Aging Brains Do Better With Exercise

When it comes to cognitive function, what's more advantageous to the aging brain, mental or physical exercise? The answer is--BOTH!

That's right, physical exercise is just as important as mental exercise when it comes to keeping mentally fit. So say researchers who have been studying brain function and aging.

According to experts, memory improved in 72-year olds when they took up a regular walking routine as little as three times per week. The brains of these seniors resembled those of younger people when scanned by sophisticated equipment measuring mental activity. No surprises here as exercise increases blood flow, which is absolutely essential for keeping the brain healthy. Blood brings nutrients and oxygen to a hard working brain keeping it nourished and healthy. Exercise also stimulates hormone production and keeps the central nervous system firing in a rhythmic pattern, which is necessary to keep the machinery running smoothly. You know, just like firing up the ol' jalopy in the garage every now and again, just to make sure all the parts stay lubricated.

But, of course, mental activity must also take place regularly. As I've said in my last podcast (Episode 4), it also pays to keep learning new things. The process of learning developes dendrites--the nerve cell extensions that form neurological pathways. As the researchers of this latest study point out, people who are more mentally active, and especially those who have higher education, have bushier brains. That is, people who keep learning have more dendrites, and thus more neural pathways. The prescence of abundant dendrites causes a bushy appearance of the brain. No wonder my 6th grade math teacher had bushy ears. He was smart! And don't forget--continued education also prevents Alzheimer's disease.

So take heed--exercise regularly, and pick up a copy of Dante's Inferno. That'll help keep you functioning beautifully for years to come.

Many Advantages to Mental Sharpness

Being conscientious and focused can prevent the onset of Alzheimer's later in life, current research shows. According to a study started in 1994 and involving Catholic nuns, priests and brothers (read about it in detail in The Six Keys to Optimal Health, coming soon), people who are conscientious--that is, those who are governed by or conform to the dictates of conscience, are self-disciplined, and scrupulous --are half as likely to develop Alzheimer's as they age.

According to Robert S. Wilson, professor of neuropsychology at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and lead author of a report in the October Archives of General Psychiatry, conscientiousness is "a broad-based trait that is particularly about impulse control, self-discipline and delayed gratification." The study's findings seemed to hold up even when the researchers controlled for other personality traits and risk factors such as physical, cognitive and social activity, among others.

I'm really not surprised by these findings. One of the major premises in my upcoming book is the importance of keeping mentally sharp. Mental sharpness includes cognitive ability which depends on continuous education, focus and discipline which depend on consciousness, or better yet--mindfulness, and keeping one's perspective balanced (more on this later--really, read my book--it's all in there). All of these activities stimulate dendritic growth; that is the formation of new nerve pathways that keep the central nervous system functioning at optimal levels.

Hey, we've all got a choice to live a life of consciousness or one without. No judgements here, but a conscious life--to me--just seems fuller . It's not easy and definitely not always a joy. Dammit, a conscious life is painful. But isn't life about every side? Good, bad; easy, tough; cake, dung? Experiencing all sides is what life is truly about. And sticking to your guns, that is, staying true to who you are (not giving in) during trying times is precisely what determines conscientiousness. It's not just about how you act but how you see things. What's really important is not avoiding life's drudgeries, but instead embracing them and carrying them out--that is the secret to conscientiousness.

Tough Being a Parent

Wow! Being a parent is tough. So much to think about--so much to know. My daughter has been sick for two weeks now with a cold, and it has turned into a pretty nasty ear infection. It's been rough. Check out this months article titled, Putting a New Light on Illness, to see how I believe we need to approach such matters.

But again, being a parent is tough. Take, for example, childhood learning. As parents we want to do the right things for our tykes. So we buy them Baby Einstein products, enroll them in music classes, and read them Goethe. But is it really doing anything or are we just fools for marketing? According to new research, one of the best things you can do to enhance your child's language development is give them a set of blocks. Blocks? Wooden or plastic geometrically cuboid shapes? Not computer programs, DVDs, language tapes, or Graciela, the Guatemalan Spanish tutor? Just plain old blocks?

Yup! So says a study out of the University of Washington. Unstructured play with blocks stimulates thinking, memory and physical mastery of objects at a time when a child's brain is growing rapidly, says Dimitri Christakis, the author of the study. Apparently blocks "are the precursors of thought and language," he wrote in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, "Older children begin to make up stories or scripts for these objects ..." And even better, such play may substitute for less stimulating activity like watching television.

Speaking of T.V., you must know how I feel about watching too much of this junk. Just call it brain Twinkies. It isn't great for adults, but it's particularly problematic for children. At a time when their delicate nervous system and brain are developing rapidly, children should really be engaging in stimulating activities like playing with toys, imitating Mom and Dad doing household chores, reading (if they are old enough), and listening to wholesome music (it doesn't have to be Beethoven, but you probably want to lay off the Tupac for a while). Watching T.V. should really be minimal, if at all.

According to a recent study published in Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, children younger than 2-years-old shouldn't watch any T.V. at all, while children older than 2 should limit their viewing to less than two hours a day. These conclusions are the result of multiple studies showing high levels of television viewing in children leading to social and behavioral problems--like ADHD--later in life. This current study, though, is the first to point out that, even if television viewing is high in toddlers, parents can prevent problems by curbing the bad habit by age 5 1/2. That's good news for parents who have been unaware. But now you know folks, so pull that Dummy Tube out of Junior's bedroom tonight.

On a final note, yet another recent study shows that less than one third of all U.S. children are recieving nutritional supplements. Now c'mon people--getting adequate nutrients is essential to good health (it's one of the key points in my upcoming book), and let's face it, today's American diet is severely lacking in nutritional value. So you've got to supplement, as do the kids. Saying that--supplements should never substitute for a nutritious and wholesome diet. They supplement. But to ensure both you and your child good health, you probably want to get a good vitamin and mineral supplement today. According to the study, "children using supplements were more likely to be thinner, from a higher-income family without smokers, and spend less time with television and video games." What do you know? Sounds like these families know what's up. You can too--just start today. As I said before, being a parent is tough, but keeping up with the latest information helps significantly. I hope this info has made your job just a little bit easier.