Reader Theresa Cerulli just forwarded this Letter to the Editor that she had sent to the New York Times and went unpublished. The letter addresses the OpEd mentioned here (pitching physical vs. mental exercise), and refers to the Cogmed working memory training program, whose results have been studied in multiple papers published in top medical and scientific journals.

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Dear Editor:

I applaud Sandra Aamodt and Sam Wang for throwing some cold water on the current brain fitness craze in their recent New York Times Magazine Opinion Editorial “Exercise on the Brain.” They are correct in labeling the host of “mental fitness” products that target aging baby boomers as “inspired by science — not to be confused with actually proven by science.” For the last 30 years, terms like “brain plasticity” have been widely and casually used, creating hype that risks drowning out the real breakthroughs that brain researchers are making in this area.

However, I would like to distinguish the “mental fitness” trend that Aamodt and Wang rightly criticize from actual researched-based cognitive training such as the Cogmed program developed in Sweden. Unlike “mental fitness” programs, cognitive training programs focus very narrowly on specific cognitive functions that research has shown to be plastic. This is in stark contrast to compiling a smattering of exercises or activities that are generally thought to be Read the rest of this entry »

The New York Times just published an OpEd that may be throwing out the baby with the bath water.

Exercise on the Brain extols the virtue of physical exercise for brain health at the expense of other important pillars such as good nutrition, stress management and mental exercise.

We have sent a Letter to the Editor to clarify the subject and put their main recommendation (go out and walk, or join the gym) in better context.

Let’s quickly review the four essential pillars to help maintain a healthy brain, and suggest some tips. Those pillars are:

• Physical Exercise
• Mental Exercise
• Good Nutrition
• Stress Management

1. 1. Physical Exercise
• - Start by talking to your doctor, especially if you are not currently physically active, have special health concerns, or are making significant changes to your current program.
• - Set a goal that you can achieve. Do something you enjoy for even just 15 minutes a day. You can always add more time and activities later.
• - Schedule exercise into your daily routine. It will be become a habit faster if you do.
• - If you can only do one thing, do something cardiovascular, meaning something that gets your heart beating faster. This includes walking, running, skiing, swimming, biking, hiking, tennis, basketball, playing tag, ultimate Frisbee, and other similar sports/activities.
2. 2. Mental Exercise
• - Be curious! Get to know your local library and community college, look for local organizations or churches that offer classes or workshops
• - Do a variety of things, including things you aren’t good at (if you like to sing, try painting too)
• - Work puzzles like crosswords and sudoku or play games like chess and bridge
• - Try a computerized brain fitness program for a customized workout
• - If you can only do one thing, learn something new every day
3. Good Nutrition
• - Eat a variety of foods of different colors without a lot of added ingredients or processes
• - Plan your meals around your vegetables, and then add fruit, protein, dairy, and/or grains
• - Add some cold-water fish to your diet (tuna, salmon, mackerel, halibut, sardines, and herring) which contain omega-3 fatty acids
• - Learn what a portion-size is, so you don’t overeat
• - Try to eat more foods low on the Glycemic Index
• - If you can only do one thing, eat more vegetables, particularly leafy green ones
4. Stress Management
• - Get regular cardiovascular exercise
• - Try to get enough sleep each night
• - Keep connected with your friends and family
• - Practice meditation, yoga, or some other calming activity as way to take a relaxing time-out (maybe a bath)
• - Try training with a heart rate variability biofeedback sensor 
• - If you can only do one thing, set aside 5-10 minutes to just breathe deeply and recharge

Big party today. Carnivals everywhere. 

Caroline and I admit we are quite biased. We see the world through our own lenses. Which, these days, means a lot of passion for the science-based Brain Fitness Revolution. We have been trying hard to combine fun brain teasers with serious posts on how brain research is starting to influence Education, Health and Training, and are thankful that these efforts are starting to pay off-Mission Accomplishing!

The weekend started very well. Kevin from IQ Corner and TickTockBrainTalk had brought great early auspices by introducing a SharpBrains feed box into his blog. A number of trading blogs, including Brett Steenbarger’s and Trader Mike’s, enjoyed our posts on trader performance and biofeedback.

Today has been the full Carnival day. Read the rest of this entry »