FEATURES
favorite memories for entertainment. This stimulated the brain and paved the way for good cognitive function into their later years.
Seniors of yesterday were spared from many of the food and environmental contaminants I talked about earlier. Additionally, almost all the seniors I spoke with described a physically active lifestyle in their childhood. Many walked miles to get to school and back home, rain or shine. I encouraged seniors to get back into walking, especially before having breakfast, to stimulate their cir- culation. Movement increases blood flow to the brain and throughout the body, activating endorphins and helping us with motivation.
It’s fun and enjoyable to engage the mind and senses with music, aromatherapy, and games. I frequently dis- tributed “homework,” which we went over at the next class, and some people became so inspired they stayed up during the evening trying to figure out puzzles, rid- dles, and mathematical problems. That was exactly my goal: to have them use the brain all the time. I still keep the heartfelt letters and testimonials I received from seniors whose lives had dramatically improved because of these classes.
Brain Cross-Training If I asked you to solve a crossword puzzle today, you might have to stretch to find the answers. However, if I gave you the same puzzle tomorrow and the next day, the strain of finding solutions would be less and less taxing because your brain would be used to the ques- tions and know most of the answers from repetition and practice. If you continued to lift light weights when you worked your arm muscles, you’d eventually stop seeing progress. Similarly, challenging your brain by solving problems, thinking “outside the box,” and tackling brain puzzles, helps it “flex” and stay cognitively fit.
Try the following suggestions to improve mental abili- ties and challenge the brain:
• Use your non-dominant hand, leg, or appendage
every day in a safe way. Write your name, push a but- ton, and eat with the opposite hand (but don’t try to drive a car or pick up hot liquids with the non-dominant hand).
• Read materials that may be more difficult and men-
tally demanding than your usual selections. If you read the sports section frequently, change it up and try the cooking feature first. If business news gets ignored, stimulate your brain by reading it anyway.
• Expanding your vocabulary is one of the best ways to
challenge the brain. Try to learn a few new words every day, as well as their meanings, and use them daily in conversations.
• Challenge the brain with puzzles and games. Invest
time in board games, online or printed puzzles, or tele- vision trivia shows. When watching a trivia show, try to figure out the answers before the contestants.
• Use scents to engage the brain. Memories from
decades prior can be evoked simply by recognizing certain smells.
Oracle 20/20 September 2013 • Challenge the brain by seeking to incorporate one
new fruit or vegetable into the day. If you haven’t eaten a grapefruit in years, buy one today. Explore new and unusual produce such as star fruit or lychee—look at the produce section of the store with new eyes.
MIND for Brain Health I came up with an easy acronym you can use to remem- ber how to incorporate good brain health habits into your daily life: MIND.
— Movement: A healthy brain requires good circula- tion; it must have oxygen, and a stronger heart can pump more oxygenated blood throughout the body. The arteries should be clear and unclogged, with good diameters, allowing for sufficient blood flow. Moving the body frequently during the day, even for short periods of time, helps to keep oxygen supplied to the brain. If you’re feeling stuck on a mental problem while sitting at work, simply standing up and walking around for a few minutes should get the circulation moving and will help you think better.
— Imagination: Provide the brain with interesting ideas, thoughts, and intellectual data to stimulate increased cognitive function. Creatively engage your mind in various problems and seek solutions with new and imaginative possibilities. Continue this stimulation daily with unique, unusual, and challenging games, concepts, and learning. Expand your imagination by thinking “outside the box.”
— Nutrition: Excellent nutrition, along with proper hydration, is crucial for brain nourishment and protec- tion. When the diet is high in fat, it causes slow, sludgy movement of oxygen. Focus on including fresh, whole, plant foods brimming with vitamins, minerals, antioxi- dants, and fiber. Remember to consume brain-building foods and spices daily.
— Delight: Seek to be delighted and find enjoyment in the day. Happiness and laughter reduces blood pressure and releases endorphins, bathing our brain in feel-good chemicals. Find ways to delight the people around you with kind gestures and words. Being joyous is vital because the brain runs best on happiness. Strive to delight the mind with fun, compassion, and love.
To experience exceptional vitality and lasting energy well into our later years, it’s important to learn how to strengthen the “pillars” which support our lives. These include a healthful diet, positive mental habits, physical movement that engages the body in challenging and fun ways, and a compassionate connection with our- selves and others. Just as pillars are used to reinforce architectural structures, when we strengthen our health foundations, we thrive in fantastic ways.
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