Here are 5 easy ways for you to help boost your brain power:

1. Perform simple, daily activities slightly differently than normal in order to keep your brain aware, active and fresh. Stimulate your brain by brushing your hair, drawing or cooking with your weaker hand. Mental gymnastics like these will create new synapses and connections in the brain, boosting its power and flexibility.

2. Stay hydrated. A brain is supposed to be over 3/4 water. In order to function at it’s most efficient, peak performance, you must have enough water in your body to keep your brain hydrated. Avoid caffeinated drinks or alcoholic drinks that dehydrate your body. Drink at least 8 8-oz glasses of water a day to boost your brain power.

3. Sleep no less than 7 hours a day. You need plenty of rest in order for your brain to be awake and ready. Most people notice that they tend to have difficulty with learning, remembering and concentrating when they are too tired. This is because your brain needs rest too. When your brain is rested, it can perform at its best.

4. Read more books. Reading exercises the brain’s ability to store and retrieve information; not to mention, you learn quite a lot from books. If you join a book club, you will also be tapping into the interactive, social aspect of your brain.

5. Relax. Negativity and stress cause anxiety in your brain. As strange as that sounds, your brain reacts to these thoughts by producing stress hormones that are responsible for killing our brain cells. Avoid stressful thoughts by writing in a journal or trying to find ways to solve your problems quickly, clearly and rationally. Learn to relax your body through deep breathing, stretching and controlling your environment. Relaxing will help your brain be at its best, because it will not be distracted.

1. Chewing too much gum. Sugarless gum has been shown to trigger diarrhea because it contains a lot of fructose that your body cannot easily digest. You should either avoid it, or chew in moderation

2. Drinking coffee in excess. Too much coffee has been shown to trigger stomachaches because the caffeine boosts acid production in your stomach. Whenever you drink a cup of coffee, you should eat some food to help absorb the acid. Your other option is to switch to either decaf or a dark roast coffee.

3. Indulging in “classic American” treats. Hot dogs and cheese have been shown to trigger headaches because they contain tyramine and nitrites that change the blood flow in your brain. In order to avoid getting a headache, you should avoid eating foods like these, which are high in tyramine. This also includes nuts, smoked meats, sauerkraut, pickles, fruit that is too ripe, wine and beer.

4. Buying the wrong sized shoe. Narrow shoes have been shown to trigger foot cramps because they prevent your muscles from relaxing. The best remedy for this problem is to wear shoes that fit well. If you cannot do this, you should try rolling a tennis ball under the sole of your foot every day in order to boost your foot’s circulation and loosen your muscles.

5. Steaming it up in the shower. Hot showers have been shown to trigger dry skin because they remove the skin cells that trap moisture inside and wash away your skin’s oil. The best way to avoid dry skin is to take a quick, lukewarm shower while using an emollient rich cleanser. After your shower, pat yourself dry before applying some moisturizing ointment.

Try adding the following superfoods to your daily plate to increase your intake of heart-healthy and anti-aging nutrients.

Beans: Beans contain fiber, iron and protein; darker-colored beans have higher concentrations of the good stuff

Blueberries: An old standby of any superfoods list, blueberries are filled with antioxidants that promote brain health.

Dark green veggies (broccoli, spinach, kale): Dark green veggies are filled with healthy nutrients that can help combat signs of aging and even certain cancers

Oats: Whole grains, like oats, can help lower cholesterol and give a fiber boost.

Salmon: Salmon contains omega-3 fatty acids, great for fighting heart disease. It also has vitamins A and B, in addition to protein.

Soy: Soy is filled with antioxidants and phytoestrogens, both of which are associated with better health, especially for women.

Tea (green or black): Black or green tea with no additives is a calorie-free drink that is packed with antioxidants, helps reduce the risk of stroke, promotes heart health and is associated with lowered risks of certain cancers.

Turkey: Ounce for ounce, turkey packs more protein and less fat than other meats. Roast a breast or substitute ground turkey for ground beef in almost any recipe for a low-fat, high-protein option.

Nuts: Packed with omega-3 fatty acids, nuts can help to fight heart disease. Almonds, in particular, are great for you. If you buy a commercial nut butter, look for organic without any additives.

Yogurt: Yogurt promotes intestinal health. Stick with non-fat plain yogurt to avoid all the extra sugar. Make it healthier and more delicious by adding other items from this list.

