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marbles recommends
AmuseAmaze
$29.99    

Work your word skills! AmuseAmaze is a word game that is not quite like any word game you've ever played. read more...

 

brain tips

  1. The goal is to train your brain—not strain it.  While doing your daily puzzles in the newspapers, start off with a level of difficulty that’s demanding, but still doable.  As soon as that level starts to feel easy, move on to the next to keep challenging yourself. For a new set of puzzles, try The Little Book of Black and White Crosswords or The Little Black Book of Sudoku Puzzles  
  2. Try a new jigsaw puzzle.  Instead of using a picture of the finished puzzle as your guide, try to do as much as you can without sneaking a peek. The Spices Puzzle is especially challenging! 
  3. Have you ever wanted to learn a second (or third, or fourth) language? It turns out that in addition to being helpful for foreign travel, learning another language is one of the best ways you can stimulate your brain. Teaching your brain to hear and process new sounds and configurations forms new connections in your brain. Whether you have a overseas vacation planned this summer, or maybe just a weekend away, consider bringing a language learning program along with you.
  4. Time yourself to see how long it takes you to create a word in Scrabble or fill in a clue in a crossword.  On your next attempt, try to increase your speed and shave off a second or two.  Scrabble Folio lets you play on the go.
  5. Need a boost to your workout? Music may augment the effect of exercise. Research reported in Scientific American Mind evaluated two groups of volunteers - one that completed a workout in silence and the other that listened to Vivaldi's Four Seasons. Both groups had an improved mood post-exercise, but the verbal skills of the group listening to music improved twice as much! Read more about the relationship between music and the brain in Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain.
  6. Stress not only affects the body, but also prevents the brain from operating in top form. Take some time each day to quiet the mind and focus on the positive social connections you have in your life- it will help your body and your brain.
  7. Laughter really is the best medicine. Studies show that understanding jokes can also give your brain a workout. So feel free to let loose and let your brain reap the benefits!
  8. Did you know that you are more likely to remember something if you are in a place that resembles where you originally learned it? Sometimes it is a certain smell, type of lighting or color that helps trigger a memory in the brain. Being aware of multiple elements in our surroundings may help us more deeply process the experience and make it easier to recall later.
  9. Get out and play! You may think that play is just for the kids, but as Stuart Brown highlights in his book Play, it can encourage efficiency, productivity and creativity for all ages.
  10. Try using your non-dominant hand (your left hand if you’re a rightie, or vice versa) on hand eye coordination activities like Shoot the Moon.  It forces the creation of new brain cells and the pathways between them—plus it’s, well, more handy being able to use both your right and left hands.
  11. Try a new game of strategy like Ringzz.  Take your time to read the rules carefully so you don’t get frustrated. Play these games in a quiet environment without distractions.  It’s essential to maintain focus to get the most benefits.
  12. Try a new route to work.  Drive a different route or use a different form of public transportation.  Your brain likes variation and changing the morning routine exposes your brain to different visual and auditory stimuli. 
  13. Try deep relaxation activities or yoga to reduce stress.  Learning to relax not only makes you feel better but also helps your brain function better. Playing with something like Tangle Therapy also helps reduce stress. 
  14. Visit a museum.  When you get home, challenge yourself to see how many pieces of art you remember.Art Dealer lets your try this activity at home! 
  15. Get physically active!  Go for a walk or hike, learn some yoga stances or join a sports team.  Exercise is not only good for your body, but also for your brain. Juggling Scarves are an easy way to get your arms moving. 
  16. Brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand. Take it a step further and try getting dressed with only your non-dominant hand.  This challenges new senses to be active in your regular routine. 
  17. Bring KenKen Puzzles, Tough Hangman, or the Genius Deck of Logic Puzzles with you while you are waiting at a doctor’s appointment.  This will help pass the time and also give your brain a boost. 
  18. Plan a trip to a foreign country and take some lessons to learn the language prior to going with Ultimate Spanish or Ultimate Chinese.  This will help you navigate the country on your trip and also challenge your brain while you’re at it.    
  19. Learn how to play a musical instrument or learn a new song on an instrument you already play.  Music is a great way to challenge different portions of your brain.   
  20. Go dancing.  Dancing provides aerobic exercise as well as mental stimulation as you think through the steps.  Not only that, but social engagement also helps your brain stay healthy.   
  21. Here's some food for thought: what you eat can affect how well you work, study and play. It's true; a diet rich in essential fatty acids, fruits and vegetables does wonders for your brain power. Don't worry, pizza counts, as long as you make it whole grain and top it with lots of colorful vegetables and cheese. Check out our list of 20 foods that can help you boost memory and work, study and play more effectively.
    Marbles List of Brain Foods
    1. Fish: Cold-water fish are your best source of Omega-3 fatty acids, the primary components of the brain, retina and other nerve tissue. Studies have shown that Omega-3 fatty acids boost energy, enhance learning ability, improve problem-solving skills, and boost memory power and enhance communication between brain cells.
    2. Soy: Foods made from whole, organic soybeans like soy milk and tofu has been proven to positively impact brain development in addition to slowing memory loss, preventing deposits of plaque in the brain, help improve cognitive function, category fluency, logical memory, spatial cognition and memory recall.
