The other day I watched a young cashier try to count change when the automated cash register was down due to a power outage. The older gentleman making the purchase even gave the cashier a few pennies to make the change easier to count. The cashier had to call a friend over. Then, after a few more minutes of trying to count out the accurate change, the friend disappeared and came back with her smartphone. Using the calculator app, they determined the proper change to give the customer: $9.50. I smiled, recognizing this as an example of how we have become dependent on technology for even the simplest aspects of our lives. I’m not being too critical because I’m in the same boat. I’ve become dependent on technology as much as the next guy. My I-Phone has become essential to my ability to schedule, maintain my “to do” list, and remember various appointments and tasks. It seems “artificial intelligence” has become almost as important and influential as our real intelligence for our daily lives. Or has it?

I love the quote from Professor Mohamed I. Elmasry, author of iMind: Artificial and Real Intelligence. (I have not read this book, but this information intrigued me enough that I think I will.) He writes: “The useful life expectancy for current smartphones is around 10 years, while a healthy brain-mind inside a healthy human body can live for 100 years or longer.”  In other words, our “real intelligence” is more powerful and longer lasting than artificial intelligence…when used properly and cared for wisely. And we all want our children to grow up well acquainted with effective ways of using their mind, their “real intelligence,” so they are not over-reliant on technology and “artificial intelligence.” In fact, Professor Elmasry also says, “Your brain is the highest-value asset you have, or will ever have.”

How can we keep our brains healthy and teach our children to care for their brains?

• Eat a healthy diet. A healthy diet provides the nutrients our brain needs to grow and remain healthy. Also, limit alcohol use. Drinking too much interferes with our cognitive health.
• Get adequate rest. Sleep allows us to consolidate learning and improve memory. It facilitates our recovery from daily experiences. Getting adequate rest helps us retain what we learn. It keeps our memory strong.
• Play. Play provides opportunities for the brain to relax as well as complete tasks without the burden of imposed demands and timeframes. Spontaneous, creative play also provides new experiences, which are good for brain health. so, enjoy a variety of playful activities—brain games, strategy games, and imaginative games.
• Read. Reading provides fodder for brain growth and maintenance. You can even read out loud to incorporate all your senses into reading—see the sentences, hear the words and the flow of the words, imagine the sensations of the scenes.
• Social interactions. Good social relationships buffer stress and build healthier brains.
• Connect with nature. Being in nature relaxes our neural system, reducing stress. It also activates and strengthens the brain’s circuitry, especially relational circuitry.
• Exercise. Aerobic exercise strengthens neural connections in the brain and enhances our ability to utilize oxygen throughout our bodies, including our brains.