The True Fountain of Youth
Recent studies have proven there is a way to stay young, healthy and smart but it’s not easy and actually becomes harder as we age. Everyone wants to drink from the fountain of youth, but few will climb the mountain to retrieve it. What might be surprising to many, it is the ‘climbing of the mountain’, that will improve your life. In other words, it is exercise that is the fountain of youth. Newer studies have shown aerobic activity (particularly running), will help individuals grow new brain cells.
Our brain consumes more blood than any other organ. Many of the more seasoned individuals will remember the saying to ‘get your creative juices flowing’ which meant to move around. Some of the better local schools know the importance of this and have the children move and perform light exercise to get their blood flowing and jump start their thinking. It’s one of the main reasons for years we had recess and gym classes at schools. It’s unfortunate during budget tightening times, these activities are being reduced or eliminated. These classes can literally make their students smarter.
Another older line of thinking is reading, completing cross word puzzles or Sudoku improves your mind. This is certainly true, these things will help to improve your mind. But surprisingly, exercise will help your brain more any of these mental activities.
This doesn’t suggest not to read or intellectually challenge your mind. Exercise by itself while it will help your brain, it will not make one intelligent. Its always been an interesting how successful men and women have for centuries have read and mentally challenged themselves. Even today there are still many intellectual and/or wealthy men and woman who, read, work with non-profits or are working to obtain their PhD’s.
However bragging about this has never been appropriate. There is humor from individuals who brag about their readings. There are at least two main stream newspaper writers who have written that they ‘have read New Yorker for over 10 years’. If reading a magazine helps by introducing new information or is written well enough to improve the reader’s writing style, there is no need to mention reading it. I have read an international publication for years and while I hope it improves my writing style and content, I won’t mention its name.
Some might comment or think there are plenty of intelligent individuals who do little or no exercise. While this is certainly true, its interesting to wonder how much smarter they would be if they did exercise. Not everyone needs to run a 5k or a 42.2k race, but the trick is to do something. The easiest and most basic exercise is to start walking.
Not only will a person who exercise be helping their mental capacities, they will also in general be happier. Ben Franklin in his autobiography wrote during the building of a fort, on sunny days when the people were working, there were few problems and everything progressed smoothly. However when the weather was foul and the men couldn’t work, there were complaints about the food, arguments between men and even fights breaking out. After watching this for 6 months, he wrote that people are only happy when they are working. During this time, it was stated “idle hands are the devil’s workshop” however in the 21st century its probably more appropriate to write, “people are only happy when they are working”.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt knew this when he created the WPA and other works projects. He had men and women working and staying busy. Far better than more recent efforts that had people doing little and receiving benefits and leaders thinking this was kind to them. They were doing these individuals a disservice. These individuals had obviously never read Ben Franklin’s autobiography. They failed to realized hard work never killed anyone; maybe poor health and poor nutrition but not hard work by itself. Work actually keeps people happy.
The relationship between exercise and intelligence has been known for years. This is why long ago the Rhodes Scholarship was set up to reward those individuals who were both an athlete and a scholar. These athletes aren’t necessary a star football player such as Mike Lanese was at Ohio State. I have also met a Rhodes Scholar who was a crew member on a shell. Additionally it’s hard to think of former President Clinton as an athlete. However its well known that he jogged during many of his days at the White House.
A good friend of mine said he was an old x-athlete and I told him there is no such thing; there are simply athletes in waiting. There are plenty of 70 to 80 year old individuals who run or exercise more than might be expected. One friend began running marathons at 58 and has run 155 miles across the Sahara desert and scores of other endurance races. Another 70 to 80 year old individual I met, regularly cycles across the US. Another close friend walks 2 or 3 miles daily and ski’s whenever given the chance. Additionally, he is an accomplished pianist. Each of these individuals are as quick and witting as any 20 or 30 year old and it’s a pleasure speaking with each. These individuals are not simply young at heart, but also young in mind.
A neighbor physician friend treats many seniors and he says there is a night and day difference between the patients who exercise and those that not. This physician and his wife run regularly and they even run ½ marathons. Another nationally, if not internationally known physician, told me if he was trying to resolve issue he would go on a run and invariably the answer would come to him. As this individual competed in dance competitions in his younger years, he has always understood the importance of exercise. Exercise keeps one younger and smarter.
Previously I assisted in a 6 week healthy challenge course and the number of individuals who no longer needed their medicine for high blood pressure, diabetes or other aliments was staggering. If you watch the NBC show “Biggest Loser” and you will see contestants on medication but after a few weeks of eating right and exercising; they no longer need them. If your doctor recommends exercise, listen to them, if they recommend medicine, ask for an alternative. Exercise keeps you healthy and is much less expensive then medicine.
Pharmaceutical companies have little incentive to report the benefits of exercise to the public. Hopefully, Nike or another athletic company would make this part of a national advertising campaign. “Exercise and be Smarter” Such a forward looking company could hopefully get this country moving again. While this article won’t be published nationally at least the readers of Cool Cleveland will learn about the intellectually stimulating benefits of exercise.
This is an immense, complicated and evolving topic and anyone who is interested in learning more on the subject should pick up one of Dr. Michael Roizen’s books. He is the Director of Wellness at the Cleveland Clinic and has created a large volume of pioneering research on aging. His insight on flossing versus brushing and other aging related topics are worth far more than the price of the book. Cleveland and Clevelanders are fortunate to have the Cleveland Clinic in our backyard. NIMBY doesn’t apply here.
Get moving and you’ll not only feel better, but you’ll be happier, healthier and grow smarter. The human form is roughly 200,000 years old. Never in any of our ancestors’ background did they sit for 8 to 10 hours a day. If you begin moving, you’ll not only probably lose a few pounds, but you’ll gain years to your life.
There will be a few readers who adamantly disagree with this article. One thing that is true is, if someone strongly disagrees, it’s probably because they deep down know this is correct. As the old Hamlet saying goes, “doth protest too loudly”.
Hopefully this is good news, because after learning all the ways we have killed brain cells, it’s good to know there is a way to grow new ones. Exercise and be healthier, be happier, live longer and most importantly be wiser. 
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