Should you Spend $500 to Train Your Brain
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There are sites on the Internet selling games to improve your memory, reasoning and processing speed. These sites charge about $225 per year for Gameboy-type games and/or online games for this intent. The majority of these games are unproven.
There has been one research study Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE), that proved that the training they did was still effective 5 years later. The training took place over 10 weeks and the study participants have been followed for 10 years. Only the 5 year data results have been published.
A company called Posit Science has bought the “speed of processing” component of the training and offers this training online for $500. The question is “Should you spend $500 for this part of the training” and a second question is, at what age is this effective.
My knee jerk reaction is no. I think before you spend this money you need to look at the results of the NUN STUDY. In addition to that public radio mp3, I suggest you read two books.
First is the book Aging with Grace. This is authored by David Snowdon, the lead researcher in the Nun Study and discusses what can be learned ab0ut living longer independent and meaningful lives. The second book is entitled The Brain Trust Program by Dr. Larry McCleary. Dr. McCleary is a pediatric neurosurgeon and knows a lot about what can help you keep your brain healthy.
Some things I have gleaned from all that I have read are these points:
- exercise regularly
- Read and discuss what you read and do something with the information
- Eat less, keep your lean muscles strong and your total body fat low
- Eat some coconut oil – 2 tablespoons everyday
- Take 500mg of Krill oil everyday as an omega 3 fatty acid supplement
- Get adequate Vitamin D3 – enough sunshine or at least 1000IU of Vitamin D3 with no Vitamin A
If you click on Dr. McCleary’s name it will take you to a down load page of an interview. You can listen online, but I like my iPod best. I have included links to both books below. You can find a PBS documentary online about the Nun Study and there are some YouTube interviews with Snowdon.
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