Six scientifically proven methods increase IQ and stimulate brain cell growth or prevent brain cell death. We can call them the Six Pillars of IQ.

1.  A stimulating environment involving new experience. You need to taking risk, and get out of your comfort zone, for continual learning.

“If we're growing, we're always going to be out of our comfort zone.” John Maxwell, Motivational Speaker

“A man's errors are his portals of discovery." James Joyce, Novelist

2.  A healthy diet and brain nutrition, including Omega 3, B6, B12, Zinc, Epicathechin, and Folic Acid. Avoid sugar and bad fats - e.g. trans fatty acids such as you find in margarine. Creatine has also been directly shown in clinical trials to increase IQ, particularly among the elderly. Creatine supplies extra energy to your mind when you are cognitively challenged and using your intelligence.

"The energy of the mind is the essence of life." Aristotle, Philosopher

3. Working memory brain training. Software now exists to expand working memory capacity. Our ‘Working memory’ is our short term memory for information that we actively process to think , solve problems and make decisions, while ignoring distractions. The capacity of working memory is highly related to IQ level. By training working memory capacity we increase IQ level.

“Increasing intelligence is possible after all …with more training leading to greater gains …across the spectrum of abilities.” Robert Sternberg, Professor of Psychology

4. Regular aerobic exercise. Just like training working memory, jogging and other types of aerobic exercise stimulate the production of new neurons in part of the brain called the hippocampus needed for flexible learning and intelligence.

“Being a runner, to me, has made being depressed impossible. If ever I'm going through something emotional and just go outside for a run, you can rest assured that I'll come back with clarity and empowerment.” Alanis Morissette, Singer-songwriter

5. Being free from chronic stress – cortisol is a hormone that seriously damages the brain. It destroys brain cells at a rapid rate.

“Brain cells create ideas. Stress kills brain cells. Stress is not a good idea.” Frederick Saunders.

6. Having decent sleep . Sleep is essential for mental alertness, and there is strong evidence that REM (dreaming) sleep stimulates long term learning of complex, intelligence-demanding tasks. This is arguably the main function of dreaming.

“ When you have insomnia, you're never really asleep, and you're never really awake.”  From the movieFight Club, based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk.

In summary, these are the Six Pillars of IQ  and what you need to know to increase IQ.