Page 195 - Mind Games The Aging Brain and How to Keep it Healthy

Regain an Agile Brain • 179

BMI = 704 ´(your weight)
________________________
(your height) 2
Here are the steps:

1. Using a calculator, key in 704.
2. Press the multiplication sign.

3. Key in your weight in pounds.
4. Press the division key.
5. Key in your height in inches. (If you are 5’2”tall, that’s
62 inches.)
6. Press the division key.
7. Key in your height in inches again.

8. Press the equal key.

The number in the display is your Body Mass Index. If
the number is less than 22 or more than 27, you may want to
talk to your doctor about your results.

EXERCISING YOUR BRAIN
Everyone is well aware of some of the benefits of regular ex-
ercise. It tones the body and helps you maintain a proper
weight. It also helps to prevent osteoporosis, takes years off
your physical age, and can improve your memory and in-
telligence performance.
Astudy was performed with rats in which some were not
allowed to exercise, some ran on a wheel (comparable to peo-
ple on a treadmill), and some were taught to navigate an ob-
stacle course. The rats that ran on the wheel grew more blood
vessels to supply the brain, and the rats that ran the obstacle
course showed increased growth in brain cells. The best type
of physical exercise is one that exercises both the mind and
the body. Tennis requires physical exertion combined with
11
mental strategy and so is an excellent example.