Living To 95

Would you want to live to advanced old-age if you knew you would
be lucid and active?

Researching young people from 18 to 28 concluded they believed old age produced lack of independence, physical immobility and loss of mental acuity.

What can we do to produce healthy brain aging?

Physical

Daily physical activity is scientifically linked to a positive psychological mood.
The average senior citizen in the U.S. is sedentary and loses up to 5% muscle mass and mobility annually.

Imagine a pedometer attached to your ankle to measure your active mobility. The results indicate a majority of Senior do not click one-mile daily. Inactivity reduces their immune system activity; blood circulation and maintaining a normal heart beat.

Did you know that your lungs require at least one-mile of physical movement to remain functioning optimally?

Typical Seniors spend up to 10 hours daily passively viewing their tv, reading the
newspaper or a book (the Bible for up to 25%), or snoozing. We suggest a program
of walking will improve their health and contribute to a lucid longevity.

Mental

You have heard the phrase, use-it-or-lose-it regarding muscles loss from inactivity.
Did you know it applies equally to your brain’s gray matter, the neurons constituting your ability to think, organize, and remember?

Higher mental functions (executive cognition) expand through use, and contract by
inactivity. Unless you have daily brain strategies to read, learn and activate your long-term memory – Seniors are at high risk for dementia and particularly Alzheimers.

Do you play board games or engage in hobbies requiring analysis and memory? Do read a book or learn a new skill quarterly (3 months), you are permitting the unnecessary loss of neurons (brain cells).

The act of teaching child or adult new information or a skill, improve the teacher’s cognitive reserve. Be selfish and teach others something you have expertise in like
how to play chess, bridge or English as a second language.
Your brain consists of four main structures:
a) Frontal lobe: responsible for language and memory.
b) Occipital lobe: responsible for visual processing.
c) Parietal lobe: responsible for physical and motor processing;
sensation and perception.
d) Temporal lobe: responsible for auditory processing.

Which of ‘a-d’ brain structures are you willing to leave ignore?

Frontal is what makes us human, granting us the ability to communicate, read, learn and remember.

Occipital controls your ability to use your brain to see. The Cones and Rods
(photoreceptors) in your retina convert light into images and transmits the
information via the Optic nerve, to the Primary Visual Cortex in the brain.

Parietal is involved with your senses, spatial relationships, and knowing left
from right, and the ability to write (type).

Temporal is concerned with converting sound into thought in our Primary Auditory
Cortex. It is involved with learning and memory.

Self Efficacy

If you have confidence in your own skills and competence, you qualify for the term
self-efficacy. You meet challenges with positive strategies and not an attitude
expectant of defeat. Your experiences create your working personality; it’s your mood that often causes your efforts to succeed or withdraw without trying.

If you were required to read and brief a 300 page textbook within ten working days
(for school or career), your mental attitude evaluating your skills and talents is
primary. “If you think you can or you think you can’t - you’re right.” Henry Ford

If you own the skills and talents through knowledge and experience, but doubt yourself, you set the stage to fail. Your mood and attitude rule the results.

Google: the MacArthur Study: It tracked 1,200 health Senior Citizens for ten years.

Imaginary Exercise

Can you accept the scientific results that imaginary exercise can make you fit,
and cause weight loss? Too much?

Google: a recent study by Erin M. Shackell and Lionel G. Standing at Bishop University (Canada). They offer research you accrue almost identical gains in physical fitness and personal strength by meditating on exercise. They do not suggest you abstain from physical exercise, but add mental visualization to supplement your exercise programs. It particularly applies to Senior Citizens.

How

Relax and mentally visualize being in a health and fitness club doing a
series of body pumping repetitive muscle movements. The secret is
in breathing slowly and moving your consciousness into Alpha Hz (cycles
per second) in order to relax.

If you obtain a visualization audiotape requiring you to imagine going through
a total 20 minute workout, and you following the instructions, you will gain
strength and even lose weight. Twice-a-week is about right.

Yes really

Your mind plays a prominent role in causing your endocrine system to release
chemical (hormones) to accelerate muscle growth. Your metabolism is subject to mental activity through visualizing your intention and desire. It speeds up or retards you rate of caloric burning.

Think and grow stronger and lose fat, is a fact.
Google: mental visualization for strength.

Endwords

Back to longevity with lucidity. If you want to live a healthy, productive life to age
95, assuming you don’t get struck by a speeding Mack truck, we suggest tripling
your reading and learning skills and double your memory. It activates your brain.

Would it help to be able to read and remember three (3) books, articles, and reports
in the time your peers can hardly finish one?

It will enhance you longevity and reduce your risk of Alzheimer. Use-it-or-lose-it.

Ask us how.

See ya,

copyright © 2008 H. Bernard Wechsler www.speedlearning.org
hbw@ speedlearning.org
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