我们一直以为脑细胞的数量是有限的，但是研究发现，事实并非如此。

据媒体报道，几乎凡是好玩的或者好吃的都会让你陷入丧失脑细胞的危险之中，但是有没有什么活动可以帮助脑细胞再造呢?研究表明，确实有一些特定的活动可以帮助脑细胞增长，而且远没有你想得那么痛苦。比如，下面这四种。

控制热量摄入

Watching what you eat and practicing self-control at mealtimes could benefit more than just your waistline. According to Mental Health Daily, restricting your calories helps to elicit a stress response in the body, and while this may sound like a bad thing, in reality it stimulates the brain to grow new brain cells. However, don’t go overboard. The Huffington Post reported that calories need to be restricted by only 20 to 30 percent to reap these benefits.

记录自己摄入的食物，并且控制自己的用餐量，这不仅仅只有益于帮你塑造腰线。根据博客“日说心理健康”，限制卡路里摄入会引发身体的应激反应，这可能听起来不是一件好事，但事实上，它能够刺激大脑产生新的脑细胞。但是，也不要太过分。《赫芬顿邮报》报道，要想达到效果，卡路里的限制只能在20%和30%之间。

喝绿茶

If you don’t feel like restricting your calorie intake (and really who can blame you) a 2012 study found that sipping on green tea may have a similar effect. This is because green tea contains a substance called EGCG, an antioxidant that helps to improve cognitive function through the generation of brain cells, lead researcher Professor Yun Bai said in a statement.

如果你不想限制卡路里摄入量(而且谁能怪你呢)，2012年的一项调查发现饮用绿茶可能会有类似效果。这是因为绿茶中含有一种叫做儿茶素(EGCG)的物质，它是一种抗氧化剂，能够通过代谢脑细胞帮助改善认知功能，首席研究员白芸(音译)教授在一份声明中说道。

“This helps us to understand the potential for EGCG, and green tea which contains it, to help combat degenerative diseases and memory loss," Bai added.

“这能帮助我们理解绿茶中儿茶素的潜能，从而对抗退行性疾病和健忘。”白教授补充道。

吃蓝莓

Another fun and easy way to build up new brain cells is to add some blueberries to your diet. A 2008 report found that antioxidants in the tiny but powerful berry lead to changes in brain blood flow which helps to not only protect the brain cells you have but also leads to the formation of new ones. They also contain a substance called anthocyanin that is associated with increased neuronal signaling in the brain’s memory areas.

促进脑细胞增长另外一个简单有趣的方法就是吃蓝莓。2008年一份报告发现，蓝莓虽小但是能量无穷，里面含有的抗氧化剂可以改变大脑中的血流，这样不仅能够保护现存的脑细胞，而且还能促进新细胞的合成。蓝莓中还含有一种叫花青素的物质，它和大脑存储区域内逐渐增多的神经元信号传导有关系。

性爱(或者其他有氧活动)

Yes, I’ve saved the best for last and no, that isn’t a typo. A 2010 study published in the online journal PLOS one found that sexual experience helps to promote neurogenesis, or the growth of brain cells, in the hippocampus. The hippocampus is mainly associated with memory and regulating emotion, so the extra help is also appreciated.

没错，我把最美妙的留到最后说，而且这可不是印刷错误。2010年，美国在线期刊《公共科学图书馆》的一项研究指出，性行为有助于促进海马体中神经的形成，或者脑细胞的增长。海马体主要和记忆以及调控情绪有关，所以一点点额外的帮助也不错。

And while sex may arguably be the most fun way to replace brain cells while working up a sweat, it surely isn’t the only. Running also helps to build brain cells, Mental Health Daily reported. This is particularly useful in older individuals as it has been reported that moderate exercise helps to improve the cognitive function of people with dementia. A 2014 study also found that individuals who regularly run throughout their lifetime are also less likely to develop dementia when they get older.

尽管存在争议，但性行为或许是促进脑细胞增长的最有趣方法，当然并不是只有性行为能在大汗淋漓的同时合成新脑细胞。根据博客“日说心理健康”记载，跑步也能有助于脑细胞的增长。这尤其适用于年龄稍大的人群，因为据说适当的锻炼可以改善痴呆人群的认知功能。此外，2014年的一项调查发现，那些一直定期跑步的人群在变老后患上痴呆的可能性较小。