Eating a healthy diet and challenging your body on a daily basis certainly can improve the way you look and feel. But did you know that exercising your brain can also improve your well-being?

According to a recent study, mental training can stimulate changes not only in brain functioning, but also in the structure of the brain itself. Researchers found that people who think positive thoughts secrete hormones that help the body heal faster and function better. And, people who challenge their memory and expand their intellectual horizons, gain increased brain matter and better physical and mental function.