Sheila Shares

Boost Your Brain

By Sheila Cluff

Founder of The Oaks at Ojai

Quick! Name the seven best things you can do for a fit body. Do you ever put down your glasses, car keys or paperwork and then wonder where you’ve placed them? Have you walked into a parking lot, after shopping, and wondered where you’ve “left” your car? How about forgetting someone’s name?

These might be serious reflections on a memory problem, and if you’re concerned, seek medical advice. But for most of us, it’s called “brain overload.” That is NOT a medical term, but rather what it feels like to me. I’m always misplacing things, too. So I talked with some medical experts, especially those who read all the latest information on aging, then decided to share what I’ve found. There’s good news and bad news on this topic.

Let’s go with the “bad” news first and I’ll share what I’ve learned. The typical American diet, of too much fat, sugar and stress is unhealthful for healthy brain functions (as well as for our waistlines!). Menus that are low in fat are beneficial to mental health and like our hearts; too much fat is bad news to brains. I learned that because fat oxidizes almost instantaneously, it can, in a way, make parts of the brain become “spoiled,” rather in the same way that fruit which is left out or meat that is not refrigerated can do, too. Some fats that we humans consume are worse than others, such as nasty trans-fatty acids. The good news is that you can help your brain to stay healthy and happy longer by avoiding too much fat and especially trans-fatty acids that are in the foods you choose. It takes some thought (a good brain function, because actually thinking is like doing mental push ups) but by watching the types of fats you’re eating your brain will be less likely to be exposed to the dangerous types of fats. Choose foods wisely for your brain’s sake.

A really brain enhancer and the topic of this column is exercise. If you increase the amount, type and intensity of exercise your brain can become healthier.

In a long-awaited study conducted by Harvard University, 1,700 healthy men and women, 65 or older, began an exercise program. The bottom line? For those who did as little as 15 minutes of exercise a day, three times a week, reduced their risk of developing dementia by about 30 percent.

The study was published in the Annuals of Internal Medicine (January 2005) and suggests that even a short, brisk walk every day can help ward off diseases associated with dementia, including Alzheimer’s, which currently affects about 4.5 million people.

This is timely news for Boomers and those of us who are a tad older. As an advocate of fitness for every body, I am excited about the scientific evidence. While more research will be required to confirm what the Harvard study showed, don’t wait. You don’t have to run a marathon to gain the benefits of exercise, just get off the sofa and walk around the block, along the seashore or at the mall.

So get moving, breathing and circulating oxygen and blood through your body. Let’s look at some easy or easier ways to get started. You just slip on walking shoes and get out the door, or walk around the mall if outdoor walking isn’t your cup of java. Find a buddy and encourage one another. Take your dog for a stroll (making sure he or she slowly builds up endurance, too). Start a walking group at your office, church or school. Walk around the living room or on the treadmill at the gym.

The National Institutes of Health calls exercise “the most effective anti-aging pill ever discovered.” So not only can you stave off dementia, quite possibly, but you can look and feel younger when you exercise.

Money often a concern? Walking is free. It’s portable and do-able for almost everyone. The trick is to begin slowly and increase your walking speed and distance. Walk fast enough so that you can still carry on a conversation, even with yourself if need be, but feel your muscles warming up.

As a mother and grandmother I’m quite concerned about the health of our youngest generation. They are less fit and fatter than every before. Type II diabetes is on the rise, as is high blood pressure and eating disorders among our children. Lead your kids by example. Make walking, outdoor activities and sports a positive side of your family life. You’ll all be healthier and smarter.

Keep your brain healthy with walking and stay fit for life.