Are you someone who takes good care of yourself?

You may be taking good care of your physical well being, but are you giving the same importance to your mental well being?

In this very busy lifestyle we often forget about nourishing our brain to maintain a healthy mind.

That's why Karetrip is here to help you with tips to maintain a happy brain.

Here we will explore nutrition, exercise and mindfulness to maintain a happy and resilient mind.

Nutrition for Brain Health

The first step to a healthy brain is giving it enough nutrients to flourish. By having nutritious food we can support cognitive function, mood regulations and mental clarity. Let's go through some nutrition tips to power up your brain.

• A balanced diet: Having a balanced diet by Incorporating different kinds of fruits, vegetables, Whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fat into your meal will ensure that you are getting a little bit of everything.

• Green leafy vegetables: Leafy greens like kale, spinach, collards, and broccoli are rich in healthy nutrients for brain like vitamin K, lutein, folate, and beta carotene. These can help slow down cognitive decline.

• Fatty fish: Fishes such as salmon, canned tuna and pollock can provide a lot of omega-3 fatty acids, these healthy fats are said to lower the protein that forms damaging clumps in the brain of Alzheimer's patients. If you are someone who does not eat fish, alternatives such as omega-3 supplements or vegan options such as flaxseeds, avocados and walnuts are also possible.

• Antioxidant-Rich Foods: Foods that contain antioxidants like berries, dark chocolate etc. help protect the brain from stress and Inflammation. Research by Harvard's Brigham and Women's Hospital found that women who consume berries such as blueberries and strawberries can delay memory decline up to two years.

• Tea and Coffee: Research shows that caffeine can be more than a short term concentration boost. Studies conducted by nutrition journals back in 2014 shows that people who consumed caffeine scored better in tests of mental function.Caffeine can also help with solidifying new memories into the brain.

Exercise for Brain Fitness

There are two different ways you can strengthen your brain through exercise. By physical exercise and mental exercise.

• Cardiovascular Exercise: Physical exercise is not only good for your body, but it also helps you to keep your mental fitness in check. Regular physical exercise can help in mood boost, enhance cognitive function and can even promote growth of new brain cells. Following are some of the physical activities that can help make your brain fit.

• A daily Walk

• Running

• Cycling

• Swimming

These activities can improve blood flow and enhance cognitive function.

• Get Plenty of sleep: Having a regular sleep schedule and giving your mind and brain a proper rest can keep you mentally fit. A refreshed brain can also work without stress. Get at least eight hours of sleep a day. Sleep can help your brain with rearranging the memory and help you remember details later on.

• Stay Mentally Active: Our mind is similar to a muscle, just like how we train our body to stay fit, we need to train our mind as well. If you don't use it you will lose it. Following are some mental activities that you can do to keep your brain active. BOX

• Crossword puzzles

• Online Brain Games

• Jigsaw Puzzle

• Knitting

• Model making projects

• Card Games

• Remain Socially Active: Communicating and interacting with people will help to ward off depression and stress which can cause memory loss in the long run. Connecting with your loved ones and maintaining a healthy relationship with your peers can improve your mental health significantly.

Mindfulness Practices for Mental Well-being

Mindfulness is in which you focus on being intensely aware of what is happening around you without interpretation or judgment. Practicing mindfulness will help your body relax and reduce stress.

• Meditation: Set aside time each day for meditation practice.Meditation can help with stress, anxiety, Pain, depression, insomnia and even high blood pressure which usually takes a toll on the mental well being of a person.

Meditation can help with improved attention, can decrease burnout, will improve sleep and help in diabetes control.

• Pay attention to one's surroundings: It is very hard to slow down and notice everything that is happening around you. Take some time from your daily life to calmly observe and feel everything around you. Try to enjoy the small things to its maximum depth. One such thing can be mindful eating when you try to enjoy each and every bite of your favorite dish and try to savor it.

• Living in the moment: Try to enjoy the small things that happen in your life. Try to enjoy the small happiness to its full extent. Treat yourself for a good day. Take yourself out on a relaxing date where you enjoy the calmness and it's just you and your mind.

• Gratitude Practice: Take a few moments each day to reflect on things you're grateful for. Keeping a gratitude journal can help cultivate a positive mindset and enhance overall happiness.

You can also try more structured exercises like Body Scan Meditation, Sitting meditation and Walking meditation.

A healthy brain can not only make you mentally fit but motivate you to be physically fit as well. Having a healthy diet as well as an exercise routine to energize your brain can lead to a happy brain.

Incorporating healthy habits to your lifestyle can bring out the optimal brain output. Always remember that small changes that we make today can bring out an amazing result in the end.