    3. Colorful and citrus fruits: Fill your platter with all the colors of the rainbow and a few more, and you're guaranteed to improve your brain power. Avocados are especially potent in increasing blood flow to the brain because of their mono-unsaturated fat content. Other beneficial fruits that have a positive impact on your brain and help you recall information quickly include cantaloupes, watermelon, tomatoes, plums, pineapples, oranges, apples, grapes, kiwifruits, peaches and cherries.
    4. Berries: Blueberries are known for improving motor skills and learning capacity while strawberries improves memory recall. Elderberries, blackberries and raspberries have other brain power boosting benefits through their antioxidant content.
    5. Cruciferous and leafy green vegetables: Your mother had a good reason for forcing you to eat your broccoli. Cabbages, kale, turnips, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, collard greens, cauliflowers, radishes, spinach, mustard green and water cress all help retain memory. Other vegetables that are good in boosting brain power are onions, red peppers, lettuce, carrots, asparagus, okra, mushrooms, broccoli and sprouts.
    6. Chocolate: Chocolate is not only delicious, it's also beneficial to your brain and can help enhance your mood. Natural stimulants boost the production of endorphins that improve focus and concentration. Milk chocolate has been shown to improve verbal and visual memory and boost impulse control and reaction time. Dark chocolate is rich in flavanols that boost blood supply to the brain and help improve cognitive skills.
    7. Nuts: Boost your brain power and improve your mood. The whole nutty family of cashews, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, Brazil nuts and pecans brings some benefit to your brain.
    8. Seeds: Flaxseeds are a rich source of memory-boosting Omega-3 fatty acids. Roasted pumpkin seeds contain relaxing tryptophan and dry sunflower seeds offer thiamine, a form of Vitamin B that improves memory and cognitive functions.
    9. Whole grains: The best brain stimulating foods are like financial news and information, they help the mind grow. Grains like whole wheat, wheat germ and bran that contain a high percentage of folate. Oatmeal, brown rice, whole-grain breads and cereals, barley and popcorn boost your blood flow to the brain. Wholegrain breads and cereals contain Vitamin B6 while wheat germ is rich in memory-improving thiamine.
    10. Pulses and beans: The brain is fueled by glucose, and as it does not produce its own, the supply has to be kept steady from other sources. Rich in antioxidants, iron and other nutrients, beans help stabilize blood sugar levels. Peas, lentils, green beans, lima beans, black beans, kidney beans, and a variety of legumes help energize the brain.
    11. Sage: Whether used as a herb in your food or taken as a supplement in the form of oils and tablets, this member of the mint family has been known to boost levels of the chemical that helps transmit messages to and from the brain. Sage helps in the break down of the enzyme acetylcholine that is needed for the brain to function properly.
    12. Curry: This spicy Eastern delicacy is good for your brain because of a key ingredient, turmeric. The chemical curcumin which is abundant in turmeric helps remove plaque from the brain.
    13. Tea: This wonder beverage, when freshly brewed, has been proven to improve memory and focus as well as combat mental fatigue. Green tea is your best bet to good relax mentally and keep your wits sharpened because of the catechines it contains. Black tea, while not as potent as green tea, also works well as a brain enhancer.
    14. Eggs: A rich source of Vitamin B and lecithin, eggs are good providers of EFAs (essential fatty acids) to the brain. The yolk is especially rich in choline, a basic building block of brain cells that helps improve memory.
    15. Calcium-rich foods: Yogurt, cheese, milk and other foods rich in calcium help in improving the function of nerves. Studies have proved that tyrosine, the amino acid in yogurt, is responsible for the production of the neurotransmitters dopamine and noradrenalin. In short, yogurt helps improve alertness and memory.
    16. Iron-rich foods: A deficiency in iron has been proven to be the most common cause for poor concentration, decreasing intelligence and slow thinking processes. Iron is essential to supplying the brain with the oxygen it needs to continue normal activity. Red meats and liver are the best sources of dietary iron.
    17. Carbohydrate-rich foods: When eaten without protein or fat, carbohydrates provide a soothing effect to the brain. The glucose from the carbs provides the fuel the brain needs to energize you. Avoid refined carbohydrates like white bread, pastries and pasta though, as they cause lethargy. Instead, stick to starches and sugars in the form of grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables.
    18. Supplemental herbs: Gingko biloba is one well-known supplement that improves mental clarity, alertness and memory. It stimulates blood flow to the brain by dilating blood vessels and increasing the supply of oxygen. It also destroys free radicals that are detrimental to brain cells. Others, though not as popular, are equally effective. Rhodiola rosea is a root that is used in the treatment of poor attention span, tiredness and decreased memory capacity. Herbalgram helps renovate oxygen-deprived cells while Panax ginseng has memory enhancing effects.
    19. Organic and plant oils: Get things moving in your brain with memory-boosting essential fatty acids. These EFAs can be found in oils such as olive, walnut and flaxseed.
    20. Water: Nearly three fourths of the brain is water, which makes this life-giving liquid an essential component for the smooth functioning of the brain. When dehydration occurs, the brain releases the hormone cortisol which shrinks dendrites, the branches in the brain that store information. This leads to a decrease in memory power. Cortisol also produces adrenaline which affects mental and cognitive functions. Make sure you drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to keep your brain active and quick.

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