A Lifestyle for a Healthy Brain

Everyone should be concerned about their brain lifestyle. By that, I mean we should be worried about taking care of our minds. Dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other mind related diseases are prevalent today. We need to do as much as we can to hold those problems at bay as we get older. We want to remain vital for as long as our lives will allow it, especially as writers. You might say, “Well, there’s nothing I can do about it. Alzheimer’s is inherited, or nothing stops it,” etc. Actually, there are things you can do and I want to lay it out there for you with five critical factors.

The first factor is physical activity. If you’re like me, you don’t have a whole lot of time to do something on a regular basis. So, let’s try to be a little more practical. If you can do aerobic exercises and swimming, then go for it. You will be much better off for it. Here are some other things you can do. Walk as much as possible. Don’t look for the closest parking spot to the door. Park way out and walk through the parking lot. Instead of taking the elevator, take the stairs. Also, take a dance class with your partner or friends. Classes are very popular now since shows like “Dancing with the Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance.” If you’re lucky enough to be in a town where there are classes, sign-up. Others may find suitable classes at the YMCA or community center. Some other suggestions are knitting, gardening, and writing with non-dominant hand.

Next, socialization is very important. You need to remain integrated and involved. One of my college students who is now retired commented that she didn’t really care much about talking to other people until she retired and now she longs for that. We all need that interaction. We were created to be social, so don’t think you have to live the life of a hermit to be a writer. Get out and mingle. What's more, develop hobbies. As a kid I collected baseball cards and would spend hours on end playing and organizing them. Even though I still have the cards and have started my son with collecting, I don’t really do anything with them. I could start that up again or I could find other things to do. Writing is a hobby, I guess, but I think it’s become more than that for those of us trying to do it for a living. You can take up painting, drawing, photography, and so on. The possibilities are limitless. In addition, you need to build friendships and family networks. If you’re out reading blogs, then you are probably out networking and making friends online. That is great, but don’t forget to get out and network among people around you. Expand your boundaries and get to know people you normally wouldn’t get to know. Lastly, do not retire from life - maintain meaning. Even if you retire from your job, find other things to do that are meaningful. Don’t just disappear into your home and become a recluse. For a healthy brain, you must maintain meaning.

Thirdly, find ways to stimulate your brain. The more active your brain is, the better off you will be. We’ve all heard the brain-numbing affects of watching too much TV, so find other things to do. To begin, you can learn a second language. You’re never too old to try. Sign language is considered a second language. Secondly, travel. Get out and see the world. If you don’t have the funds to travel far, then go near. See what your city, county, and state have to offer. There are historical markers everywhere. Thirdly, play board games and puzzles. Children love playing games, so get out some of their board games and play with them. If you know of other adults who play chess or checkers, challenge them to matches. My grandmother played checkers well into her eighties. Fourthly, this may be a little too obvious, but I still need to mention it: read and write. Nothing stimulates the brain like reading a good book or taking part in writing exercises. Write letters, create a blog, write your memoirs, get one of those books that you pass down to later generations and answer those questions, and so on. There are a lot of possibilities. You could also take a literature class at a local university. Fifthly, learn to play a musical instrument. Maybe you’ve always wanted to play the violin but didn’t have the time or money. It’s never too late to start. Go buy a used one and get started. If you don’t want to pay for lessons, get a book to help you. Last, but not least, you can listen to classical music. There is something about this type of music that stimulates the brain. There were doctors years ago who suggested that we should play classical music in the nursery of newborns and that would make them smarter. I don’t know if that’s necessarily true or not, it may just make them appreciate classical music. At any rate, the music does stimulate the brain and you should listen to it when you have the chance.

