Currently viewing the category: "mental sharpness"

Education and Mental Preservation

By On · Add Comment · In aging, Alzheimer's, anti-aging, brain, cardiovascular health, cognitive, educated, elderly, memory, mental sharpness, stroke
Losing one’s memory is a natural consequence of aging, right? Not necessarily; in fact, it has been shown in several studies that the more one stimulates one’s mind–in the form of learning–the greater one’s chances of retaining mental sharpness well into old age. Yet another studyhas been released confirming these conclusions.Researchers at the University of Michigan have found that the more educated a person is, the better he or she performed on cognitive tests. Nothing new there, as we reported the same in this blog back in October. What is new, though, is that the study found that significant memory loss has declined in the elderly (people 70+) over the last decade, which may be due to that generation’s longer education and schooling when compared to previous ones. According to lead author Dr. Ken Langa, “the research reinforces other studies that suggest people who do mentally challenging tasks early on build up a reserve of brain power that helps them withstand later injuries to the brain, such as a mini-stroke.” He was also sure to point out the link between good cardiovascular health and brain health, another way to reduce mental decline, strokes and possibly Alzheimer’s.

You want to know why I keep plugging these studies? Because everyone seems to be into anti-aging these days. Great–here’s how to do it. My top seven tips to keeping the brain young:

  • Drink lots of water (1-2L per day)
  • Do 30-60 minutes of cardio (that makes you sweat) every week.
  • Learn something new at all times. Once you master it, move on tho the next thing. My favorites:
    • Languages (Chinese anyone?)
    • Musical instruments
    • Mathematics (always a great brain developer)
    • An art (photography, web design, sculpting, knitting)
    • Anything new (economics, poetry, cosmology, quantum physics, philosophy, psychology, etc.)
  • Take essential fatty acids (EFAs) daily
  • Meditate (sit in silence) every day
  • Practice daily gratitude (for your life exactly as it is now)

Do these things and rest assured that you will keep trucking through life sharp as a whip. Don’t just take my word for it, or the bevy of studies coming out each year; instead, prove it to yourself. And check back in with me when you hit your seventies–something tells me you’ll remember my words.

Many Advantages to Mental Sharpness

By On · Add Comment · In Alzheimer's disease, central nervous system, conscientousness, dendrites, mental sharpness, mindfulness

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.

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Nick Campos - All Rights Reserved.