In The News

In a study released August 2015 by the Kessler Foundation, researchers found that the primary limiting factor for individuals who suffer from Multiple Sclerosis was their processing speed.

In other words, implementing strategies which could improve processing speed in the brain could help individuals with MS to maintain their daily activities and stay gainfully employed.

MS is the leading cause of disability among working adults. The employment rate declines from 90% at diagnosis to 20 to 30% five years later. Because cognitive impairments are implicated in the decline in social involvement and employment researchers focused their study on the probability of individuals maintaining their lifestyle when they could improve their processing speed.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/08/150821111045.htm

Daily Health Tip

Processing speed is one measure of the efficiency of your brain to work. It involves factors that enable you to automatically and fluently perform tasks when high mental efficiency is required. When an individual has processing speed needs they will have difficulty performing simple cognitive tasks quickly and easily, especially when efficiency and concentration are required.

However, even though improving processing speed will enable those suffering from MS to stay in the workforce longer, these improvements are not limited to those who have underlying medical conditions. Everyone can benefit in different ways by addressing the speed at which they process information.

Information in your brain which can be addressed are visual and auditory processing, or those things that you see and hear.  By using specific exercises and games you can improve your skills over time, which will impact your ability to be productive at work, increase your creativity, reduce the time needed to make decisions. Each of these factors are important as we age and are more easily kept after acquiring rather than attempting to acquire after losing.

However, while it might be more challenging to improve your processing speed, rather than maintain it, the games and exercises you use are fun, interactive and in the long run have a significant effect on your ability to keep working and living independently.

Making Changes

There are some fun and interesting ways to improve your brainpower and your processing speed. But, before beginning to play the games, be sure you are starting with a strong health and wellness foundation.

1. Sleep 8 hours each night

2. Drink at least 64 ounces of water each day

3. Use a multi-vitamin supplement

4. Get 30 minutes of exercise a day.

5. Floss to help reduce the bacterial and viral load on the body

6. Reduce your television time and increase the amount of time you are up and about

7. No more than 16 ounces of coffee a day

8. Increase your healthy fats and reduce your carbohydrates

Once you have a great foundation on which to build it’s time to have fun with those games and exercises.

There are some simple games you can start at home, but once you have mastered these it’ll be time to use some online resources which are designed to improve your skills and speed.

1. Go Fish using two standard decks of cards. Start with 10 pairs and work up to 30 pairs.

2. Soduko

3. Crossword puzzles build cognitive skills

4. Video games build eye hand coordination

Look for games on your smart phone that help build the same skills such as Tetris and Elevate.

These are a great way of moving toward better processing speed and greater skills.

Have a wonderful day!

Your Healthy Life America Team