By Lubna Abdel-Aziz How stirring and stimulating the world is when we are young. It continually excites and arouses with its curious wonders, its baffling challenges, its delightful discoveries, its daunting defiance. We leave it to our brain to deal with its overwhelming demands, collecting information, learning skills, retaining knowledge, overcoming obstacles. It is likened to a runner bursting with energy at the start of a race. But unlike the runner our energy fizzles out, long before the finish line. Most of us spend the rest of our human journey, feebly waiting for the race to end -- but why? So far it has been attributed to ageing, but scientists today ascertain it need not and should not be so. The human brain, with the proper exercise, can continue to grow, to be titillated and inspired till the end. How? Here comes that dirty word -- Exercise. Love it or hate it, we need it more than ever for the dual welfare of mind and body. Early humans gained a crucial revolutionary edge from their flexibility and mobility required by their strategic lifestyle. The nomadic lifestyle of Homo Sapiens provided a tremendous stimulation for their brains that led to the development of superior tools and survival skills. In contrast, the now extinct Neanderthals did not venture too far from home, for thousands of years, unlike the seldom satisfied, ever curious Sapiens. For many millennia the function of the human brain was unknown. The ancient Egyptians discarded it prior to mummification. Aristotle imagined the mental activity took place in the heart. Alexandria's biologists, Herephilos and Erastratus were among the first to conclude that the human brain was the seat of intelligence. Yet it was only recently that scientists have been able to learn how the neural network of the brain functions. Beginning in the womb and throughout life, this vast network continues to expand, adapt and learn. Even before birth our brains created neurons, brain cells that communicate with each other at the rate of 15 million per hour. We are born with 100 billion neurons ready to take on the world and all it has in store for us. During infancy billions of these extraordinary cells intertwine into the vast network that integrates our nervous system. In our early teens several windows of opportunity open, enabling us to learn language, writing, math, to appreciate music, dance and sport. This remains an ability of the brain, and at any age we can and should continue to build our brain and expand our mind. Throughout life, our neural networks re- organise and reinforce themselves in response to new stimuli and learning experiences. This body/mind reaction is what simulates brain cells to grow and connect with each other in the most complex of ways. With Alzheimer's rapidly becoming a major public health challenge, several key studies are surfacing with astounding results. Alzheimer's is a neuro- degenerative disease, manifest by loss of short-term memory, first thought to be simple forgetfulness. As the disease progresses, loss of memory is more pervasive of familiar and well-known skills, objects or persons. Once the disease becomes apparent, it is hard to alter its progression. There is currently no cure for Alzheimer's, but scientists have valuable advice as to its prevention, or at least the delay of its onset. How? Here comes that dreaded word again -- Exercise. Derived from the Latin (to maintain, to keep) exercise includes, to practice, put into action, train, perform, use, improve. This is what we should do to both body and mind. A recent Harvard Medical School study revealed that exercise can be as effective as anti-depressant drugs. A simple walk of 30 minutes every day suffices, but more is better. Walking alone can improve your mood, induce cell growth, sharpen memory skills, decrease anxiety, and raise your self-esteem. Need we continue? If this is not motivation enough, it reduces the incidence of stroke by 59 per cent, improves sleep, strengthens resilience against daily stress, rendering you better equipped to handle all of life's provocations, not to mention other physical benefits like firmer muscle tone, a smaller waistline, and a happier state of mind. Ageing is the terror of both men and women, yet it need not be so. A healthy body and a youthful mind can be well maintained if some discipline and determination is applied. A good diet serves us well especially with the advancing years, in conjunction with physical exercise and intellectual stimulation. A diet low in saturated fats, supplemented with fruits and vegetables, B vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and nuts, as well as high doses of anti-oxidants and vitamin C, is optimum. This should be a regular routine followed religiously prior to the development of diseases. A five-year study at the Laval University, Quebec, suggests that the more one exercises, the greater the protective benefits for the brain. Inactive individuals are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's compared with those with the highest level of activity. The modern study of the brain and its function is known as neuroscience, from which stems "neurobics" a technique in brain exercises created by Lawrence Katz, PhD, of Duke University. By using your five physical senses, it helps your brain manufacture its own nutrients, that strengthen your resistance to pressure and grow new brain cells. While we may lose our precious neurons with age, Marian Diamond, a renowned brain researcher, found that young or old, we can continue to learn. The more we think the better our brain functions, regardless of age. So keep that brain working. It will grow as you grow, so long as it is being stimulated. Try these simple neurobic exercises: - Get dressed with your eyes closed. - Eat with your opposite hand. - Combine two senses by listening to music and smelling flowers. Consider your brain a muscle and find ways to flex it. Work on crossword puzzles, learn a new language, start a new hobby like ballroom dancing, or playing a musical instrument. Travel is a great brain stimulant; even a game of Bingo helps players remain mentally sharp. Best advice comes from Dr Amir Soas of Cleveland Medical School -- walk, walk, walk, read, read, read. Challenging your body and brain is crucial to counter degenerative disorders of both. Let us embrace exercise in every form, right now, before it is too late. "Quandum est ut sit mens sana in corpore sano" "We should pray for a sound mind in a sound body!" -- Juvenal, Roman poet Decimus Junius Juvenalis (circa 60-130 AD)
