The hippocampus–and area of the brain instrumental, among other things, in learning and the consolidation of memory–becomes active in its ability to grow new neural pathways during the process of “learning”. Without a healthy hippocampus, we couldn’t learn new things, consolidate or retrieve our memories, or even orient to new perspectives and beliefs. We could become locked in a chamber of old and fading memories, stuck in a black and white view of the world. An interesting study published in Nature Neuroscience notes the detailed process the hippocampus uses to create “learning”. So how do you keep your hippocampus healthy? Meditation, low levels of stress hormones, and a high antioxidant diet are some of the simple ways you can support this part of your brain. What’s stopping you from taking five minutes today to breathe deeply? And what are you having for lunch?
