better living | health

Building a
better brain

BY CAROLINE WOON

To do list for 2008: Lose 10 pounds, spend more time with family, get brain fit. Here’s something all boomers should know if they don’t already: The brain requires care and training for optimum, long-lasting performance.

SWEATING AT THE GYM has its benefits, but most folks pay little attention to promoting and preserving their brains. Experts say the problem is few people understand the significance of a properly functioning central nervous system and its impact on all other regulatory systems within the human body.

Good brain-health options include diet, mental and physical exercise and even brain-training through neurofeedback.

According to Kelli McSwan, neuropsychologist and program administrator for post-acute brain injury at the Casa Colina Centers for Rehabilitation in Pomona, the working condition of the body and mind are inextricably linked and deterioration of the latter is just as likely to alter a person’s quality of life.

“There is such a strong interaction between both cognitive and physical health that if you neglect one, the other is bound to suffer as well,” she said.

“Remember that your brain is the essence of who you are as a person. It represents your independence and ability to work and be productive, to engage socially and enjoy life’s activities.”

Bob Mungia, clinical director of the Neurofeedback Center for Success in Upland, echoed the importance of maintaining this complex yet frequently overlooked command center of activity.

“Not only is the brain capable of controlling every single bodily function, it is organized in such a way that it can regulate itself when properly cared for,” he said.

Migraine headaches, chronic pain, memory loss, sleep disorders and visual and auditory deficits are all symptoms of a “disregulated” brain that may interfere with your conscious decisions and plans, he said.

neurofeedback
Mungia’s speciality of neurofeedback is a technology-based technique designed to nurture and enhance the brain’s natural abilities.

Using a set of visual performance tests that measure a person’s impulsivity, or speed of response, to various levels of activity, a baseline is established that will aid in tracking all future progress. Then “neurofeedback,” a safe and non-invasive method of conditioning for the brain, is administered through intermittent training sessions that encourage and reward optimal performance.

Although a healthy human brain is designed to operate along a broad spectrum of conscious and unconscious states, Mungia says it works most efficiently within a specific range of wave frequencies where it will produce calm, alert and focused results.

In addition to establishing a series of cause and effect relationships —the cognitive equivalent of fitness exercises for the central nervous system —this strategy of positive feedback and reinforcement helps clients regain control of the manner in which they process and use information, Mungia said.

more exercise, mental & physical
Other health experts say folks who are ready to take a proactive approach to keeping their minds razor sharp should consider making a few crucial adjustments to their daily routine.

“Engaging in simple tasks like reading, math, mental exercises or even listening to music tends to increase the amount of blood flow to the brain,” said Frank Hsu, associate professor of neurosurgery at Loma Linda University Medical Center.

“But be sure to avoid dangerous habits such as smoking because it starves the brain of nutrition and information while reducing the oxygen-carrying capacity of our blood cells.”

Equally convinced of the benefits associated with a steady regimen of exercise, whether mental or physical in nature, McSwan pointed to a wide array of brain-saving possibilities.

“Studies have shown that one of the biggest contributing factors to neurogenesis —the generation of new neurons in the brain —is physical activity,” she said.

Walking, swimming, jogging, weightlifting and especially dancing improve cognitive function and provide a great cardiovascular workout all at the same time, McSwan added.

diet important, too
Preventive health care should also encompass nutrition as what is known today about making smarterchoices underscores the power of “brain food.” “It’s a serious lifestyle change that’s difficult at first, but eventually becomes something you just can’t live without,” McSwan added.

“It’s important to load up on foods rich in B vitamins like oranges and whole wheat breads to boost attention and memory as well as those containing Omega-3 fatty acids like fish, nuts and avocados which help repair nerves and fight inflammation.”

While the actual implementation of these new brain-friendly measures is certainly a tall order to fill, experts warn against the harmful effects of procrastination.

“People shouldn’t wait until they’re 90 years old to do everything they can to fight the brain atrophy that comes naturally with age,” Hsu said.

“Prevent these illnesses from creeping up on you in your later years so that if you do live to be 80 or 90, you’ll be cognitively competent enough to enjoy your life,” he added.