But if you notice yourself yawning excessively (even when you’re not tired or bored), there may be a medical issue at play. Of course, I wouldn’t recommend diagnosing yourself based on a few yawns, but if it becomes a habit, talk to your doctor.

Excessive yawning might indicate a heart problem linked to a vasovagal reaction (among other things). A vasovagal reaction happens when the vagus nerve acts upon blood vessels. If you yawn an excessive amount, it is a good idea to bring this up with your doctor. It may be nothing, but you will feel better for having discussed it with a medical professional.

Excessive yawning has also been linked to migraine headaches and epileptic seizures. In both of these conditions, excessive yawning is sometimes a precursor to an episode. Many patients with multiple sclerosis also tend to yawn in excess. Researchers believe it’s because MS is often linked with body-temperature regulation issues.

Many people think that yawning is directly related to exhaustion or to the brain’s need for more oxygen, but there is very little research to back these theories up. As I mentioned above, most researchers now believe that yawning helps to cool an overheated brain; since a cooler brain functions better, yawning could be the body’s natural response to excessive heat as it draws in oxygen and releases carbon dioxide.

The calcium and vitamin K found in broccoli help you stand tall and prevent the word osteoporosis from appearing on your medical chart. No one has time to be annoyed with a winter or summer cold. Add a cup of broccoli to your meal and you’ll be giving yourself the protective power of a healthy amount of vitamin C.

If unhealthy eating habits have taken a toll on your body, incorporating broccoli into your current diet will help control some of damage. Broccoli is a good source of vitamin B6 and folate, which makes it a heart-healthy addition to your diet. Broccoli helps lower blood pressure and is given credit for helping prevent various types of cancer.

If you think you have to rely on beans for fiber, you are very wrong. Not only does broccoli contain antioxidants, beneficial vitamins and phytonutirents, it is also an excellent source of fiber.

Even if your cooking skills are limited, that does not excuse you from avoiding broccoli. One of the best ways to prepare broccoli is to steam it until it is just at the tender stage (how easy is that?). Few cooking techniques are easier than steaming. Add some pasta or rice and you have a delicious and nutritious entrée. For a health enhancing snack, munch on broccoli dipped in a hummus, salsa, or salad dressing. Trust me, it makes a great replacement for unhealthy sweet and salty snacks.

Most experts will agree that you shouldn’t skip breakfast. Not only does it recharge you nutritionally, but it also helps jump start your metabolism. Think of your body like a fine tuned machine. For the purposes of this example, we’ll call you a Mercedes (hey, why not?). In a high-performance vehicle such as yourself, you wouldn’t think of putting low-quality fuel inside; would you? Of course not. You also wouldn’t think of driving it until you ran out of gas and got stuck by the side of the road. So, why don’t we treat our bodies as well as we treat our cars?

Just like a car, we can easily run out of fuel. Carbohydrates are our main source of fuel, but you can also think of each essential vitamin and mineral as a type of fuel. They are called essential for a reason: your body needs them in order to function.

So, why not start your day by fueling up your engine with a nutrient-rich meal that will have you functioning at peak performance? Isn’t that a great question? I’m hard pressed to find a reason, but yet I still often skip breakfast. Well, for me, the only way out is to have something quick and easy that’s already prepared (or that I can whip up within about five minutes). Whenever I run out of these quick and easy foods, I am about 100 percent more likely to go without my first meal of the day. What helps you stay in the breakfast routine?

I’m a firm believer that what you put inside your body will show through on the outside. When I cleaned up my diet, my skin naturally followed suit. I barely ever get blemishes anymore. The trick is really just to eat real foods. It’s not a hard concept, but sometimes it can be hard to implement. Think of real foods as those that come directly from Mother Nature, and plant-based foods are always best. Even still, according to clinical research, there are some foods that come from Mother Nature that are better than others.

Studies have shown that eating a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids can ward off those pesky pimples. Such foods include sardines, mackerel, flaxseeds and walnuts. Most other foods have a higher proportion of omega-6 fatty acids, which are necessary to our health, but can cause inflammation if you aren’t balancing them with omega-3’s.

