The graying of the bar will continue to cause concern as the baby boomers age. Could that be news to anyone? What research is showing about how we can prevent neuro-boomeritis, a possible result of aging, is news, and quickly and steadily we are learning more. I will define neuro-boomeritis in a minute but first consider boomeritis.
When I say "boomeritis" I do not use the word as defined in that rather odd novel Boomeritis: A Novel That Will Set You Free by Ken Wilber. I mean it as defined by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Nicholas A. DiNubile. From a New York Times article "To Avoid 'Boomeritis,' Exercise, Exercise, Exercise:"
Unless you do something to slow the deterioration in muscle, bone strength and agility that naturally accompanies aging, you will become a prime candidate for what Dr. Nicholas A. DiNubile, an orthopedic surgeon at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, calls “boomeritis.”
“By their 40th birthday, people often have vulnerabilities — weak links — and as the first generation that is trying to stay active in droves, baby boomers are pushing their frames to the breakpoint,” Dr. DiNubile said.
“Baby boomers are falling apart — developing tendinitis, bursitis, arthritis and ‘fix-me-itis,’ the idea that modern medicine can fix anything,” he said. “It’s much better to prevent things than to have to try to fix them.”
Good advice, yes? Prevent rather than fix. Exercise, exercise, exercise.
I coined "neuro-boomeritis" to describe the aging of the boomer brain. We have a wealth of good information about neuro-boomeritis prevention. Everyday brings new discoveries about the brain, its extraordinary capabilities, and methods we can use to enhance them. (Here's an example of one method: brain exercising.) To many colleagues and friends I sent the link to the NPR interview of Sharon Begley in which she discusses her new book Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain: How a New Science Reveals Our Extraordinary Potential to Transform Ourselves. I now see that I neglected to post the link to the interview here. To be wowed by the brain's potential, listen to what Begley has to say.
Here's another tip for enhancing your brain. Over at a
Lawsagna post "Think Before You Think," Anastasia Pryanikova linked to a Science News Online entitled "Buff and Brainy." We read:
New research suggests that physical exercise encourages healthy brains to function at their optimum levels. Fitness prompts nerve cells to multiply, strengthens their connections, and protects them from harm. Benefits seem to extend to brains and nerves that are diseased or damaged. These findings could suggest new treatments for people with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and spinal cord injuries.
. . .
Preliminary studies indicated that when lab animals exercise, their nerve cells release chemicals called neurotrophic factors. These proteins buffer nerve cells against illness or injury, prompt them to grow and multiply, and strengthen each neuron's connection with other nerve cells.
Out of the variety of neurotrophic factors released during exercise, however, scientists found that one in particular stood out: brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF. This protein seems to act as a ringleader, both prompting brain benefits on its own and triggering a cascade of other neural health–promoting chemicals to spring into action.
"I think of BDNF as brain fertilizer. It's thrilling to see what it does to cells in culture," says Carl Cotman, a neuroscientist at the University of California, Irvine. Sprinkling a dilute solution of BDNF onto neurons in a lab dish makes the cells "grow like crazy," he adds. The cells sprout branches prolifically and extend them rapidly.
So get out there soon and often. Exercise can aid in both boomeritis prevention and neuro-boomeritis prevention. Fertilize your brain! A fertile brain is part of good client service, isn't it?
Note: Another benefit of exercise from a Boston Globe article "Study finds lifelong exercise may halve risk of breast cancer:"
Exercising for five or more hours a week throughout life can cut a woman's risk of breast cancer by more than half, researchers said.
Strenuous or moderate exercise from the teens to about age 50 reduces the risk of some types of breast cancer by as much as 55 percent, according to a study published in yesterday's issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. Previous studies asked women about current exercise habits and not activities over time.
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