I've already talked about how your health is more important than any amount of money you have. This article reiterates that thought and adds to it as it focuses on the importance of your mind and what you can do to make sure it stays healthy. The key points:
While the grownup brain is less "plastic" than the brains of children, it turns out to be much more supple and improvable than originally believed -- that's a key insight neuroscientists have gained over the last 15 years. As Boomers grasp the importance of this research, and as many see their own parents ravaged by Alzheimer's, they'll begin treating their brains much as they treat their bodies -- with a steady regimen of exercise and workouts.
University of California-San Francisco neuroscientist Michael Mezerich calls it a "new brain-fitness culture." What aerobics was to the 1980s, brain fitness will be to the next decade. Expect a steady stream of books, workshops, even "gyms" designed to keep aging Boomer brains in top condition.
Laughter is no laughing matter. There's ample evidence that laughing is good for body and mind. And thanks to an inspired Indian physician named Madan Kataria, individuals and organizations across the world have formed thousands of laughter clubs to practice what Kataria calls "laughter yoga."
I remember reading about the issue of brain fitness a few years ago. The article said that people who regularly exercised their minds by playing cards, doing crossword puzzles, and the like had a substantially lower rate of Alzheimer's disease. I decided to be proactive in my own life in this area and took up the game of chess. It's not only fun and a mental challenge, but because it's a game, it's easy to stick with and play over and over again. I've been playing for 3-4 years now.
I encourage you to consider this issue yourself and take the appropriate action. After all, all the money in the world is of no use if your mind goes.
Somehow a "brain gym" sounds like an investment Kramer would have made.
Posted by: Retireat30 | February 02, 2006 at 02:15 AM