Wanting to be smarter than we already are is one thing a lot of us crave but shy away from simply because we believe it will be time and energy consuming.
There are however simple things we can do which can help to make our brains sharper. If you’re interested in becoming smarter and expanding your mind, follow the 7 simple actions below.
Exercise Frequently
Research has shown that people who exercise frequently tend to perform higher on Intelligence Quotient tests than people who do not.
More so, by exercising regularly, you not only maintain a strong body, but you also stimulate the growth of your brain cells.
Furthermore, performing rigorous exercises can increase the production of neurotransmitters through a process known as neurogenesis.
The overall effect of this is an improvement in concentration and more energy for daily activities.
Learn To Play a Musical Instrument
Learning how to play a musical instrument can also make you smarter in more ways than one.
Skills such as concentration, mathematics, memory and coordination all tend to be well developed in people that play musical instruments.
Learning to play an instrument also has outstanding benefits for the brain. Irrespective of how complicated or simple the learning process of a musical instrument can be, knowing how to play anyone can help to improve cognitive function.
When we learn to play a musical instrument, there’s an improvement in our hearing, audio, memory and motor skills which helps us to better coordinate our memory hearing and hand coordination.
Video Games
A lot of studies have outlined the effects of video games on the brain. Video games actually have almost the same training effect on the brain as riding a bike or reading a book.
This is because the brain tends to form thousands of new connections while it learns new things. Moreover, the fact that there is a reward system in games tend to improve the players cognitive and motor skills.
As a matter of fact, lots of brain scans have shown that video games tend to affect three parts of the brain. The parts include the frontal lobe which helps to maintain attention, the parietal lobe, which orients attentionand the anterior cingulate, which helps to regulate and control attention.
As such, if you want to reason smartly, you may want to consider playing video games since they help to demonstrate exemplary skills in abstract thinking, deductive/inductive thinking, symbolic thinking sequential reasoning.
Write, Don’t Type
Researchers at UCLA and Princeton University say that students who took notes by hand during classes tend to perform better than students who typed their notes with the use of computers.
Writing by hand tends to work better than typing because it tends to engage and stimulate our brains more. This is because our brains tend to work more when we write than when we type out letters from a keyboard.
The extra work we give our brain by writing helps to keep our minds sharper by clarifying our thoughts. It also helps us remember things better and achieve our goals in a more subtle and friendly manner.
Read More
According to a recent study at Emory University, reading fiction novels can have marked benefits on our brains.
The study found out that when we are engrossed with a work of fiction, there is an enhanced improvement in brain function and connectivity. It also improves our ability to put ourselves in the shoes of other people by flexing our imagination in a way that is similar to direct visualizations.
More so, another study found that people who read fiction had a higher probability of empathising with others and tend to have a better understanding of others.
This means that reading more of fictional stories will make us smarter and nicer since we’d be able to see the world from the perspective of others.
Consume Coffee
According to a study published in Popular Science magazine, coffee containing caffeine can help to make the mind clearer through brain stimulation.
Caffeine primarily acts by blocking the effects of adenosine which is an inhibitory neurotransmitter. By blocking the inhibitory effects of Adenosine, caffeine helps to increase neuronal firing in the brain and the release of other neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine.
A lot of controlled medical trials have demonstrated the effects of caffeine on the human brain and most have come to the conclusion that it helps to improve general cognitive functions including reaction time, memory and vigilance.
More so, Coffee also has an amazing effect on our brain, skin and body in general. It is however important to remember that all caffeinated beverages should be consumed with measure to avoid their negative effects.
Be Mindful
Being mindful entails being aware of your thoughts and feelings without passing judgement by focusing on the present. Mindfulness helps us to be self-aware, thoughtful, and mentally present when we make decisions.
A research conducted at The Wharton School and published in the journal of Psychological Science, says that “one 15-minute focused-breathing meditation may help people make smarter choices.”
