HELLO AGAIN. THIS IS ALICE HORNBAKER FOR WMKV 89.3 FM BRINGING YOU ANOTHER “LIFE AFTER 50” COLUMN THAT IS HEARD, EXCLUSIVELY, ON WMKV 89.3 FM AND WMKVFM.ORG AROUND THE WORLD ON THE INTERNET, MONDAYS AND THURSDAYS AT 2:20 P.M., AND FRIDAYS AT 8:50 A.M. AND AS A BLOG ON THE SITE, GROWINGBOLDER.COM.

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         ALL WHO PASS THEIR 50^TH BIRTHDAY, IF HONEST WITH THEMSELVES, WORRY ABOUT LOSING BRAIN POWER WITH AGING.

         IN AN ARTICLE IN THE AARP MAGAZINE BY P. MURALI DORAISWAMY, M.D., HE CLAIMS MAKING JUST A FEW LIFESTYLE CHANGES CAN CREATE NEW BRAIN CELLS AND KEEP YOU SHARP.

IN HIS ARTICLE HE QUOTES ANOTHER DOCTOR, GARY SMALL, WHO TESTED A MATHEMATICIAN IN HIS EARLY 70S.  HE FOUND THE MAN SCORES WENT THROUGH THE ROOF WITH AN IQ OF 140. 

BUT LOOKING LATER AT HIS BRAIN SCAN, HE HAD ALL THE MARKINGS OF ALZHEIMER DISEASE, FULL-BLOWN.

HOW COULD THIS BE?  THE AUTHOR GOES ON TO SAY THAT BRAIN CAN CONTINUE TO FUNCTION, ACTUALLY BUILD NEW BRAIN CELLS, AND SORT OF GO AROUND THOSE RAVISHED BRAIN CELLS OF ALZHEIMER.

HIS ADVICE: THE MORE YOU WORK YOUR BRAIN THE GREATER YOUR RESERVE OF BRAIN FUNCTION.

THERE ARE WAYS TO MAKE YOUR BRAIN STAY AS ACTIVE AS YOU ARE. THE KEY WORD IS “ACTIVE” FOR BRAIN AND BODY.

 HIS ADVICE IS SIMPLE: EXERCISE WEEKLY, MAKE SURE YOU GET A GOOD EDUCATION, AT LEAST A HIGH SCOOL DIPLOMA, DON’T SMOKE, CONTINUE WORKING OR VOLUNTEERING FOR LIFE, AND DESPITE HIGH DIVORCE RATES IN AMERICA, HIS ADVICE IS TRY TO LIVE WITH AT LEAST ONE OTHER PERSON.

HE ALSO TELLS THOSE PAST 50 WHO WANT THEIR BRAIN TO STAY IN SHAPE TO MENTALLY STIMULATE THEMSELVES, TAKE A WALKING PARTNER WITH YOU TO DISCUSS (AGREE OR DISAGREE), BREAK OUT OF A FIXED DAILY ROUTINE AND TRY SOMETHING NEW, BE A LIFETIME LEARNER, PLAY, YES PLAY AT GAMES MAKING THEM HARDER AND HARDER TO MASTER, DE-STRESS REGLARLY INCLUDING WALKS TO RECHARGE, AND YES SLEEP. THE BRAIN NEEDS A REST, TOO.

THE DOCTOR ALSO TELLS OLDER ADULTS TO BE CREATIVE, TRY PAINTING, WRIING A NOVEL OR BLOG, MASTER NEW COMPUTER TECHNIQUES.

AND DON’T FORGET YOUR DIET. CHANGE IT. IF YOU’VE ALWAYS BEEN A MEAT AND POTATOES EATER CHANGE TO FRUITS AND VEGGIES, WHOLE GRAINS, AND YES, FISH. AND OF COURSE REGULAR CHECKUPS WITH YOUR OWN DOC.

REMEMBER: THE BRAIN’S THE THING TO CATCH THE CONSCIENCE OF HEATHFUL LONGEVITY. THE MESSAGE HERE TO KEEP YOU BRAIN FUNCTIONING UNTIL DEATH IS RATHER SIMPLE: CHANGE AND BUILD NEW HABITS.

 IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REACH ME MY EMAIL ADDRESS IS: AJHORNBAKER@YAHOO.COM, AJHORNBAKER@YAHOO.COM (REPEAT). OR LEAVE A MESSAGE FOR ME AT THE CINCINNATI WMKV STUDIOS, 782-2427.  FOR WMKV, THIS IS ALICE HORNBAKER, FOR THE “LIFE AFTER 50” COLUMN, ON 89.3 FM PUBLIC RADIO.