Fitness trainers across the US have learned that the secret to giving their clients six-pack abs and lungs like a marathoner is to cross-train: weights one day; running the next; maybe a little Frisbee football on day three, etc. Just as the body responds to variety when it comes to staying in shape, so, too, does the brain. This means that mixing up activities like Sudoku and crossword puzzles, attending or giving lectures at a local college and reading can go a long way toward making our hippocampus and temporal lobe as well toned as your biceps.

Use it or lose it.

According to numerous studies, the mind starts to slow down as the result of inactivity, particularly as we age. In fact, only one-third of how the brain ages is determined by genetics, according to he Mac Arthur Study on Successful Aging.. Without regular, varied and disciplined intellectual workouts, you can lose brain cells and allow the connections between the remaining brain cells to weaken.

Gary Small, director of the UCLA Center on Aging and author of The Memory Bible, says it is important to find activities that are a mental stretch - but not too much so, since stress can actually impair brain function. "The key is to train and not strain the brain," he says. Small says brain scans show that people expend a lot of mental energy when learning something new. As people become more adept at a new activity, the amount of effort and brainpower needed lessens. That's why a good brain workout requires variety. Consider the following activities:

Diversify your reading list. We tend to always read the same type of books. Challenge yourself to try something new. I discovered Christian fiction books a couple of years ago and I really enjoy them. To download free electronic books, go to www.gutenberg.org.

Put technology to use...or to rest. If you're technology averse, learn how to do something new, like assembling a photo album online. If you're already techno-savvy, try something like woodworking, ceramics or planting a garden.

Learn a new language. You can learn Spanish with free lessons at www.donquijote.org.

Get connected. Being involved in your community is often a good, inexpensive way to expose yourself to new ideas and ways if thinking - both of which are vital ingredients for a healthy brain. Community education is one option. Being socially connected has other benefits, too, including living longer, as well as building relationships that can assist in practicing Contagious Christianity.

Take a holistic approach. Here are some suggestions:

Exercise. Physical exercise can be a real boon to the brain.

Lose the stress.  Stress hampers the brain and has been known to shrink memory centers, says Dr. Small.

Get some zzzzs. If you need an alarm clock to wake up in the morning, that's a sign that your mind is tired and not functioning at its highest capacity.

Eat better. You've heard it before but now may be the time to finally take action: eat healthier foods to improve your well- being, including your mental fitness.

Staying mentally fit is a goal that can help everyone, regardless of age. All it takes is a commitment to follow through and a little bit of exploration to determine what inspires you.

Better health and brain function makes us better able to serve our Lord.

                                                                                                 In His Great Love,

                                                                                                Janet Headley, RN