More good news!

I am going to warn you ahead of time that this article has a lot of technical information. For the most part, I try to stay away from posting dry, boring, technical stuff, but in this case, I think it’s important for you to be aware of some of the important research done in the area of brain improvement as we age.

So here we go…

Consider your brain a muscle, and find opportunities to flex it. “Read, read, read,” says Dr. Amir Soas of Case Western Reserve University Medical School in Cleveland. Do crossword puzzles. Play Scrabble. Start a new hobby or learn to speak a foreign language.  “Anything that stimulates the brain to think.”  Also, watch less television, because “your brain goes into neutral,” he said.

Research on the physical results of thinking has shown that just using the brain actually increases the number of dendritic branches that interconnect brain cells. The more we think, the better our brains function – regardless of age.

The renowned brain researcher Dr. Marian Diamond says, “The nervous system possesses not just a ‘morning’ of plasticity, but an ‘afternoon’ and an ‘evening’ as well.”  Dr. Diamond found that whether we are young or old, we can continue to learn. The brain can change at any age. A dendrite grows much like a tree – from trunk to limbs to branches to twigs – in an array of ever finer complexity.

In fact, older brains may have an advantage. She discovered that more highly developed neurons respond even better to intellectual enrichment than less developed ones do. The greatest increase in dendritic length occurred in the outermost dendritic branches, as a reaction to new information.

As she poetically describes it: “We began with a nerve cell, which starts in the embryo as just a sort of sphere. It sends its first branch out to overcome ignorance. As it reaches out, it is gathering knowledge and it is becoming creative. Then we become a little more idealistic, generous, and altruistic; but it is our six-sided dendrites which give us wisdom.”

Improving your brain should be a part of your exercise goals. Never stop learning – become a lifelong student. Pick something you’ve always wanted to learn and start today. New learning experiences will not only make your brain better, but it can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s.

As an added bonus, a better brain will produce breed success in life by speeding up your brain’s processor. When your brain’s processor is running efficiently, you will be able to grasp and remember new information more easily. Think of it as upgrading your brain, much like the way you upgrade your computer.

Action step of the day…  Start today to learn something entirely new. Don’t wait. Even if it’s something as simple as switching your mouse to the opposite hand for a half hour everyday, just do it and start making your brain better.

I welcome your comments, suggestions, and questions, so go ahead and leave your comments. I’d love to hear from you. Also, if you’d like for me to cover a topic in more detail or cover a topic that I have not talked about yet, just let me know.

It’s importance for you to know that this blog was created for you.  The goal is to build a community of people helping people. So if you would like to share your knowledge on a health and fitness related topic, just leave your comments. 

Be Organic God’s Way!

Edwin

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Your brain is a thinking organ that can learn and grow at any age. If you’re like I was, I thought that there was nothing I could do to make my brain better as I aged. That’s not true! We can actually improve our brains no matter what our age.  I don’t know about you, but when I first heard that good news, I got very excited.

As a matter of fact, most age-related memory problems are a result of not exercising the brain enough. You’ve probably heard the saying “use it or lose it.” Well it’s also true for the brain.

It is important to challenge your brain to learn new tasks. It’s especially beneficial to learn totally new tasks you’ve never done before. Examples include learning a new language; learning how to play chess; or maybe even learning basic martial arts movements. 

Here’s something you can try right now to challenge your brain …

Try controlling your computer mouse with your opposite hand. This will develop agility and hand-brain coordination. I tried this and boy it sure challenged my brain. Try it and see how you do!

I welcome your comments, suggestions, and questions, so go ahead and leave your comments. I’d love to hear from you. Also, if you’d like for me to cover a topic in more detail or cover a topic that I have not talked about yet, just let me know.

It’s importance for you to know that this blog was created for you.  The goal is to build a community of people helping people. So if you would like to share your knowledge on a health and fitness related topic, just leave your comments. 

Be Organic God’s Way!

Edwin

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