Few people know that you can actually improve you IQ through training (now one more person knows). Here’s some ways you can improve your brain.

Take Different Routes

Walking or driving using different routes to get to the same location can help develop new connections in your brain. It’s perhaps surprising to learn that taxi drivers actually have the largest brains of all professions - and this actually comes from learning the various routes around their area. More generally though, any form of variation from the norm is good for the brain. The more you challenge it with new things the more it will grow.

Meditation

Meditation believe it or not has been shown to help improve IQ. See the article on it for details on what exactly you’re supposed to do.

IQ Games

IQ Games such as the ones on the Nintendo DS have been examined in several studies which often show contrasting results. It seems logical that they should work but it’s unclear whether they are any more effective than regular puzzles such as Sudoku or even other computer games. Yes, playing Sonic the Hedgehog and Halo 3 is good for you!

Challenge Your Brain

Incidental brain training works the same as incidental training for the body in that you seize little opportunities throughout the day to use your brain rather than taking shortcuts. For example, try adding up the price of your shopping as you go around (that also has the added benefit of saving cash) and generally refrain from using a calculator. When I’m bored I give myself mental puzzles to solve such as trying to workout what day my birthday will fall on in three years. I need a new hobby…

Exercise

As if you needed more reasons to work out it’s been shown that regular exercise can strengthen the grey matter as well as your biceps.

Diet

'You are what you eat' is an old and clichéd saying but one that holds a lot of truth. Apart from the fact that we are literally built from the proteins we get from our food, our brain state also actually reflects our mood - both in mood and intelligence. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids are one example of brain boosting diet options. One source is fish such as tuna… have you noticed yet that Tuna is the ultimate food??

Iron is another important part of your diet if you want to boost your smarts and vitamin C which apart from its other benefits also helps the absorption of Iron.

Ambidexterity

Training for ambidexterity will have positive effects on your overall intelligence as you more fully use both sides of your brain and can actually change its physical appearance.

Learn New Skills

As I mentioned before, variety is the spice of... your brain. The more skills you learn the more connections your brain will develop. Particularly good are hobbies and games that involve forward planning and this is why chess is so beneficial. Additionally staying mentally active with such activities has also been shown to slow the detrimental effects that ageing can have on your brain. If you set yourself a new skill to learn every month you will keep your mind fresh and buzzing. Some examples: electronic engineering, German, cooking, chess, programming... Just as importantly this will also give you a massive repertoire of skills to draw on and these skills are essentially weapons, aces up your sleeve. There’s one issue of Superman that sticks in my mind where Superman is using his super-hearing to spy on Lex Luthor. Lex though being the genius he is, starts talking in Chinese which Superman can’t speak. This is an excellent example of how human ingenuity and the use of a learned skill can be used to over-come even a super-powered opponent. I think Superman burst in there and lazered him with his eyes though...

Mack LeMouse

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