Part X. Mental Fitness
Mental fitness is nothing less than self brain control.
It should not be assumed that the natural, subconscious functions of the brain in regulating the healthy functions of the physical body are always doing so well and correctly. We can override that system for good or ill, and we now know how to improve the first and avoid the latter. The first thing we know is that it requires study, organization, determination, and prolonged effort, but with great rewards.
––John Roberts
A sound mind in a sound body.
––Juvenal, Satire X, 1st-2nd Century AD
Cognition refers to our thoughts, moods, inclinations, decisions and actions. Included are alertness, concentration, perceptual speed, learning memory, problem solving, creativity and mental endurance. …Each can be improved by our own efforts.
––Richard Restak, M.D., Mozart’s Brain and the Fighter Pilot, 2001
The conscious act of thinking about one’s thoughts in a different way changes the very brain circuits that do the thinking….Such willfully induced brain changes require focus, training, and effort, but a growing number of studies using neuroimaging show how real those changes are….The ability to willfully change the brain will become a central part of our lives––and of our understanding of what it means to be human.
––Sharon Begley, Train Your Brain, Change Your Brain, 2007
There is now little doubt that psychological and emotional factors can influence the development and progression of certain cancers, although the practical importance of their effects remains to be explored. Psychological variables such as social support and the patient’s emotional response to their disease have a substantial bearing on survival. Equally, there is little doubt that appropriate psychological and social interventions can be of enormous benefit in helping cancer patients to cope with their lives and, in some cases, extending their survival time.
––Paul Martin, M.D., The Healing Mind, 1997
The mentally fit person has learned how to keep the brain in good working order. That begins with preserving it with good physical condition, health, and nutrition. But, that is only maintaining your car before you drive it. It needs to perform well in action. So, the next requirement is understanding and regulating all the different functions that enable the brain to manage our lives: emotions must be controlled, ancient impulses must be civilized, new skills must be disciplined, memory must be organized to form the patterns and networks of wisdom that are applied to daily life and great challenges.
The parallel responsibility is controlling what goes into the brain, and how the that is allowed to affect our thinking and action. That, in turn, has a great effect on what the brain produces. The healthy brain is fed and brought to peak capacity not only by blood sugar and oxygen but by optimistic and happy thoughts and an organized flow of coherent information that is easily processed and compatible with our objectives and capabilities. The random input of information overflow does more harm than good. In short, the brain can modify itself into its finest form, and the finer the form the more it can continue to improve itself, a grand and endless circle of achievement.
We are only beginning to understand the interface between mind and body. We do not know how much our mental fitness affects our physical health, because it varies in people and circumstances. But, we do know that it does, widely and consistently. We know that an otherwise fit body will become ill and may die if it is not controlled by a fit brain. Normal, healthy physical functions start to go wrong if not managed properly by the natural regulation that nature has given us. We must not take that automatic control for granted; it must be actively maintained. With caution and good judgment, we may interfere with the brain and do it better. We can supplement natural processes and improve results. Older brains do slow down, and some memory is harder to retrieve, but most cognitive functions remain strong if they are exercised and challenged. Brain neurons do not die to be replaced by new ones like other organic cells; they remain––stimulated, healthy, educated, connecting, enabling, joined by eager new ones––or they wither away and clog up the machinery. It is, to a large extent, our choice––our health and happiness to maintain, or throw away.
