| Here’s good
news for all you cranial curmudgeons. Just as the past 20
years saw an explosion in physical fitness, this is the
dawning of the age of brain fitness. While all of us will
experience some declines in memory with age, regular brain
“workouts” not only help prevent cognitive decline,
but can actually boost brain function and memory, as well
as prevent or delay dementia.
The emerging field of brain fitness was the subject of
a fascinating three-hour class I attended at the Yale Consultation
Center. According to the facilitator, Donna Fedus, a gerontologist
and the coordinator of the center’s elder program,
the brain is a work in progress, and we now know that it
has the ability, called neuroplasticity, to grow and change
at any age.
New, computerized programs with progressively difficult
exercises have been shown to result in remarkable memory
improvements.
One of the programs designed to increase abilities needed
when driving is being used in one or two senior centers.
For a sample test, go to www.positscience.com.
This is what we all can do now to boost our noodles:
‰Physical exercise promotes the birth of new neurons
in the part of the brain crucial to forming new memories.
Exercise can even help your brain create new cells. Throw
and catch a ball (enlist your grandchildren for this one).
Hand-eye coordination responses are good for the brain.
Try using your “other” hand for brushing your
teeth or eating. And in case you needed it, here’s
another reason to visit quaint European cities — walking
on uneven cobblestone streets improves the vestibular system
of the inner ear, which translates into better balance.
Eat a well-balanced diet with plenty of fish from the wild.
Salmon and sardines are especially good choices. Fill up
on walnuts, blueberries and dark chocolate. (It’s
true, chocolate lovers, dark chocolate helps to pump up
dopamine, an important brain chemical). Use curry and turmeric
in cooking, and drink gotu kola tea to improve focus and
memory, and tulsi tea made from an Indian herb that helps
reduce stress.
Use it or lose it. Challenge yourself. Learn something
new. Do jigsaw and crossword puzzles, play chess, bridge,
Scrabble and sudoku. Studying a language or learning to
play an instrument is extremely good as it exercises many
interrelated dimensions of brain function. Visit a museum
and take a guided tour, paying careful attention to what
is said. Then write down or relate to someone else everything
you can recall. Memory activities that require receiving,
remembering and thinking help to improve brain function.
Memorize a song or a poem. Take courses or classes ... join
a book club.
Get enough sleep. Our brains consolidate learning and memories
during sleep. Sleeping well after learning something new
helps the brain effectively put the information into long-term
memory.
Check your meds. Medications can impede memory. Older anti-depressants,
anti-diuretics and antihistamines can block a critical brain
chemical. Ask your doctor.
You can find out more about brain fitness at wiki brain
fitness on the Web, or by reading “Can’t Remember
What I Forgot” by Sue Halpern. Another just-out book,
“The Brain That Changes Itself” by Dr. Norman
Dodge, relates almost miraculous cases of damaged brains
that rewire themselves, enabling other parts of the brain
to take over the same function.
Meanwhile, five tried-and-true steps to better brain health
(no computer needed) are socialization, physical activity,
mental stimulation, nutrition and spirituality.
And incidentally, regularly reading Senior Moments and
then discussing the column with a friend or neighbor, couldn’t
hurt, either. Of course, that’s just one modest opinion.
Jean Cherni is founder of Senior
Living Solutions, a retirement advisory service. Contact
her at jeancherni@sbcglobal.net or 15 The Ponds, Branford
06405.
H. Pearce Company REALTORS®
is a full-service real estate company with more than 100
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Corporate and & Commercial offices are located in North
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