The saying “Use it or lose it” is often rightly applied to the functionality of the brain. The thought that if you stop stimulating the brain, then you might lose its ability to critically think, coordinate movement, and problem solve has been proven many times over by scientific studies. As many of us desire to retain our brain’s abilities, we need to ponder and apply some of the techniques that have been shown to prevent dementia and logistic regression. So what are some of the best ways to “use it” so that we don’t “lose it”?
Use Both Sides of the Brain
You were born with two brains, a left and a right. These two brains are wired to work independently while still communicating together. If this communication breaks down, then learning, information recall, coordination, and other problems occur causing cognitive abilities to slow down or stop. We call this a “glitch.”
Glitches prevent the movement of information between the hemispheres of the brain, making right-brain and left-brain integration difficult. Right-brain processes involve visual and conceptual activities. People who use this side of the brain the most are big-picture thinkers. They have a good long-term memory that is picture or music enhanced. They are doers in society, preferring not to get bogged down in the details of life. They are the inventors and often leaders in society. They are not your accountant or science teacher.
Left-brain people like things very organized and are analytical thinkers. They see the world in black and white. Left-brain thinkers like numbers, details, and have a great short-term memory but difficulty remembering names and faces. They generally are great auditory learners who love logical, well-thought-out processes. These people are not the life of the party and are generally not artistic. However, they do make great surgeons, lawyers, and mathematicians.
People who excel in learning and applying new concepts have learned to use both sides of the their brain very efficiently. Their brain uses the memory of mental pictures along with their own auditory internal voice to recall important information. They can see things that are unstructured, and they are able to organize them in their mind and produce the desired output.
Stay tuned to our blog, as the next post will discuss specific things we can do with nutrition and exercise that will enhance our use of both sides of our brain, helping us “use it” and not “lose it.” And for even more information and techniques, be sure to reserve your spot at our FREE “Dementia Prevention” class Thursday, August 8, at 6:00pm, at our Downtown Roanoke office.
As always, if you’re looking for a chiropractor, ART® treatment, or acupuncture services, look no further than CORE Chiropractic and Wellness Center.
Daryl Rich, DC, CSCS