Many studies have also linked dairy consumption to acne. Sorry to be the one to tell you this, but you’re going to have to put down that ice cream if you want your skin to clear up. But don’t fret too much; there are some great alternatives out there. Some brands make ice cream with coconut or almond milk, which are really great substitutes that won’t inflame your skin. And then, there are always dairy-free fruit smoothies and sorbets. Trust me, there’s no need to sacrifice flavor to help clear up your skin.

Experts estimate that the generation of kids growing up today will be the first generation ever not to outlive their parents. That means we’re becoming less healthy, generation to generation. We’re bypassing all of the healthy eating habits and passing on only the toxic patterns to our children. I remember watching Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution last year and seeing elementary school students who couldn’t properly identify a fresh tomato. Now, the USDA has essentially declared pizza as a vegetable for our school children. We are a nation in crisis.

One thing that desperately needs to be curbed, in my opinion, is our appetite for cholesterol. Most people don’t know this, but our bodies actually make cholesterol. There is some debate over whether we need to ingest cholesterol at all, but there is no doubt that as a society, we are eating too darn much of the stuff. The foods we love to overindulge in are rich, like meat and dairy, are high in cholesterol and low in vitamins. At the same time, we forgo the cholesterol-free foods that are very rich in nutrients our bodies need to function. I think if there is one New Year’s resolution that would be good for our country as a whole, it is this: Resolve to eat less cholesterol. We will all be healthier for it.

Have you ever met someone who says they’re going to do things (like, all the time), but after knowing them for a while, you begin to wonder whether they ever actually intend on doing anything they say they’re going to? Maybe they’re going to become a tattoo artist, patent an idea or start every day with vegetable juice instead of pancakes. But nothing ever gets done. Sometimes they start and then stop, but usually they just never start at all. I know a lot of people like that and it drives me nuts.

Before I get too hard on anyone, I have to admit that I’ve been guilty of it at times too. I think it’s something everyone does from time to time. The people who drive me nuts are the ones that are okay with that kind of thing. If I say I’m going to do something and if I don’t , I’ll be disappointed in myself. I think that’s why the 30-day challenges work so well for me. If I take a break for one day, I have failed. If I’m okay with failing, then I become one of those people who drive me nuts. And, I’m not okay with that.

So, here’s how it works: Choose something you want to do. One of my favorite 30-day challenges is doing 30 minutes of pilates every single day. Yours could be anything, but try not to make it conditional. Pliates works for me because I have a video and I can do it at home. It doesn’t matter if it’s cold, raining or snowing. I have no excuses not to do the pilates. On the other hand, if your challenge was to take a walk every day for 30 days, you might have to take a day or two off due to the weather. Or, if you’re really committed, you can go to the mall and take that walk.

At the end of the 30 days, you can decide whether you’d like to continue. The great thing about committing to fitness is that it makes you feel great. Of course, you’ll want to continue. You may decide to work out every other day instead, but at least you’ve gotten yourself back into the groove.

Here are some tips I use to help motivate me to work out:

Goal setting – Whenever I’m feeling like exercise is out of the question, I know it’s time to set a goal for myself. It could be to lose that extra five pounds or to achieve a fitness goal, like running a 5k. Just having the goal gives me something to work towards. It acts as a more tangible reason to get moving than simply knowing that it’s good for my health.

Sticking to a routine – Usually, I can work out whenever the mood strikes me, or when I have free time. But, when I’m in a fitness slump, I get lazy and I somehow “can’t seem to find the time.” Of course, that’s nothing more than an excuse. To avoid making those excuses, I set a particular time each day (usually in the early morning) to accomplish my fitness goals for the day. This way, I know if it’s 8:15, I’m doing something wrong if I’m not exercising.

Having fun with the workouts – When I’m in a fitness-minded mode, I can do pretty much anything to meet my fitness goals, but whenever I’m in a slump, I dread any sort of intense workout. At these times, I’ve found it’s best to take it down a notch. Doing something is better than doing nothing at all. Plus, if you enjoy your workout, you’re much more likely to want to do it again.

It can be easy to fall into a slump. For me, and for a lot of people, it usually happens around the holidays. But, for others, it may happen during your busy season at work. For example, if you work in retail, you may stop working out on Black Friday and not get back into the groove until after New Year’s. Or, if you’re a tax accountant, your workout might gradually taper off in January and come to complete halt in February (the height of tax season). In these times, it’s especially important to have a plan for dealing with the slump. Different things work for different people, but the main thing is that you just keep moving.