Another particularly valuable principle when it comes to brain activities (alluded to under # 5 above) is to work on our areas of weakness, as these tend to get worse with age. For example many of us have difficulty remembering names, but practicing that with the formula described in the article on Ques to Use in Remembering Names, noted under 3 above, can help. There are other related systems you can apply as well. See the section on MEMORY IMPROVEMENT, and the books noted above and below.
Other areas of typical mental weakness to consider working on are math, memorizing, drawing, seeing opposing points of view, and abstract thinking. There are various activities that you can try to strengthen these abilities as well.
A great book on rebuilding areas of brain weakness is The Brain That Changes Itself, by Norman Doidge, M.D. This is especially encouraging for anyone who has suffered a traumatic brain injury, with insights into neuroplasticity. And,,,
The Brain Training Revolution: A Proven Workout for Healthy Brain Aging, by Paul Bendheim, M.D., a neurologist. This contains a good, up-to-date, easy-to-read review of brain healthy activities. It is a good source for authoritative information on diet, mental and physical exercises for the brain, sleep, and the importance of social interaction. It also contains an interactive CD with additional fun activities to try. One of Dr. Bendheim’s main points is that the world is full of potentially brain-building activities, if you know what to look for, and his book provides many useful insights and ideas along those lines.
