Brain Health: Keeping your brain active

I play chess. Luckily.I still have my husband and we are a good match. Sometimes I win and sometimes he does but every game is a challenge
My father taught my brother and I to play when we were young. A nice gift from him to us.

@queenmother56

I am so sorry to hear of your daughter's death. I admire you in your desire to help others who have this type of brain cancer. Helping others is one effective way of dealing with this kind of grief.

On Mayo Connect, there are discussion groups on Grief & Loss. You might find it helpful to join this group as well. Here is the link,
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/loss-grief/

I look forward to reading your posts in the future as you deal with grief and the aging process.

Will you share how you cope with loss on a day-to-day basis?

I like to do some strength training exercise to help with, train your brain, and work in other physical exercises to help. Water aerobics, and water walking, are me favorites.
Helps me. Hopes this helps, Pat

I like the idea of reading a fiction and non-fiction at the same time. Keeping the dates and characters, etc. straight is challenging. I try to do the same thing as I in the last 4 or 5 years, I have included history, biographies, etc into my reading pattern.
Agree about getting the fresh air. I worked outside in garden for about 1 1/2 hours and with that fresh air and exercise I slept very well and had last night. Has off to fresh air!

Thanks for your suggestions PML! I read a fiction and a non-fiction book simultaneously and that's good for memory. I also read the Bible each morning. I am reading the Chronological Bible in a year. This is my second year for reading that particular version and it helps to put lives, wars, countries etc in the historical sense and it is also good for the brain. In regards to the camels and necklaces, one finds that there are a number of strange happenings recorded, especially to us in 2023, but also we see a similar pattern of behavior in folks in Scripture and the present e.g. jealousy, hate, covetousness, lust, unfaithfulness, etc.

Thank you for your response.

Yes, you are so right about social contact. I too try to invite people to my home for “coffee and “ however some of my friends live at a distance and our driving these days is limited. You are correct in believing that friends are so important to us.

I write. I published my first fiction book last year at age 74 and I also ghostwrite books for others. I thought it was time to retire so I tried that and spent most of my time reading. I realized I was bored and went back to writing and am much more content now. Not that reading isn't also good for your brain, but writing seems to be the key to happiness for me.

i DO BELIEVE SOCIAL CONECTIONS ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND CALLING AND CHECKING ON FRIENDS AND ELDERLY ALSO WLAKING AND BEING IN NATURES WORLD AND OUTSIDE READING AND WRITING IS ALWAYS GOOD FOR THE MIND ANY THING BUT SOCIAL MEDIA AND ALL THE ADS FOR NEW DRUGS AND ETC Have a pet if you can also for compantionship and walks and comfort

@lakeside1999 I salute for your writing skills. I’m a terrible writer, and have had a reading problem since childhood.
Three years ago I started to paint with acrylic paints on canvas. I had never tried that before I believe, because I was too busy taking care of my family. Now I’m single, live alone, and can do whatever I want.
Art has become my happy spot. It keeps me alive!
I’ve also just started doing jigsaw puzzles. I’m 73 years old and I am excited to sit in front of the puzzle each morning for a few minutes. I even bought a puzzle table that is portable, and tilts so you can see the puzzle better.
A 1000 piece puzzle is a challenge for me, but I don’t give up.
I borrow the puzzles from my library. Free is good!

The biggest brain builder for me though is building my family tree on Ancestry! If you want to combine your talents into one activity a family tree is the way to go!

Two years ago I was diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment. I’m doing well…