The fourth factor is spirituality. You know that I’m a Christian writer, so you know where I want to go with this, but if you’re not a Christian, having faith and a regular place of worship is part of keeping your brain healthy. It may not do much for you after this life is over, but it will make your time on earth better. One thing you need to do is pray daily. Not only is confession good for the soul, but you need that interaction with the creator. Earlier I said we were made to be social. We were made to worship God and to interact first with Him, then with mankind. So, prayer is part of our worship and, obviously, interaction. Also, you should attend formal places of worship regularly. There are a lot of reasons why one should assemble with other believers. There is the social aspect as well as the connection you feel with others. The discussions of the Bible and the learning of new things are also healthy. Last of all, everyone should strive for one family/group meal daily. You may ask why this is part of spirituality instead of socialization. You have a deeper connection with family and you need that time to remain connected.

The last factor is nutrition. We hear a lot about losing weight and taking care of our hearts. But nutrition has a lot to do with our brain health, too. We should increase OMEGA-3 fatty acids. Instead of me explaining what this is, look here (if you don’t have time to read the entire article, read the health benefits section). If you think about it, this really makes sense. Since the beginning of time, fish have been the staples of human diets. There was no need to take vitamins because we got the right kinds of nutrients from the food we ate. Things are not like that today. Today most of our eating habits are not that good and even if we do try to eat right, the food isn’t as pure as it used to be. So, unless you can fix more fish for meals, you should really consider taking fish oil. Other things you can do for nutrition is decrease processed foods and bad fat. We used to fix the frozen family dinners, like the big things of turkey, but we have stopped using them and actually try not to eat as much processed foods. One last thing to increase is anti-oxidants, which basically means we need to eat more fruits and vegetables.

I know I’ve given you a lot to think about here, but I don’t think there’s anything unreasonable. Your brain deserves a healthy lifestyle so that it can function longer at a higher level. Physical activity, socialization, mental stimulation, spirituality, and nutrition are essential to maintaining a strong mind.

CBN Interview with Ted Dekkar

Can you tell I'm enjoying YouTube and GodTube? In continuing my study of other Christian writers and how they do what they do, I came across a CBN interview with Ted Dekkar. I think the interview aired last year, but there is still a lot there. Dekkar talks about why he writes about such topics and he answers his critics that say he is too edgy for Christian fiction. Let's get a good discussion going, so let me know what you think after watching the video.

Model T Convention Hits Hagerstown

Okay, I promised more from the Model T Convention. Here are some pictures from Hagerstown.

Model T's took over the streets on Tuesday July 22.

Kaleb and Marissa enjoyed seeing these vintage cars.

We even had music on the streets, like this piano player in front of Welliver's Smorgashboard.

There were all types for all people.

We even took a break to sit on an old-time trolly.

This Model T just happened to park next to a "For Rent" sign. At first I thought the sign was for the car, but it was for an apartment. But it does make for a good photo. Maybe I'll send it to Jay Leno.

The World Gets a Little Smaller - And Better.

This week we had the opportunity to meet some very fine people from Australia. The Model T Ford's 100th Year Celebration & Swap Meet is going on and people from all over the world are here. A year ago my father-in-law sold his model T to a gentleman from Australia. Saturday, my father-in-law (George) came in and we met up with the gentleman, Jack, and his wife, Betty. There were four others with them - I think son, daughter-in-law, daughter, and son-in-law. They told us about their adventures since coming to the United States and how beautiful and friendly our country is. They were also thankful for Goodwill stores and all of the great finds there. They've also frequented antique shops, museums, national parks, and anywhere else they could find. Jack has been in contact with George for the last year and it was great for them to finally meet face to face.
This is Jack, Betty, and George. They actually named the Model T after George. The Model T was made for a doctor. There is even a compartment in it that held the medical bag the doctor used for house calls.

A Trip to James Whitcomb Riley's House

The picture is of my oldest and youngest daughters on the porch of James Whitcomb Riley's museum in Greenfield, Indiana. One of the things I would like to do as we begin to do more traveling is to visit the home places of American authors. I want to see where they sat as they composed their works. I want to envision what their life was like. Just as I have been reading author biographies for years to try and glean information about the craft, these sights and tours also give some information. And it's just fun. My guess is that there are historic places close to you that you could visit, or have visited. Why don't you share some of your favorite spots with me? You might check out the National Historic Landmark site to find some in your area, or even the areas you are visiting.

