Viv's tips: This is my take on "THE BRAIN"

This is my take on the brain:

Your brain is a thinking organ that learns and grows by interacting with the world through perception and action. Mental stimulation improves brain function and actually protects against cognitive decline. Just like physical exercise affects us.

The human brain is able to continually adapt and rewire itself. While we grow older in age, the brain can grow new neurons. Severe mental decline is usually caused by disease, whereas most age-related losses in memory or motor skills simply result from inactivity. Also the lack of mental exercise and stimulation.

Here are some suggestions:

This is an exercise that can strengthen neural connections and even create new ones.

Switch the hand you are using to control the computer mouse. Use the hand you normally do NOT use.

What do you notice?

Is it harder to be precise and accurate with your motions?

Do you feel like you did when you were first learning to tie your shoelaces?

If you are feeling uncomfortable and awkward don’t worry, your brain is learning a new skill.

Try other neural building and strengthening exercises with everyday movements. Use your opposite hand to brush your teeth, dial the phone or operate the TV remote.

Also, it is important to challenge your brain to learn new and novel tasks, especially processes that you've never done before. Examples include checkers, chess, tai chi, yoga, or sculpture. I know our hands and fingers tend to hurt more times than often, but we should try even wiggling our fingers and toes.

Try playing bingo, it helps minimize memory loss and boost your hand-eye coordination.

Try to include 1 or more of your senses within everyday task:
--Try getting dressed with your eyes closed,
--Wash your hair with your eyes closed,
--Share a meal and use only visual cues to communicate. No talking.

Combine two senses:
--Listen to music and smell flowers,
--Tap your fingers with listening to the rain,
--Watch clouds and play with modeling clay at the same time

Break routines:
--Take a different route to the store, work, where ever you go,
--Try eating using the other hand (opposite of what you usually use),
--Try shopping at different stores, for instance, groceries stores, clothes, shoe shopping.

I suffer from brain fog and sometimes forget simple things like what a cup is named. I try not to let it get me down. I do get frustrated when I am trying to communicate and forget words or where I was going with the conversation. However, my family just tells me to not worry about it and stop being so hard on myself. So that helps me and I have to practice positive self-talk....reminding myself I am only human and that I am not the only one suffering from this. It is not the end of the world. Plus fatigue tends to affect our thought process along with certain medications.

Just keep on trucking baby....you gotta keep on trucking:)

I hope my suggestions help someone.

I pray and hope everyone has a pain and fatigue free day.

Fibro Viv