Just like the rest of your body, feeding your brain a proper diet is an important factor in helping it stay in tip-top shape. That’s only part of the equation though. A good workout regimen consists of both diet and exercise. So even though you’re feeding your brain what it needs to succeed, how do you keep it from getting flabby? Here are a few ways:

Exercise regularly. ‘Healthy body, healthy mind’ is an old saying that been proven true. Exercise not only gets your heart rate up, but your brain activity as well.  

Think good thoughts. Stress and anxiety are not only miserable to deal with, but they impair brain function as well. Chronic stress produces a hormone called cortisol, which over time can reduce your ability to store and recall information.

Get enough sleep. Sleep is your brain’s way of cleaning out the events of the previous day. Lack of sleep not only makes you feel groggy and irritable, it stops the brain from properly processing the past day’s information, leaving you unable to recall what you need to know for the coming one.

In addition to general good habits, there are also some specific exercises you can try to get your noggin humming along faster:

• Try using your off hand for daily tasks like brushing your teeth.
• Do chores with your eyes closed.
• Calculate math problems in your head.
• Test your recall with simple games like trying to remember everything you saw today that was pink or how many famous people’s names you can think of that start with a ‘D’.

Our brains are wonderful, complex instruments. Make sure to keep yours in shape with these tips.

If you’ve ever played sports, you probably already know about the importance of proper nutrition. What many of us forget, is that the brain is also part of the body. And like your body, it needs its nourishment. Here are some foods to keep it happy:

Oily fish. If you’re looking for brain food, it doesn’t get any better than this. Fish like salmon, trout and mackerel are all rich sources of omega-3, a major building block of the brain. Omega-3 also plays a role in sharpening memory and improving mood, so you can eat your meal with a smile.

Bone broth. While it may sound like something Doctor Frankenstein would have liked, bone broth, with its healing amino acids like proline and glycine, can keep your immune system functioning properly and help improve your memory. 

Avocados. These fruits get a bad rap because of their high fat content, but it’s monosaturated fat, (i.e. the good kind of fat.) Avocados contain both vitamin K and folate, which can help prevent blood clots in the brain as well as improving memory and concentration.

Dark chocolate. If you’re a chocolate lover, your time has come! Well, mostly. Dark chocolate doesn’t mean Hershey kisses or other commercially available sweets. Instead it means darker, less processed chocolates. Dark chocolate contains flavonols, which can help lower blood pressure and improve blood flow to both your brain and your heart.

Whether you’re a burgeoning athlete or just a weekend warrior, your brain is the most important part of your game. Keep it in game-day shape with the right diet.

What’s something you have that you desperately want to get rid of? If you answered student loan debit, you wouldn’t be alone. Millions of Americans are struggling with paying off these loans, and the problem just seems to be getting worse. So how do you become part of the solution?

Well, the first obvious answer is not to get into debt in the first place. If at all possible, rather than financing your education through a private student loans, try to qualify for federally available Pell grants, which don’t need to be repaid, or for Stafford loans, which are usually available at a more affordable interest rate.

Of course, even these types of loans can become a burden in some cases. There are many options that can allow you some breathing room like forbearance or income-sensitive repayment plans. You can also check with your workplace. If you work in certain types of public sector jobs, you may be eligible to ease or even eliminate your loan debt through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

If neither of these options is available to you, or if you already have a crushing debt load looming over you, there are still viable alternatives to reduce the burden. Try refinancing. Private student loans typically don’t have the variety or forgiveness options that Department of Education ones do, but that doesn’t mean you’re stuck with an unbearable interest rate. Like your credit card or your car loan, refinancing these loans can save you hundreds of dollars.

While student loans debt is making national headlines, in many ways it’s no different than any other debt. So, you can also try these general tips to reduce your burden.

Good luck and best wishes for whatever method you choose.

Calories. They’re about as popular as the bubonic plaque. We watch them, count them and do our best to avoid them if at all possible. Of course, no matter where we go, they’re an unavoidable fact of life. So now that you’ve got them, how can you send them on their way?

Well, if you’ve always had nervous habits like fidgeting or tapping your feet, you’re in luck. These activities burn calories. So feel free to pace, because it can burn hundreds more calories than sitting still.

On the other side of the scale, fidgeting or pacing is often a sign of stress, and stress is the last thing you need if you want to burn off calories. Finding ways to focus your inner self and ‘chill out’ not only helps your heart and overall health, but it can help your calories too, since calm people burn calories more efficiently than stressed ones. If pacing is what helps you relax, then celebrate. You got a win-win situation.

Speaking of ‘chilling out’, you can try to do this literally as well as figuratively. The ideal temperature for burning fat has been found to be a cool 64 degrees Fahrenheit. If that temperature seems a little too chilly for you, don’t worry. A nice cup of coffee or tea will help you warm up, and the beauty of it is that these caffeinated beverages can help you boost your calorie burn for up to three hours.

Burning calories can be as easy or as hard as you make it. If paying for an expensive gym membership or changing your entire lifestyle just isn’t in the cards, try a few of these simple tricks.

It’s warm this evening. The smell of freshly mowed grass still hangs heavy in the air. The shadows are lengthening... and wait… yep, that was definitely the sound of fireworks from somewhere in the neighborhood. Must mean Independence Day is right around the corner.

Do you have plans? Well, if not, here are a few ideas to make your 4^th of July one to remember.

Have a Block Party. You may be planning a family cookout anyway. Why not invite everyone to share in the holiday fun? To cut down on expenses, turn the event into a potluck. Plan games and activities for the neighborhood kids and maybe even indulge yourself with a sparkler or two. Sharing in Uncle Sam’s birthday with your fellow Americans— what could be more patriotic than that?

Host an outdoor movie night. If sparklers aren’t allowed in your state and there’s no handy fireworks display around, you can still turn the evening into a red, white and blue affair by putting some patriotic movies on the big screen. An outdoor projection setup might have an initial cost outlay, but it’s something you can use again and again when the weather’s nice.

Sing Along. Want to pass on some of that Independence Day spirit to the next generation? Have a sing along with classics like "The Star Spangled Banner" or "This Land Is Your Land." To add to the fun, you can make your own star-spangled musical instruments and drums.

Like Christmas, Independence Day only comes around once a year, so get out and enjoy.

When I retire, I’m going to __________ (fill in the blank). Whether retirement is decades away or right around the corner, chances are you have something in mind. Here are some ways you can make it happen:

Start early. One of the primary ways retirement funds grow is the compounding interest on the funds you put in. Essentially, you’re letting your money make money. The sooner you put money in, the longer it will have to grow.

Contribute to your 401(k). It’s money that’s working for you that you don’t have to manage. Even better, the money you invest into a 401(k) is tax free until you take it out, meaning it lowers your taxable income in the short term.

Meet Your Employer’s Match. Many companies don’t offer a 401(k) match anymore, but if yours does, by all means utilize it. Otherwise you’re throwing away free money for your retirement.

Automate your retirement savings. It’s hard to remember to put money aside for retirement. It can be doubly hard when you’re on a tight budget or saving up for something else. Make saving easier by automating it. The money goes straight where it’s supposed to before you ever see it, saving you from the temptation of spending it.

Delay Social Security. Up until age 70, the longer you can delay receiving social security payments, the larger your eventual monthly payment will be.

Yes, when I retire I’m going to __________ (fill in the blank.) To make your dream a reality, you’ll need to start filling in the blanks of your retirement savings plan. Use these tips to boost your retirement savings now!