By being mindful for a short period, we can make make more rational decisions since we’d be able to consider all the information available at a particular point in time.
Wanting to be smarter than we already are is one thing a lot of us crave but shy away from simply because we believe it will be time and e...
Wizkid has again made another win as he added another award to his long list of 2017 awards, having recently claimed the award for “Young Person of the Year” at the 2017 edition of The Future Awards Africa.
The award which acknowledges inspiring young Nigerians making a difference through creativity social enterprise and social good, recognized Wizkid as the standout young Nigerian of 2017, ahead of Mary ‘Remmy’ Njoku of ROK Studios, Tech Expert, Iyin Aboyeji, Silas Adekunle of Reach Robotics and Amaka Osakwe of Maki Oh fashion brand.
The event took place at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos and the creme de la creme of the Nigerian creative industry were present at the event, including leaders in other industries.
Wizkid has again made another win as he added another award to his long list of 2017 awards, having recently claimed the award for “Young Pe...
Sometimes we go through the struggles of deciding the perfect face treatments to use. You are in that beauty store waiting in the middle of that aisle with so many options to pick from but you still can’t decide on that product that will do you justice. You’re concerned about the price, effectiveness and quality of the product or better still, the side effects. Not to worry, you don’t have to be that confused customer anymore. Read on and find out alternative ways to get natural face cleansers and the best part, you can make them yourselves with no worry about side effects or spending more.
1. Coconut Oil Face Cleanser
Coconut oil can eliminate any shine that appears at the end of the day. It contains antimicrobial properties, when you apply coconut oil to your skin it will eliminate moisture lost through your pores, leaving the skin healthy and smooth. Massage your skin with this oil, the coconut oil will dissolve the dirty oil in your pores, replacing the dirty oil with beneficial ones extracted from natural botanicals, vegetables and fruit that heal, protect and nourish your skin. Do this regularly to clear the skin from issues like oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, blackheads, whiteheads and other problems caused by mild to moderate acne. It will also leave your skin healthy, balanced and properly moisturized.
2. Honey and Lemon
Honey and lemon are natural moisturizers and antiseptic. Lemons are filled with AHA’s and BHA’s which remove dead skin cells and help clear up blackheads, acne, and discoloration, while honey is a natural antioxidant and antibacterial. The sugar in the honey hydrates your skin. They are both easily found in your kitchen or at every supermarket, so they are not hard to find. Combine the honey with the lemon juice and apply as you would any other cleanser. Rub in slow, circular motions, and rinse off. It can also be used as a face mask.
3. Yogurt
The thought of applying cold yogurt on your face may seem scary, but yogurt is a perfect natural face cleanser, rich in protein and lactic acid. Those compounds work together to help detoxify skin: Applying lactic acid regularly encourages your skin to get rid of the dead cells through exfoliation, and protein that helps to tighten pores, reduce the appearance of fine lines, and hydrate your skin. It also contains calcium, vitamin D, and a healthy bacteria that is very beneficial to you. Apply a couple tablespoons of yogurt for a lightening or brightening mask that may be used 2-3 times per week.
There are other natural products such as almond, wheat germ, avocado oils, olive oil, aloe vera, sea salt, etc. Having a daily beauty routine is very important for your beauty life. Dedication and patience is the key to having that beautiful skin that you desire, good luck!
Sometimes we go through the struggles of deciding the perfect face treatments to use. You are in that beauty store waiting in the middle of ...
Black Diamond Music Boss Wande Coal, Closes the year with another Certified Club-Banger for his fans. He links up with producer, Dapiano to make this club banger titled “Tur-key Nla”.
Listen and enjoy!
Black Diamond Music Boss Wande Coal, Closes the year with another Certified Club-Banger for his fans. He links up with producer, Dapiano to ...
Rapper and nollywood actor Falz The Bahd Guy shared his bitter experience with SARS Officials following the #EndSARS movement launched by Nigerians on social media.
