Exergaming for Brain Fitness

Pump Up Your Brain
Diet and exercise that benefit brain fitness

By Kate Lohnes January 2009 Columbus City Scene and Westerville Magazine

It’s a part of our body we use every day without realizing it – perhaps because it’s doing all the thinking.

The brain is a wonderful, powerful organ, capable of processing thousands of thoughts and ideas as we function in our day-to-day tasks. But though the brain is always busy, it still needs good nutrition and exercise, just as muscles do.

So as you recommit to your exercise routine and/or diet in 2009, consider what it would take to keep your brain healthy along with your body. It might surprise you to learn the foods you eat or the activities you enjoy don’t just affect your thighs or waistline – they also impact your brain (for better or for worse).

Exercise for the noggin’
Physical fitness is good for more than your heart or your muscles. According to exercise and medical experts, being active also impacts your brain fitness, too.

Being active benefits your brain in numerous ways, says Dan Shook, director of preventative health services at Mount Carmel Health. Shook, whose background includes years as a physical education teacher and as a researcher, says physical activity, particularly aerobic or cardio activities, can literally change the shape of the brain.

“There have been neuroimaging studies that show certain physical activities do elicit physical changes in the brain,” he says. “Certain parts of the brain are more enhanced and the brain tissue increases. In kids that are more aerobically trained, they tend to have a bigger brain mass and parts of the brain are more developed. We’ve been taught that brain cells can’t grow, but they actually can. Cardio activity can elicit brain cell stimulation. It can help grow brain cells and nerve cells.” Shook says research has also shown kids who are physically active tend to perform better academically in school.

For school-aged children, Shook says the brain benefits of exercise come with more rigorous activity, or about 60 percent of a person’s maximum capacity. As that person grows older, however, the emphasis shifts to continuing movement rather than strenuous movement.

“You don’t have to work that hard as an adult or as an older individual to get those changes,” he says. “What we’ve found, and what we’re beginning to see in older adults ages 40 to 50 to 60 through 90, is that basically movement works. Moderate levels of exercise elicit the same responses.”

Adults who exercise at 40 to 60 percent of their maximum capacity can elicit positive brain change, Shook says. Looking at it a different way, adults should burn about 2,000 calories a week for positive change to occur. Adults should build up to that point: parking farther away from the supermarket and taking short walks on your lunch break will help bring you closer to that 2,000 calorie mark.

Shook says some activities also do double duty when improving brain fitness. Dancing, for example, not only gives you a good aerobic workout, but also engages memory and motor skills. The same goes for activities like video games like Dance, Dance, Revolution and Nintendo’s Wii Fit.

“It’s like a little motor skills challenge,” Shook says. “It’s engaging your brain synapses to work. That’s a mental task and a physical task thrown into one.”

Some places locally are beginning to recognize the value of activities that engage both mind and body. At Circuit Wellness, located at 6754 Cleveland Avenue, owner Polly Benson says kids and adults can participate in “exer-games,” from popular games like DDR to exercise bikes connected to Sony PlayStation.

“You’re burning calories and you’re improving your mental fitness. You’re improving your eye-hand-foot coordination and you’re improving your reaction time,” says Benson, who is also an occupational therapist.

Though not physical in nature, certain games and activities are also recommended to help maintain memory and mental alertness. According to the AARP’s Web site, continuous learning and challenging your brain will help you stay sharp as you age. It can be as simple as driving a new way home from work or learning a new language. Social interaction is also associated with successful aging and brain health.

At the Westerville Senior Center, Westerville-area residents take part in many activities that help the brain. These include bridge, bingo, Nintendo Wii games and line dancing. While not marketed as “mental fitness” activities, participants still reap brain benefits, says programming specialist Linda Sopp.

“It gets them out of the house and away from the TV,” she says. “The social interaction keeps them going. It’s a break in their routine. Then there’s the saying ‘Use it or lose it.’ The benefits are wide ranging.”

At 83 years old, Ray Norman has been playing bridge for decades. A regular at the Westerville Senior Center’s bridge games, the Sunbury resident says playing the game has helped him stay sharp over the years.

“You’re constantly learning,” he says. “You have to know what your partner is saying. You have to know how to make good scores and you have to know how to bid. There’s a lot to that. There’s a lot of memorization involved, as well. It’s an exercise of the mind.”

Food for thought
When choosing between carrot sticks and potato chips, most adults know which snack would be a healthier choice overall for their bodies. But not everyone knows certain foods also have an impact on brain function.

Recent research demonstrates a connection between certain foods and how they impact one of the human body’s most important organs, says Laura Poland, a Westerville resident and registered dietitian for Rite Bite Wellness Center in Lewis Center. According to Poland, among the best nutrients for healthy brain function are omega-3 fatty acids, found primarily in fish and seafood or dietary supplements.

“Most of the research with fats has been done because of the link with heart disease,” she says. “That’s how the omega-3s (research) started. We were looking at them because of their benefits with heart disease, but we realized how important they are in the brain structure and function.”

About 60 percent of the brain is comprised of fats; therefore, omega-3 fatty acids are crucial in building good brain structure. Poland says some research also suggests omega-3s may help neurotransmitters in the brain better communicate with each other, thus improving brain function, as well. Other research indicates omega-3s help eye and brain development in infants if consumed during pregnancy.

In contrast, omega-6 fats, or “trans fats,” have been shown to hinder brain function and development, Poland says. Many processed foods have trans fats, she says, so it's important to check food labels: “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” fats are trans fats listed on labels.

While the research looks promising, healthy brain function is also the result of healthy habits, says Don Caster, who owns The Raisin Rack natural food market in Westerville. For example, getting good, restful sleep if one of the first steps to take when looking to improve brain function.

“Oftentimes brain activity and alertness comes from adequate rest, which is common sense,” he says. “The simplest way to do that is to make sure we don’t go to bed stimulated, and by not eating foods your body must digest for at least two hours before you go to bed.”

Caster, Poland and Benson all say eating right during the day also helps maintain alertness. For example, carbohydrates (or glucose) are considered brain food, Caster says. Eating complex carbohydrates (fruits and whole grain breads are two examples) will help you maintain energy throughout the day, but eating simple carbohydrates (soft drinks, candy, white bread, etc.) can lead to energy spikes and crashes.

For some people, getting some of the right nutrients for brain health can be difficult through diet alone. For example, some people don’t like fish, the primary source for omega-3s. If this is the case, Benson and Caster both say supplementation can make up the difference, such as fish oil capsules. However, you should always check with a doctor or health professional first.

Kate Lohnes is assistant editor of Westerville Magazine.


Try these simple techniques to engage your brain:

- Locate an item in your purse (or coins in your pocket) by touch rather than sight.
- Take a different route while driving.
- Take a cooking class.
- Do crossword puzzles or Sudoku.
- Use your opposite hand to move a computer mouse, brush your teeth or operate the TV remote.
Sources: The AARP and The Franklin Institute Online

What other foods make good brain food?

Foods with protein contain amino acids, which help the neurotransmitters in the brain connect and communicate. These foods include fish, chicken, cheese, yogurt, nuts, some grains and seeds and legumes.

Foods with glucose fuel your brain, giving it energy to operate. These foods include whole grains and fruits and vegetables that have less sugar.

Foods with antioxidants (micronutrients) protect brain cells from damage and/or mutation. These foods include mostly colorful fruits and vegetables, like citrus fruits, blueberries and green leafy veggies.
Source: The Franklin Institute Online