Healthy Brain, Healthy Mind

Much is written these days about keeping our minds healthy. We hear of the body-to-brain health connection. One website lists 100 ways to keep your mind healthy and fit (“Brain Power: 100 Ways to Keep Your Mind Healthy and Fit.” Open Education Database. C.2017. Accessed 13 July 2017). We know the physical benefits of the basics—physical exercise and good nutrition needed at every age. At a seminar on brain health, in answer to how we keep our brains healthy in view of the unknowns of disease, the presenter summarized her presentation with, “Eat your broccoli and take a walk!” Yes, walking the dog or doing Live 2Be Healthy exercises contributes to a healthy brain, and broccoli is brain food!

What you may not know is learning a new skill challenges your brain, like switching hands for tasks like eating or writing! And don’t forget: Using your brain to work puzzles, brain teasers, reading the newspaper or studying Scripture stimulates your thought processes and keeps the brain nimble. As Mark Twain said, “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind it doesn’t matter.”

All these contribute to physical brain health. But what about the mind? How do we keep the mind healthy as we age? What about the social, emotional, and spiritual aspects of mind health?

Mind health has to do with what we think about on a daily basis. And what we think about on a regular basis determines our ‘state of mind’ and our ‘peace of mind.’

Henry David Thoreau said:

As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.

Think often of the good things. We can foster a healthy mind aside from professional help, although that is sometimes necessary. We can have a sound mind and peace of mind. I desire not to have an anxious mind controlled by worry or fear. Taking in God’s Word helps me with this. Recalling Scriptures that I have memorized stabilizes me when afraid. We can choose what we will think about: “Set your mind on things above” (Colossians 3:2). And we can capture errant thoughts (1 Corinthians 10:5). Prayer helps the mind release its worries to God. Through prayer we can practice relinquishing anger, fear and hurt to our Heavenly Father who really cares about us.

Did you know social support and spiritual connectedness contribute to a healthy mind?

(Bergland, Christopher. “7 Habits for a Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body.”  www.psychologytoday.com, 13 February 2013. Accessed 19 July 2017). Avinity just happens to provide social and spiritual opportunities onsite! You may not always feel like getting out, but you can benefit hugely upon making the effort to attend these activities.

The conclusion of the matter? Continue doing positive things that contribute to mind and soul health. And, remember the best prescription for all around health of body, mind and spirit can be taken several times a day as needed—LAUGHTER! “A cheerful heart is good medicine” (Proverbs 17:22).

Written by Chaplain Sherree Lane