So, what did I learn from my visit to James Whitcomb Riley's Birthplace? One of the main things that sticks out is that some of the things that happened in his poems were taken from his life. I know that's a shock for anyone who writes, but it's still neat to see the connections. The tour guide would have us look at a certain area, or stand in a certain part of the room, and she would recite some lines from one of Riley's poems that went with it. Ideas for writing are all around us, if we just keep our eyes and minds open.

There is a festival in Greenfield every October in honor of Riley, and it's called (drum roll) Riley Festival. Even though he's not very well known today, he was the most popular poet of his day. At the turn of the last century, he was a best-selling author and speaker. Today he has been labeled as a children's author and local color author and probably isn't as well known outside of Indiana. No matter how we categorize him, because we have to fit our authors into their niches, he will live forever through his writings, and isn't that what all authors are truly striving for - a legacy?

Easter Symbols

A little perspective is needed on some pagan traditions that have entered Christian traditions.  On a day that is set aside to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, I have often wondered why there are eggs and bunnies.  I could never really figure out the connection.  The truth is:  there is no connection.  Some say the egg represents the resurrection, but the egg is hard boiled and therefore dead.  And even if the chick were allowed to come out of the shell, it’s a birth, not a rebirth. 

 

So, what is the real symbolism?  As we’ve seen with other Christian traditions, as Christianity spread people still hung on to some of their pagan symbols.  Even the word “Easter” is pagan.  Easter, or Esther, is another name for Ishtar, the Babylonian goddess of fertility.  She’s also the guardian of prostitutes and probably had priestess-prostitutes in her temples.  The egg is the symbol for fertility and the animal symbol for fertility is the rabbit.  Now you know why there is a rabbit delivering eggs.

 

So, in the spring of the year when everything is coming back to life, Ishtar is worshipped, and her symbols are seen everywhere.  So what do eggs and rabbits have to do with Jesus dying on the cross and rising three days later?  Absolutely nothing.  Also, the Persians (Babylonians) painted eggs for Nowrooz, their New Year celebration falling on the Spring Equinox.

 

So, should I still hide eggs and let my children find them?  It’s something they look forward to at this time of the year.  They also like to get their picture taken with the Easter Bunny at the mall.  And I can’t leave out getting their baskets on Easter morning.  The Easter bunny always visited me when I was younger and I’m not worshipping Ishtar today.  So, is it okay or not, and I don’t buy the argument that it’s up to each person.  Either it’s right or it’s wrong, perception doesn’t matter.  Or is it the emphasis that matters?  My children know the true reasons for our celebrations.  They know the story of Jesus’ crucifixion, burial, and resurrection.  I don’t know, but now that I have a deeper understanding of the symbols, I do feel convicted for it.

 

What’s your conviction?

Never Miss Topics

In continuing my notes from a writer’s conference, the following comes from Dr. Dennis Hensley about non-fiction writing.  He gives 7 Never Miss Topics and 4 Fairly Safe Categories.

 

Never Miss Topics

1. Lifestyles:  People what to know how and why people live the way they do.  For example, why do people give up careers to do missions?
2. Money:  How to make it, collect it, invest it, handle it etc.
3. Personal advancement ideas and plans:  telling people how to get ahead in life.
4. Activities:  individual, family, group.  People don’t know what to do without a TV.  What to do on trips.
5. Physical Fitness:  Exercise, diet, living longer, how to look and feel better.
6. Mental health and emotional fitness:  how to deal with stress, find peace
7. Entertainment:  the cheaper the better, how do you have a good time without spending much money?  What to do with your family.

 

Fairly safe categories

1. Profiles:  people enjoy reading about people, has to be someone interesting, not necessarily famous
2. Unusual events:  get an angle
3. Crime:  people are worried about crime.  How can they prevent it?
4. Schooling and schooling innovations:  why are there big movements in dealing with public school?  How do parents help students with homework?