The decline in specific mental abilities believed to be associated with aging can be avoided. Read on…..

Use it or lose it

• “use your mind or lose it” ; it’s your choice!

• mental exercises will strengthen and enhance cognitive (mental) functions over time.

• memory loss, sluggish thinking, and blocks in problem- solving are not an inevitable part of ageing if the brain remains challenged.

• Monique Le Poncin, founder of the French National Institute for Research on the Prevention of Cerebral Aging, has written a fascinating book called Brain Fitness. Take a peek at it. She advocates a technique of cerebral activation, which she calls “brain fitness.”

How “brain fitness” works

• The goal of brain fitness is to revitalize and restore certain mental abilities before they slow down. Brain fitness literally keeps your brain buzzing

• But, to get the most from “brain fitness” you have to practice. By repeating the exercises over several weeks, real progress can be seen in a relatively short time.

Do day-by-day activation

• To stimulate all parts of the brain, combine different variations of these exercises each day.

• Keep a record of your progress. People who monitor are more likely to stick to the plan and therefore achieve outcomes.

• Read below to view a range of brain exercises. Each exercise is categorized by the specific mental ability it is designed to strengthen.

Exercise your PERCEPTIVE ABILITIES (alma ensure all pictures are publilc domain. If you can’t get public domain just use the brain picture you get below – I am not sure if the one’s below are public domain.

• The goal is to exercise perception in all five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.

Sight – Each day, observe an object (a photograph, for example) or a person you pass on the street. Draw it (or him or her) immediately. This exercises short-term memory. At the end of the week, redraw the seven objects or persons you have observed over the last week. This exercises long-term memory.

Smell/Taste – When dining in a restaurant or at a friend’s home, try to identify the ingredients in the dishes you are served. Concentrate on the subtle flavorings of herbs and spices. Ask the waiter or your host to verify your perceptions.

Memory – Try to memorize the dishes offered on your favorite restaurant’s menu. To make the exercise more challenging, memorize the prices as well. At the end of the day, recall as many of the dishes/prices as you can and write them down.

Hearing – On the telephone, practice recognizing callers before they identify themselves. Then memorize callers’ phone numbers. At the end of the day, write down the people you have spoken with that day, as well as their phone numbers. At the end of the week, try writing down as many of these as you can.

Smell/Touch – Exercise your senses of smell and touch by trying to identify objects with your eyes closed.

Photo credits: iStockphotos