Continually challenging your brain on a regular basis not only keeps you sharp and on your toes, but it can also prevent Alzheimer’s later on in life.  It can also improve your brain’s short term recall…think, where did I leave my keys?   We all have blips of “senior moments”, but we can do things to improve them.  Try this brain challenge to keep you on your toes.  Change the font on your computer.  By simply changing your font to something different from your norm, you are challenging your brain to process things in a different way.  Changing your font has been shown to improve your long term retention, according to research published in the journal Cognition.  Focusing on a new font may make your brain’s processing center work a little harder, upping your recall.

Turns out, yoga does far more for make us limber, it’s also a major libido booster, too.  Yoga improves blood flow to sexual organs, which increases sensation.  Being limber certainly can’t hurt your game in that regard, either.  But more so, being in shape makes you confident in your body and assured with self confidence.  Yoga is a win/win in and out of the bedroom.

What’s the best time to workout, morning or evening?  The answer is, there is no right answer.  The best time to workout is a time that you’ll do it consistently, over and over, day after day.  Whatever time of day your personal sweet spot is for exercise is the best time to work out…for you.  There are certain benefits of a morning workout, such as a blast of energy throughout your day, however,  strength training in the evenings helps to give you a great night’s sleep.  Whatever time of day you choose to workout is fine, just pick a time you’ll consistently do it at least four to five days a week.

For years, Jillian Michaels has come into our homes, teaching us her workout techniques on The Biggest Loser.  How does Jillian keep her near-perfect physique?  Jillian says “I usually go to the gym three to four times a week.  I work out hard when I go.  I just kill it, whether it’s doing kettlebells, mixed martial arts, Spinning classes or power yoga.  I get bored easily, so I need something that’s going to keep me focused.  I mix it up.  Everything I do is a combo of body resistance and cardiovascular endurance.” Jillian’s favorite workout is mixed martial arts.  Her most dreaded workout would be a marathon.  She says “You’re at mile 20, and you have six more to go, and your body is just battered and bleeding and miserable.  I would rather be dead.”

Check out Fitness magazine’s July/August issue to learn more about Jillian Michaels’ signature workout style.

Take a tip from A-List celebrities to achieve beautiful skin and get regular facials.  Celebs swear by them to keep their face, neck and chest looking camera ready.  Facials deeply cleanse the skin, exfoliate dead skin cells, and improve circulation, leaving you with beautiful skin and a healthy glow.   Facials can also pinpoint skin problems, like dark spots and acne spots, with specific treatments formulated for your skin.  Ask your spa what kind of treatments they offer for your skin’s needs and start looking like an A-Lister.

 Supernatural Botanicals is a proud sponsor of SmartTalk Connected Conversation.  SmartTalk will bring their sensational lineup of interesting, successful and dynamic women to Cincinnati again in January.  Stay tuned for the release of their 2012 lineup on their website at SmartTalk.

Neurologist have found that the brain cannot decipher between actually doing something that makes you happy or just thinking about it.  And that’s good news if you aren’t particularly happy with _______ (insert any pain-in-the-tail item here).  If you are not in your sweet spot in life, then imagine yourself being there. 

When you open yourself up and think deeply, ask yourself what it is that you’d do or have if failure was not an option.  A new house, a new relationship, a new body shape, a masters degree?  What do you want, specifically?  Think about how you you’d decorate your new house.  Think about the clothes you’ll wear with your new body.  Think about how you want to be treated in your next relationship.  Imagine it.  Get into the moment of it. 

You become your thoughts.  Whatever it is that you think of all day, that’s what you’ll bring into your life.  If you are thinking about bills, about being late to work, about how bad work is once you get there, and about how much weight you’ve gained….this is the energy your are providing for your brain.  Luckily, the exact opposite works, too.  Think about routes of cash flowing into your life.  Think about your ability to land a better job where you can use your talents better.  Think about how responsible you are and how you are always on time.  Positive energy works, and it works every single time.   Think yourself into a better state of mind, and therefore, a better overall life.  There’s nothing wrong with faking it until you make it!

Anyone who has worked out with regularity can confirm this  Harvard study, who reports adults who practice about 27 minutes of mindful activity a day, including gentle yoga and meditation exercises, had a significant increase in gray matter in eight weeks.  Specifically, in the parts of the brain that help regulate emotions and stress.  “We believe that these changes reflect increased brain activity which helps explain why the benefits of practice continue throughout the day.”  Working out simply makes you sharper, quicker on the draw.  It also helps you to deal with stress better, and of course,  be a kinder and better all around person.  It works every single time….so do some mindful activity eight weeks in a row and find out for yourself.  You’ll love the results.

Are you critically hard on yourself when you feel like you haven’t done enough, produced enough, given enough of yourself to your life and career?  Is your knee-jerk reaction to criticize yourself into shame, or do you conversely build yourself up for a comeback?  If you picked the latter, researchers think you’re on to something.   Researchers found that people think they need to be self-critical to motivate themselves, but research shows the opposite is true.  Women who go easier on themselves are more likely to pick themselves back up again more quickly after disappointment and give it another go.  Self-critical people take far longer, as they are constantly fighting an internal dialogue of “you’re not enough”.

Let it go.  Be easier on yourself.  It helps you to come back quicker, and in general, makes you a happier, more content person.

“If you’re going to be alive and on this planet, you have to suck the marrow out of every day and get the most out of it.”  Drew Barrymore on being proactive about life.