Develop your brain’s capability to cultivate new neurons.
Our brain is an amazing organ, as we all know; also interesting is the brains ability to continue producing new brain cells daily. However, what is truly astonishing is our own capacity to augment the brains ability to produce these new neurons.
Upon turning fifty, I had no idea that getting older was going to be such a horrendous undertaking, what with all the expert advice and added attention I receive from my physician and other professional types including insurance agents and wellness experts! I am certainly not the only boomer being treated – [courted?] so helpfully by those wanting to “protect” me from the horrors of…growing old!
If I sound a tad cynical, forgive me, but I have always been the suspicious type. Having made it through life to this point relatively unscathed – oh sure, a chronic illness here, some osteoarthritis there – but I’m still above ground so something I’m doing must be working.
As a reasonably intelligent guy, I prefer to take charge of my own aging process since over the years I have been forced to understand – more than most and not as much as others – certain things about yours truly that are really working.
That said I would find it interesting to speak with other people getting up there if only to trade a few stories and ideas, gain some inspiration from my peers about getting the most out of the second half of my life.
There is no way young people will ever be able to understand the complexity of getting older that boomers and seniors are experiencing, just like I’ll never understand what other ethnicities must go through living and trying to get by in our society. I just have not had the chance be in there situation so how could I? Likewise, when a twenty something tells me to get some retirement planning in place, I laugh to myself since I’ll be working, and not by choice, with a Geritol drip in my arm well into my eighties.
At the age of fifty one, every person I know over the age of sixty five insists on referring to me as “still wet behind the ears!” This makes me wonder and even fear a little bit what I still have coming. Nevertheless, I digress, a common characteristic in old farts so I apologize.
There are things we can do as junior and even senior boomers to prepare for aging in a constructive manner. We must learn to eat better, sleep more, exercise regularly, control our stress levels and keep on learning new things, experiencing knowledge to stimulate our brains in order to keep them sharp and agile. We can improve our brain function by generating neurons and remapping their networks.
When we have a plan to improve our physical and mental fitness, we are better suited to preplan for our age progression. We will be better able to consider those things that need to be looked at pragmatically like end of life issues, retirement and estate planning, reconsider our spirituality and bravely face the prospects of our friends and family becoming ill and or passing away. Since elder abuse is becoming more of a problem, one may want to practice effective anti aging wellness if only to avoid the prospects of lost independence.
The Brain And Aging Well
One of the world’s authorities on neuroplasticity science is Michael Merzenich, Ph.D. and he developed what is known as the Posit Science Brain Fitness Program. His work was recently evaluated in a study called IMPACT, which found that the boomers and even senior brains are able to learn and understand new things. This lays to ruin the “old dog, no new tricks” adage.
Until about a decade and a bit ago, neuroplasticity and neurogenesis were theories, and only lately has there been any public information regarding how we can augment these new found capabilities of our brains, allowing us to age with awareness and mental fitness.
Dr. Merzinich is a senior, just missing the boomer generation [born in 1942] and he has designed a plan that is going to be quite effective and useful as we maintain our functionality in our ensuing elder years. One noteworthy program he has would enable older drivers to maintain their mobility so they can remain independent. This makes it clear we are well able to retain our mental, physical and cognitive abilities as we age and sustain personal well being.
Two more Ph.D.’s, Simon Evans and Paul Burghardt have conspired on an intriguing book called “BrainFit For Life” which cultivates research, sourcing out data that we can utilize to maintain our brains fitness level on our own. They effectively illustrate to us what they refer to as “the pillars of brain fitness”, physical training, nutrition that is rich in omega 3 fatty acid, sleep, stress control and experiencing and acquiring knowledge, including the Posit Science Brain Fitness Program of Michael Merzenich.
The most vital pillar of brain fitness necessary for our personal aging welfare is the physical activity/ exercise portion, specifically the one designed for couples. There is one called the Tousignant model that is undertaken by couples in there eighties so that in itself is impressive. It offers a good little workout and can be performed easily at home for when you do not feel like going out to exercise.
Burghardt and Evans stress the use of Omega 3 fatty acid for effectual age related wellness. We can find the best variety of Omega 3 fatty acid in deep water fish, so you need to be careful about contaminants like mercury, or you can purchase fish oil supplements. Stress control is also a priority in the brain fitness plan for age linked wellness.
The most effective way to control stress is to practice deep breathing techniques. So, before your eyes glass over having heard that one a hundred times before. There is a tool called HeartMath that used to monitor changes in heart rate so you can better control heart rate tempo. Learning to use the HeartMath approach you should be able to maintain control at will at any particular heart beat modifying the chemistry and flow of adrenaline and cortisol hormones to DHEA, the anti aging hormone of some prominence lately. HeartMath also aids in the way you will make contact with elevated awareness regions within your brain.
Both Evans and Burghardt discuss the “dual n back task” and investigations conducted with this particular tool. It seems we can actually raise our IQ if that is our desire, by merely working on a computer program. It utilizes a somewhat diverse portion of the brain than other programs reach to enhance brain wellness and is very effectual.
If we want to lead a better life and remain as healthy as possible as we age, we can do so. It means some effort on our part and motivation can be in short supply, as we grow older. Do not wait for a crisis to begin training you mind, body and spirit for the autumn years of your life. The sooner you begin your aging wellness plan, the longer you will be able to enjoy a wholesome, independent lifestyle as an old fogy!
Sat, Mar 6, 2010
Anti Aging, Gerontology, Health And Aging, Longevity