Concentrate on maintaining your focus

This is an era of multiple distractions from digital devices (texts, tweets, emails, etc.) and alarming news 24/7. No wonder people say that they’re having trouble focusing or are finding senior moments happen increasingly often. One survey in the U.K. reports almost half of folks say that their attention span is shorter than it used to be and almost as many admit that “deep thinking” is a thing of the past.

If that seems vaguely familiar, here are five ways to improve your ability to get and stay sharper.

1. Drink caffeinated coffee — 2-4 cups a day can improve selective and sustained attention to detail.

2. Improve your sleep quality. That will benefit your memory, problem-solving, creativity, emotional processing, and judgment, according to the Sleep Foundation. To help you sleep deeper and longer, turn off all digital and blue light sources in the bedroom. Use only red wavelength lights at night.

3. Enjoy regular moderate to vigorous physical exercise — studies show it turns on genes that increase brain-derived neurotrophic growth factor (BDNF), which helps you focus and stimulates memory formation.

4. Up your intake of brain-boosting nutrients and healthy fats found in dark green leafy vegetables, salmon, sea trout, and berries. One study found that women who eat two or more servings of strawberries and blueberries weekly delayed memory decline by up to two-and-a-half years.

Consider taking a choline supplement — around 90 percent of folks are deficient.

Protecting your liver

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects up to 30 percent of the world’s population because of the epidemics of obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

NAFLD/MAFLD may have no symptoms but can cause fatigue and pain in the upper right belly. When it progresses, it can turn into non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). That condition may cause itchy skin, abdominal and leg swelling, shortness of breath and an enlarged spleen. As NASH progresses, cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease, even liver cancer, may develop, and it’s a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

If you’re at risk for or have NAFLD/MAFLD or NASH, research has found that a specific protein, NOX4, helps combat it. Cruciferous veggies contain the liver-protecting element: cauliflower, broccoli, kale, arugula, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, radish and turnips.