“Brain health takes work - Times and Democrat” |
| Brain health takes work - Times and Democrat Posted: Walking can help keep your brain function strong. Riding your bicycle will keep your brain working at optimum levels. And you thought that walking and cycling were good only for your cardio health. It's been proven that a program of regular physical exercise can be the very best thing you can do to keep your mind sharp, your memory active, your recall strong and your overall brain function at a good level. Sure, crossword puzzles, Sudoku and brainteasers are all good ways to keep your brain agile and alert. But research done by Dr. Arthur Kramer, director of the Lifelong Brain & Cognition Laboratory at The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, shows that physical exercise for approximately one hour, three days a week, actually grows brain matter and connections. His research has explored the effects of aerobic fitness training and cognitive training on brain function and selective aspects of cognition of older adults. Recent studies have discovered substantial sparing of selective regions for lifetime exercisers and have also observed that older individuals who are aerobically trained show interesting changes, potentially reflecting more efficient processing, in patterns of cortical activation (as reflected through MRI), as they perform a series of cognitive tasks. With this and other studies that have resulted in similar findings, it has become more and more apparent that good old-fashioned exercise can be the best thing you can do for your brain. But, as Dr. Kramer noted, you don't have to jump into an aggressive "iron man" exercise program. You do have to jump into an exercise program with some creative thinking and a lot of commitment. While walking can be one of the best ways to exercise, it can't be a casual stroll around the mall. It needs to be an intentional and regular effort that you can maintain for a long time. It needs to become a "way of life" for you, not something that you dread and ultimately don't keep up. How do you make this simple but important effort something you can easily do? One of the best ways to make your walking a regular and doable routine is to have a walking "partner." All the research done by the International Health & Racquet Sports Association, the international association of health clubs, proves that people who exercise with a partner actually exercise more often and keep at it longer that those who exercise by themselves. A walking partner will make your time walking more enjoyable, and you will provide support and encouragement for one another - really important on those days when it is a little cold or rainy and you just don't feel like making the effort. I will admit hearing about Dr. Kramer's research in a colloquium at the University of South Carolina got my attention. It is one thing to be concerned about physical health and preparing for an active aging of the body. It is a whole different impetus to recognize what we do with our feet and legs affects what happens with our brain function. Fortunately, I am still at work and giving my brain a pretty good workout each day just dealing with the myriad situations and challenges of what I face. And yes, in my work I am fortunate I get a lot of walking in as I, as my staff says, manage by walking around. But remember, as Dr. Kramer said, the exercise must be intentional, not accidental. You need to make a commitment to the effort. So, keep your brain sharp as you age. Lay down the Sudoku, brainteasers, crossword puzzles and Wii Brain Fitness, and save some time for exercise. Exercise will help your body. Exercise will help your brain. Who knew? Now you do! The Rev. James McGee is executive director of The Oaks. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Add Images to any RSS Feed To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 comments:
Post a Comment