More Brainpower On A Budget

I highly recommend Daniel Amen's book, Magnificent Mind at any Age. Amen is a clinical neuroscientist, psychiatrist, and brain imaging expert who appears regularly on public television. You may have seen his special: Change Your Brain, Change Your Life.

Amen believes that the key to satisfaction and success at any age is a healthy brain. And, it is possible for all of us to develop the qualities of a magnificent mind.

In his book, he provides a number of no-cost and low-cost suggestions:

• Since the brain is 80% water, it makes sense to drink lots of pure water.

• Eat fewer calories. Obesity is bad for your brain--fat stores toxic materials and obesity doubles the risk for Alzheimer's disease.

• Eat healthy fats such as fish, avocados, and raw nuts. These help maintain nerve cell membranes and myelin.

• Limit your exposure to environmental toxins. Painting without proper ventilation, visiting nail and hair salons too often, using pesticides, breathing in gas fumes as you fill up your car, and even remodeling your home have been implicated in brain damage.

• The brain needs physical exercise. The best exercises combine aerobic elements with some form of co-ordination movement. According to Amen, dancing and table tennis are the best and safest activities. He particularly likes table tennis which he calls aerobic chess: it gets your eyes, hands, and feet to work together while you are thinking about the spins on the ball.