thoughts, routines, and reach conclusions you may not have reached behind the wheel of a car.

As an added bonus, cycling cuts down on pollution so not only do you get healthier, you reduce your carbon footprint in the process! Do you ride a bike as you move through your weekly routine? Tell us about it in the comments section below!

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Photo by Coen van den Broek on Unsplash