Use It or Lose It

The person who does not know how to learn will suffer for it all of his life. Even though our brains are mostly plastic until the age of eight, we continue to grow and learn throughout our adult lives. Dr. Russell L. Blaylock of the University of Mississippi Medical Center says that "The process by which the brain is 'wired' and 'rewired' is referred to as plasticity. This means that the brain is always changing and repairing itself... We now know that even the brains of adults are constantly changing and being rewired." This means that we never lose the ability to learn new things.

Even more exciting is the fact that science is now telling us that continuous learning keeps us living longer and healthier lives! In her book, Your Miracle Brain, author Jean Carper explains that women with college degrees live several years longer and retain better mental and physical abilities at age 75 than their "less educated sisters," and that Alzheimer's is more likely to strike people who are less educated as well. "The idea is that exerting your brain intellectually starting in childhood," says Carper, "spurs brain cells to explode with new branches, creating millions of new connections, or synapses, between neurons. This means consistent mental stimulation actually builds more brain tissue, giving you a 'bigger memory board,' so you can think more quickly."

The best thing you can do for yourself is to keep on learning. Invest in yourself and your future health every day by taking a half an hour to learn something new. Study a new language. Take up a new hobby or interest. Go back to school. Keep going, keep growing, and keep learning.