I’ve always been under the impression that once we reach adulthood, our brains stop producing new cells. I pictured a brain, which was once a lava lamp of amorphous nerves connecting and disconnecting in a constant state of flux all throughout adolescence, reaching the magical endpoint of adulthood and suddenly lying stagnant, with cobwebs collecting in the corners. Sure, I took some creative license with the imagery, but I truly believed that the brain stopped cell production somewhere in our late teens or early-20s and that was that. Maybe it was something I learned in my high school biology class or maybe it came from an anti-drinking PSA (alcohol kills brain cells, you know). Either way, it explains why I was so surprised to learn otherwise.
According to neurologist Ilene Ruhoy, MD and PhD, in an article from MindBodyGreen, the adult brain can, in fact, generate healthy new cells. It just as to be in the perfect environment to do so. Keep scrolling to see 13 changes you can make to encourage your brain to produce brand new cells (hint: they’re pretty simple).
Source: Byrdie – Kaitlyn McLintock