An article on npr concerning brain (or mind) functioning mentions not only the usual mental challenges like talking people you disagree with and pushing yourself to learn new things but exercise as beneficial to the brain. This was from Barbara Strauch who wrote The Secret Life of the Grown-Up Brain.
In an interview with Terry Gross, she mentions that picturing something you are going to do seems to increase the likelihood you will remember it.
To me, these bits of information we are discovering argue for allowing people to learn how they learn while encouraging them to try other modes as well.
She states that we have to make our brains work. As we grow older we tend to allow it to fall into a default mode, what one might call a “lazy brain”. She says the ability to reach into the frontal cortex is correlated with education She also mentions, as does everyone, foreign languages as a prod to brain growth and maintainance.
June, 2010 Dropping down from the brain, we come to my knee. This could be a bit long, but just let me say I was having trouble walking and suffering pain in my left knew from January up till recently. My chiropractor referred me to a “knee man” and he recommended a brace, shots, I BuProfen, and, eventually, knee replacement. I went back to my chiropractor and gave up the brace only a few weeks after I was fitted for it. My chiropractor fitted me for orthotics and I began wearing them about three weeks ago. I also continued exercising, incl leg exercises. I went up and down my stairs, forcing myself to bend the knee.
As of now, the only pain I have is tenderness where the tibia and femur meet with little buffering. I can bend my knee almost fully now. I walk normally. Recently a collague arrived late to a morning meeting, saying she takes I BuProfen for pain and it makes her grggy. I don’t do groggy. What made the M.D. think it was OK to make me groggy?
My chiropractor said th cartilage can regenerate. Perhpas that is what is happening. Thi may not be for everybody, but give exercise a chance.