The singer who had an interview with NET in preparation for his first concert ‘The Falz Experience’, said;
“On this particular day, they spotted us somewhere in Lagos and double-crossed us, they then asked us to come down from our car.
My manager tried to have a conversation with them but before he knew it, they gave him a dirty slap, he was close to tears. They said they would arrest us and take us their station.
I wanted to sue them, not as a lawyer, but solely because they violated my human rights, but then, it is really sad that they think because they have guns, they think they are in a position of power and they use these to oppress poor Nigerians.”
He also suggested a solution that the entire police force needs a revamp. “The problem is that so many of them are not as educated as they should be, so they treat people in a certain way.People are speaking up because things have gone out of hand. These are the men who are supposed to protect us, but they are opening fire on us,” he said.
“They have resulted to targeting young guys. These days, once they see a young man looking flashy, they automatically think you are a yahoo boy”, he concluded.
Rapper and nollywood actor Falz The Bahd Guy shared his bitter experience with SARS Officials following the #EndSARS movement launched by Ni...
While topical solutions for pimples can keep your face acne-free, you can actually help your skin along the road to clarity through your diet. What you put in your body reflects how it looks on the outside, after all.
To keep blemishes at bay, try incorporating the following seven foods, recommended by nationally recognized dietitian and nutritionist Elisa Zied, author of YOUNGER NEXT WEEK: Your Ultimate Rx to Reverse the Clock, Boost Energy and Look and Feel Younger in 7 Days, and internationally renowned cardiologist Dr. Stephen Sinatra, M.D., author of The Great Cholesterol Myth Cookbook, into your diet. Your skin will be glowing—and clear—in no time.
1. Oily fish like salmon or tuna
Eating fish provides your body with biotin, a B vitamin that, among its many functions, produces fatty acids and metabolizes amino acids (the building blocks of protein). A deficiency of biotin can cause, among other things, scaly skin — which, clearly, no one wants.
2. Chia seeds
Omega-3 fatty acids help maintain cell membranes by protecting the skin and providing it with moisture. Chia seeds and walnuts are rich in these fatty acids (great choices if you’re a vegetarian), as are wild bison and oily fish (great options if you’re a meat-eater).
3. Sweet potatoes
Eating a produce-rich diet provides your body with lots of water, keeping your skin and other cells adequately hydrated. And loading up on colorful, deeply-colored fruits and vegetables — especially those rich in vitamin A, like sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach — has been shown to enhance skin color and appearance by increasing its yellowness and redness.
4. Almonds
Packed with vitamin E, almonds can help you maintain healthy skin. While chowing down on these nuts can’t replace sunscreen, it’s worth noting that vitamin E may also protect the skin from damage caused by the sun.
5. Sunflower seeds
These little seeds provide an excellent source of vitamin E and help protect the skin from damage caused by free radicals in the environment and in the body (free radicals in excess can harm body cells, including skin cells).
6. Complex carbs
Processed foods and white flour can increase inflammation and cause acne flair-ups. Replace pasta and white rice with complex carbs like barley, quinoa, beans, and brown rice — foods that are all lower on the glycemic index.
7. Orange juice
Although juice often gets a bad rap, OJ provides fluids to keep you hydrated and Vitamin C, which works as an antioxidant to protect skin and other cells from damage caused by free radicals in the environment and in the body. Vitamin C also helps create collagen, the body’s main structural protein.
While topical solutions for pimples can keep your face acne-free, you can actually help your skin along the road to clarity through your di...
Wizkid who is in Uganda for a show talks about international award organizers who give awards to African artistes backstage in a recent press conference. The video was shared by NBS Television on his recent visit to Uganda.
The singer stressed that if the organizers don’t show the same love they show his international counterparts, they can as well keep their love.
He also explained that it is part of the reason why he does not attend most award shows.
Watch the video below:
Wizkid who is in Uganda for a show talks about international award organizers who give awards to African artistes backstage in a recent pre...