Brain Fitness Programs
Woe me, another senior moment struck me tonight. After a new media event at Friday’s Glorietta, I reflected on a new affiliate marketing for my blogs. I pictured myself lying on my satin bedsheets typing away on my macbook, relaxed and blissfully installing that affiliate link. Then I had this awful sinking feeling. But where is my macbook? My mind started to race. Ugh, I left it at Fridays. To make the long story short, I recovered my macbook safe and sound. Thanks to the honest waiters and staff of T.G.I Fridays. Remember my Green Thumb address? I really need to nurture my brain health before I start to lose my car or better yet, lose my mind.
I am sure I am not alone.
Did you know that the human brain starts slowing down as early as age 30? The good news is that you can speed it up, and improve even your most basic cognitive abilities at any age.
Physical Exercise, Good Nutrition, Stress Management and Brain Fitness/Exercise are all four critical pillars for Brain Health. I actually practice the first three, but the 4th one, Brain Fitness/Exercise, is often misunderstood or overlooked. Just as research has demonstrated how important physical exercise is to aging well, experts now say there are things we can do to reduce our risk of mental decline, or even reverse it. It’s called the mental workout, and as baby boomers search for more ways to enjoy their longevity, interest in it is beginning to explode. As I surfed around for Brain Fitness Exercise, I discovered Luminosity Brain Games which are quite similar to some DOS games I used to play and Posit Science’s Brain Fitness Program. . Is it really worth it to enroll in their Brain Games? Which brain fitness program works best?
I went through the checklist on how to navigate through the growing number of brain fitness programs but it got me more confused.
Is it better to just buy the Nintendo Wii since they also have memory games and other coordination games?
Maybe I should start playing those old DOS memory games I used to play with my daughters way back when they were kids. Or better yet, revive my addiction to Scrabble Word Game.
Not everyone, however, is convinced that computer programs are the way to go.
“I don’t think that they have proved that they stop Alzheimer’s,” says Dr. Robert Butler, CEO of the International Longevity Center-USA, a not-for-profit, nonpartisan research, policy and education organization that helps communities address the issue of aging. “You could save some money by having a nice book club or learning a new language. There may be a benefit but I’m not sure you have to buy a computer game to keep up your brain health.”
Whatever method I choose to give my mind a workout, Butler says the earlier you start, the better.
“We should be exercising our minds and our bodies,” he says. “We’d all be a lot healthier if we did.”
What do you do to exercise your brain?
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Oh my goodness. you left your Macbook? i thought i was about to have a heart attack when i read that line in your entry. good thing you were able to get it back. whew.
you’re right, we often neglect exercising our brains because we often assume that it can pretty much run on its own without maintenance. i’m actually learning a new language and started playing scrabble with my family. it sure helps me in working my brains out.
@dyosa- I was driving back like crazy and parked right at the entrance of Glorietta 3, begging the guards to watch my car and then ran all the way up. Haay. I think I will play my scrabble again
Just buy the Wii. It’s both a brain fitness exercise and entertainment.
yikes!!!!
buti na lang nasa mabuting kamay ang macbook mo…
oy baka stress lang yan… happens to me too when i push myself too much. get some rest dearie.
buti na lang nakuha mo pa
Learn new computer languages – something I do every so often.
Learn new human languages – I’m studying Hebrew now, but not very seriously.
My friend told me that answering a kind of written riddle could be a cheap brain exercising. She told me that her mother always do this everyday…Her mother now is 65 but still have good memory.
I blog to exercise my brain, occasionally do the daily crossword puzzle. Lucky you to have found the mac.
Mabuhay, Noemi! This is an interesting topic, and I think that it’s worth looking into the science of these “mental workout” programs when trying to choose. I have researched several of these types of programs myself, and it seems to me that Posit Science, who you mention, has the strongest scientific results. There was an NPR story recently about their latest study, which was conducted by a big name from the Mayo Cinic. They found that participants in the study averaged a memory improvement of ten years. I couldn’t find hard core numbers like that on the other programs, but I will continue to look.
I have been reading your blog for a while…I like your personal touch. Keep writing!
Nakakaatake naman sa puso yan, Noems! Kudos to the honest staff over at Friday’s!
Glad you have Mac back!
does blogging count as brain exercise? because that’s all I do these days. hmm, plus I self study html and xml by tweaking through templates. he he.
sudoku and crossword puzzles may also do the trick.
Hi guys
Good review and write-up.
I really plan to get back into it this year – get in shape and perfect this art of ours.
Thanks for putting together a nice resource. Personally I just got to put in a plug and say fitness rocks
Always good to read about the activies of people.
I have trained hard in the past with running etc in thew army but I have to say combining Q10 and swimming gets the best results.
ALso with the latest in mdeical science and wholistic techniques I would not be supprised if life expectancy rose to 90+
Hi all great information here and good thread to comment on.
I am an adict to training and really want to get to my best this year!
Can I ask though – how did you get this picked up and into google news?
Very impressive that this blog is syndicated through Google and is it something that is just up to Google or you actively created?
Obviously this is a popular blog with great data so well done on your seo success..
Regular and *varied* mental stimulation is what’s required to keep your brain fit. And it doesn’t have to cost you anything necessarily. There are a lot of free brain games out there. Even chess, checkers, sukoku, learning a new language, learning to dance, take a class,etc. In addition, physical exercise helps your brain.
Garys last blog post..Fit Nuns with Sharp Brains
I suggest the Brain game luminocity as I playing them. They seem to help sharpen the brain like a pencil… of course don’t over do it since they are video games as well…