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Solving Daily Math Problems Alleviates Some
Dementia, Says Author
Train Your Brain: 60 Days to a Better Brain has
sold 2.5 million copies in Japan
by Dr. Ryuta Kawashima
Aug. 2, 2005 - Go figure. Performing math problems
regularly may help alleviate some of the symptoms of dementia. The idea
is that just as regular exercise is known to help slow the deterioration
of muscles, the same is true for the brain.
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Research indicates
that performing simple calculations quickly may help alleviate
symptoms of dementia by activating large regions of the brain. |
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In order to maintain your physical health, you have
to exercise regularly, eat healthily and sleep well. In like manner, in
order to maintain your mental health, you need to exercise your brain
regularly, eat healthily and sleep well. You have to exercise your brain
just as you would any other part of your body if you were trying to stay
fit.
Research conducted in Japan has led me to believe
that doing simple math calculations quickly and reading out loud can
benefit adults who wish to work on the following:
creativity
memory skills
communication skills
slowing the mental effects of aging.
These exercises also have benefits for adults with
the following symptoms:
increasing forgetfulness
difficulty remembering people's names, spelling
words and expressing thoughts.
Based on this research, my lab created a program to help Japan's aging
population maintain optimal brain functioning as it grows older.
The brain health exercises in this program help
increase the delivery of oxygen, blood and various amino acids to large
regions of the brain.
The benefits seem to come from activating the
largest sections of the prefrontal cortex. The result is more neurons
and neural connections, which are characteristic of a healthy brain.
About the book and author:
Dr. Ryuta Kawashima has spent 15 years researching
the brain. A prominent neurologist in Japan, Kawashima's dream is to
make brain maintenance a public priority.
He developed the "Train Your Brain" program to help
Japan's aging population. His book, "Train Your Brain: 60 Days to a
Better Brain" (Kumon Publishing North America, Inc.; $12.95), is based
on that program.
Brian Klingborg of Kumon Publishing says, This
book is perfect for your target audience Train Your Brain: 60 Days to a
Better Brain has sold 2.5 million copies in Japan and inspired the
creation of a nation-wide brain-training program for senior citizens.
Dr. Kawashima set out to determine what sorts of
mental activities were best for maintaining a healthy brain.
Surprisingly, he discovered that performing simple mathematical
calculations for a few minutes a day increased blood flow and neural
connections to the widest areas of the brain.
Further research by Dr. Kawashima has demonstrated
that a daily program of simple math calculations has the power to
stimulate the brain, improve memory, stave off the mental effects of
aging, and even help Alzheimers sufferers.
Train Your Brain is a complete two-month program
that consists of a daily worksheet of simple math calculations that
takes around five minutes to complete. Each week, readers measure their
progress through a short series of evaluation tests.
We feel this is something that seniors will enjoy
and derive a tangible benefit from and that caregivers will feel good
about giving to their loved ones.
The book is available both online and in
bookstores.
Source: NAPSI and Kumon Publishing
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