Thursday, November 03, 2011

The Brain is a Monstrous, Beautiful Mess - .

 - said William F. Allman 

Asger Jorn: Im Anfang war das Bild.


It's growing darker and darker each afternoon. How do you feel about winter? I like winter with cosy evenings and  December and Christmas time, but if winter stretches beyond January and February, then I lose my patience and long for spring like everyone else. Most people here are much younger than me, and they are probably filled with all the energy of the world all through the winter season. I feel already now that I need to gather some energy for the winter period -  although the days after winter solstice in December are moving towards spring, then the winter might be long. So I tried to find some good advice from some wise people......

I looked in a magazine from Monday and found something. This was really sensational. "How to be healthy and happy when you get a hundred years old"! I would love that, wouldn't you? Even if you are a young kid who will live forever! 6 experts have delivered good advice. 6 very young experts: A personal trainer, (yes, I know I'm training too little!), a physician ( that's our TV-doctor, he's nice and charming), a food expert (yes, I know I've got a sweet tooth!), a brain-expert (well....maybe a good idea), a beauty-expert (that's really too late) and a physioterapist ( oh yes, my poor back....).

I chose the brain-expert first. I want to be the happy owner of a good brain, when I reach one hundred years.

5 tips:

1. Bring the nerve-impulses into action with brain-food. Especially the essential sebacic acids, like fish-oil, linseed-oil, sunflower-oil. They are important to the myelin of the brain - a substance, which helps to circulate electric impulses in the brain. Myelin damage affects fx the concentration and the memory.

2. Preserve cellular tissue by eating lots of antioxidants, fruit like cranberry and vegetables like broccoli and chili. The more cellular tissue we have, the more brain cells we have left  for our old age.

3. Bring the memory in action by jogging. Don't walk, don't run, but jog. This kind of physical activity releases hormones, which help the mood and the brain and makes it easier to remember.

4. Expand the brain's network. Read a book in a foreign language, listen to music, join a course. When you read a book in your own language, you use your left cerebral hemisphere. If you read a book in a foreign language, the right cerebral hemisphere begins to work, and this happens every time you force yourself to do something, which is unfamiliar and challenging. Playing music requires a coordination of your both cerebral hemispheres, which affects your average IQ.

5. Take a "brain-time out". Try to stop thinking about all the things you have to do and remember,or think of something quite else than the daily routines. Women, especially, try constantly to make the brain multitask, and the result is multi-distraction and stress.


This sounds quite simple and easy to follow - and most people know most of it in advance, but the question is, if we remember all this in our daily routine. I don't. Well, sometimes. Not always. Too busy with lots of other things. Maybe she's right about multi-tasking and stress! But the conclusion - if I listen to all those 6 young  beautiful people:  "Being healthy and happy when you are a hundred years old". Is there a guarantee?

Source:
Ann-Elisabet Knudsen, brain scientist, Magazine "Alt for Damerne" 43/2011.  

10 comments:

Teresa Evangeline said...

I was just thinking while out pruning bushes that I needed some brain food and that you often provide it with your interesting posts. I came back inside and here you are with the exact thing I needed! I love your parenthetical thoughts, which are amusing and oh how I can relate! :) Thanks for these interesting tips.

I Love your Vaclav Havel quote on your side bar. I was just mentioning to a friend on the phone last night that if anyone says they have the truth they're either lying or sadly mistaken. No one Knows, we can only surmise based on our own experiences, and he had it just right with that quote.

Thyra said...

Hej Teresa! I'm just sitting here by my computer and it's so dark outside. And you've got the sun shining outside now. The blue planete is turning! Isn't it odd that we don't fall off?

Thank you so much for your comment. I'm glad you liked it. I think it is so confusing to live healthy! I wonder how the experts are coping each day. Don't they drink a glass of red wine? Don't they eat a bowl of candy? Don't they go lazy once in a while? Of course they do!

Yes, Vaclav Havel is so right.
I think about it like you if I meet someone who is right in everything!

Hej to you and Buddy!
Grethe ´)

Carolyn said...

Hello Grethe ́ ;)

I am trying to eat well. I have always tried. Inactivity is what I need to cure. I've never jogged but love to swim, cycle and walk.

BUT... I have a hard time forcing me to do this daily. I drive myself nutz! knowing I need to become more active - this would help both physically and mentally. I know this. We all know this. but the doing... SIGH

I also totally agree with this quote. I have written many times about people who KNOW the truth... one of my pet peeves.

Here's a favorite of mine.

Believe those who are seeking the truth.
Doubt those who find it.
Andre Gide


Hi Teresa ;) ... You two have such beautiful blogs... so relaxing to just look at much less read!

Wanda..... said...

I was just commenting to someone in my mail art group...wondering if we would be exchanging mail in our 90's. Believing we are what we eat, think and do helps me eat right, stay positive and be active(well, most of the time :)! I can't read a foreign language, but I like to do Sudoku puzles for brain exercise! Hope it works!

Thyra said...

Hello Carolyn! We can only do our best, and we must not go panic because of all this advice which is thrown into our face every day! We've also got inherited problems in our genes, where we have to get medicinal treatment. They write extremely much about health. I don't want them to give me a bad conscience about what I have done or not done. They haven't found the truth! Yet! But it's okay to seek it. Thank you for commenting, Carolyn. I think you're doing right.
Grethe´)

Thyra said...

Hej Wanda! If you can handle Sudoku then your brain is okay I suppose!!
It's fun that you had just talked about being 90 with your group !

The youngest folks of today have got the chance to be way over 100 years and I think its fantastic.
You mention to be positive, I think this is one of the most important things. We can only do our best. ´)
Have a nice week-end
Grethe

Out on the prairie said...

I try to play in the winter as much as I can to fully enjoy it.

Thyra said...

And you're so much more out in the fresh air than most people which is so good! It must be so wonderful to be out like you. That's one of my dreams never to be reality.
I'm going out in the fresh air tomorrow, and I need it! For the brain too! I have been inside for three days now!! Terrible!
Grethe ´)

Susan Blake said...

Seems as I get older, I get busier trying NOT to be! I recently started Zumba class - it's a hoot (if not a coronary!) I walk every day but I know I wouldn't do it if it weren't for my two dogs, one is a hyper-active pup. I meditate, give myself facials and long baths, buff my nails (no more poisonous polish) and in general am pretty busy just maintaining everything. Maybe I can spin in my "busy" so age can't grab me? haha.

Great suggestions! More stuff to keep busy with, eh?
Hugs
Susan

Thyra said...

Hej Susan! That Zumba-stuff sounds really good. The music makes you want to dance. I would like to dance Zumba if I could still dance.

If you go on with all these good things you're doing now then you'll be an amazing 100-Lady!

More stuff yes, I know what you mean, running from age. Doing something where you forget time.
Pfuiiiit!! suddenly 20 years have passed.... and you still look like a 35er!

Have a nice week-end
Grethe´)