Keep Your Brain Fit and Beautiful!

We boomers know how to take care of ourselves. We take our bodies and our muscles to the gym where we lift weights and take grueling, but fun classes. We take our skin to the spa where it is pampered into good health.

Our brains tag along, but wonder why they are being ignored or worse the butt of jokes. "I just had a senior moment!" Ha Ha. We blame our brains when we make little mistakes, but what do we do it get the brain into shape! Little to nothing, that's what!

Our brains need exercise and pampering also, as much as our bodies or skin. And frankly, since all this care taking is going to make us live longer, we had better start taking care of those brains or have a lot of insurance for nursing home care!

Did that scare you? Well, don't be scared, just do something.

Head injuries contribute to brain problems later in life. So, while you are exercising on those bikes, don't forget your helmet.

If you had a head injury earlier in life and avoided immediate brain injury, don't panic now, but keep an eye on your brain! You might want to do two jigsaw puzzles a day because your brain might need more. Ditto if you played football or other rough sports as a kid.

Make your brain do things differently than it is used to doing. Just as your muscles need cross training to be really effective, so does your brain.

If you are right handed, brush your teeth with your left hand. Do cross words and jigsaw puzzles or other mind benders.

Do your check book without a calculator! If that makes you nervous, recheck it after with the cheater!

Take a class; lots of them!

Learn a language. Go to museums and don't just walk around, ask questions, do the hands on things that are for kids!

Remember that 'Old Wives Tale' about fish being 'brain food' well it is. Make sure that it is fatty cold water fish. Eat it or take it in a pill. Either way its necessary.

The good news is that the same foods that are good for your muscles, your body, your face are also the foods that are good for your brain. You have been eating them for a while, you know what they are! Don't forget the alkaline balance!

Eat drink and remember!

The more you know about the blueprint that your parents gave you, the better off you are. Don't despair if there is something that might slow you up. Just find out where you need to pump up your plan.

Stay connected. We are social animals, the brain gets stimulated and exercised in social arenas. People get you thinking. Be sure that the people around you will stimulate your brain. Find people who will challenge you. Find someone to help you do your brain exercises. Start a brain gym among your friends. Make a brain team.