As we age, our brain cells lose the branch-like connections between them. These connections, or synapses, are essential to thought, so quite literally, over time, our brains lose their heft. But never fear: anti-aging for your brain is available. And the good news is, it’s not only good for the brain, it’s good for our overall health as well. Here’s how to do it.
Aerobics for your brain? You bet! Mark McDaniel, PhD, professor of psychology at Washington University in St. Louis, agrees, but adds, "I would suggest a combined program of aerobics and weight training. Studies show the best outcomes for those engaged in both types of exercise."
Studies have shown that, among other brain benefits, aerobic exercise increases capillary development in the brain, meaning more blood supply, more nutrients and more oxygen. There`s no question that working out makes you smarter, and it does so at all stages of life.
Another path to a better brain is through your stomach. Surprising? It shouldn’t be. We know antioxidants are cancer fighters. Now research shows that eating foods that contain these molecules, which neutralize harmful free radicals, may be especially good for your brain too. Specialists in the field of brain health say that what’s good for the body is good for the brain. If your diet burdens your body, it burdens your brain as well.
A sad fact is that our brains naturally start to slow at the young age of 30. Michael Merzenich, PhD, a neuroscientist at the University of California, San Francisco says, "Your brain is a learning machine." Given the right tools, we can train our brains to act like they did when we were younger. All that`s required is dedicated practice: exercises for the mind, so fear not thirty-somethings, studies show that people of any age can train their brains to be faster and, in effect, younger.
In fact, Merzenich has developed a computer-based training regimen to speed up how the brain processes information. Similarly, Nintendo was inspired to develop a handheld game called Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day. No software has yet been approved by the FDA as a treatment for cognitive impairment, but an increasing number of reputable scientific studies suggest that programs like Merzenich`s could help slow down typical brain aging, or even treat dementia. The biggest finding in brain research in the last ten years is that the brain at any age is highly adaptable. If you ask your brain to learn, it will learn. And it may speed up in the process.
To keep your brain young and supple, you can purchase software like Merzenich`s, or you can do one of a million activities that challenge and excite you: play Ping-Pong, do jigsaw puzzles, learn a new language or the tango, build a kit airplane - "Anything that closely engages your focus and is strongly rewarding," says Merzenich, will kick your brain into learning mode.
Also important in your anti-aging lifestyle are relaxation and laughter. While challenging your brain is very important, remaining calm is equally so. Stress can disrupt brain activities like learning and memory and reduce your quality of life. Try relaxation activities like yoga and meditation and, no matter what you’re doing, make sure you can stay loose and have fun.
When all’s said and done, look forward to your golden years. When you are older, explains Merzenich, "you have recorded in your brain millions and millions of little social scenarios and facts" that you can call upon at any time." Older people are better at solving problems, because they have more mental information to draw upon than younger people do. That`s why those in their 50s and 60s are sage. They`re the ones we turn to for the best advice, the ones we want to run our companies and our country.
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