Mind Games - Mental Games to Stay Sharp and Prevent Alzheimer's Disease

There are many benefits to getting a good education and keeping your mind challenged, not the least of which is preventing Alzheimer's disease (AD). Research has shown that those who are in jobs with a high mental demand and those who receive more formal education are less likely to develop AD. How you use your mind is just as important as what you eat and how you exercise your body. Education alone is not a guarantee that you won't develop AD at some point in your life. There are other environmental and physical factors, even some possibility of genetic links, although more recent research is dispelling the idea that AD is largely genetic. Knowing what kinds of mental activities will keep your mind sharp and specific neurotransmitters in the brain functioning at peak levels, can help in your overall health plan to prevent Alzheimer's. Here are some ways that young and old alike can get enough mental stimulation to decrease their odds of developing the disease. 1. Go back to school. It's never too late to get your formal education. Such training may also get you out of a job that is purely physical into one where you are stretching your mind and learning new things each day. Many schools cater to people who have to work full time during the day, offering degree programs with classes held evenings and weekends. 2. Volunteer as a researcher. If you are good at fact finding or enjoy investigating to find out details, you would probably make a good researcher. Old newspapers on library microfiche can be fascinating and help in finding out missing details from a family history or unsolved mystery. If you are an expert in some area, you can start an informational website that will serve the community too. For example, if you experienced some difficulty on a legal issue, you could help others by researching local and state laws so they could avoid the same pitfalls. 3. Turn everyday tasks into mind-builders. Get rid of the calculator and start balancing your checkbook the old-fashioned way. We rely so much on technology to do many different tasks for us that we used to do with our own brains. True, they do save time, but at what cost? Try memorizing a phone number, putting into the PDA or speed dial only as a back up. 4. Have some fun with numbers and word games. Sudoku is a challenging numbers game where the numbers 1-9 must fit into a grid without repeating the numbers by rows or columns or within the grid. The real challenge is that some of the numbers are filled in for you to work around to solve the puzzle. Word games such as crossword puzzles, jumbles, and searches can also keep you thinking. Some of these games are in the daily newspaper or available online. Reading the paper also helps to exercise your mind. 5. Memorize something meaningful to you. Do you like poetry? If so, then find a favorite and commit it to memory. You can also memorize the lyrics to songs, scripture verses, famous historical speeches, or your own personal mantra. The point of any of these activities is to keep the mind working. It doesn't have to be boring and should by no means be rote, but intellectual stimulation that causes the brain to physically rejuvenate itself each day. If You Or A Loved One Are Concerned About Preventing And Potentially Even Reversing The Effects of This Mind-Robbing Disease, Take Just 9 Minutes To Read Our Shocking Special Report:
alzheimersdefense.com------------------------------------------------------------------- This article is based on the book, "The Mind Killer Defense" by Frank Mangano, co-authored by Kim Wierman. As an active member of his community he works diligently providing assistance to senior citizens and probing as a health advocate to discover new and innovative ways to promote well being. The hard work and persistence that Frank has invested in recent years is reflected through his writings. Kim Zoglio Wierman has been writing about natural healthcare for the last 15 years. Her philosophy about healthcare has led her to research the best ways to maintain good health and alternative ways of managing illness and disease by seeking first the most natural approach and blending that with modern medicine when necessary.