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Published on: 2003-05-26 Shopping may help keep body, mind in shape By Rebekah Sanderlin Staff writer Everybody knows that shopping helps the economy, but what if a day spent wandering around the mall could actually improve your health? Two of the world's top brain researchers say it does and they recommend shopping to prevent dropping. "My notion is that when you shop you're being physically active because you're walking around, you're mentally active because you're having to think about what you're doing and shopping tends to increase your self-esteem," said Dr. Marilyn Albert, director of cognitive neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md. Albert and her husband, Dr. Guy McKhann, professor of neurology and director of the Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute at Johns Hopkins, wrote a book "Keep Your Brain Young" to explain why some people stay mentally and physically active longer others, and how you can, too. "A number of studies suggest that a combination of being mentally and physically active helps the brain function. It occurred to me that shopping combines both," Albert said. "Maybe that's why you're so tired at the end of a day of shopping," said Bonnie Lee, a shopper at Cross Creek Mall. "I get so exhausted I get headaches." Albert and McKhann's findings are great news for Shinia Carter, who also was shopping at the mall. She broke into a huge grin when she was told about their theory. "I think that's amazing," Carter said. "That will justify my shopping. But I believe it, too. When you shop you're joyful, shopping makes you happy. I can see where that would be good for your health." Atif Chamma owns the Photo Images kiosk in the mall. All day, every day Chamma watches people shopping. He said he doesn't believe there are health benefits to buying. "Some people don't like shopping," Chamma said. "Some people are bored and unhappy when they shop." "Keep Your Brain Young" tackles topics such as stress, sleep loss, acute confusion, alcohol, cancer, Parkinson's disease and stroke. The book tells how each can affect brain function. A summary follows each chapter. Throughout the book, the authors mention ways to keep the brain functioning at a high level. "The main message is that there's a lot you can do to keep your brain young," Albert said. "Even if you have illnesses that affect your abilities, there is something you can do. There are ways to keep your problems from overwhelming you." Della Holland said she believes that shopping is good for her health. "I think it would help because you're out, you're active, you know what's going on when you're shopping. That's good for you." Basically, that's the point Albert said she and McKhann are trying to make. Stay mentally and physically active, have high self-esteem, and you'll live longer. But for Harold Latham, who was sitting on a bench outside Hecht's with his arms folded across his chest, the advice in "Keep Your Brain Young" won't change his buying habits. He said his wife does all his shopping. "If she didn't buy it, I wouldn't have it," Latham said. Though women may shop more than men, Albert cautioned against assuming that women are healthier. She said the data she and McKhann gathered showed that men and women fared the same with regard to mental activity and longevity. It seems shopping is not a cure-all. Belinda Davis, geriatric services coordinator for the Cumberland County Mental Health Center, said the shopping for health theory makes a lot of sense. Davis said that comparing items, making lists and just getting out of the house are all things she recommends to seniors who might be in the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease. "I'm not certain if it slows down the process, but it gives them a new way to do things and helps them build confidence," she said. Davis recalled an instance when another social worker took several advanced Alzheimer's patients to a Dollar Store to shop. "It just seemed to revitalize them," she said. "It gave them some excitement and a sense of being in charge of their lives. It seems that folks who are able to remain active and get out in the community, they seem to get along better because they still have that interaction with other people." Albert said she and Khann decided to write the book after realizing that they were frequently being asked questions about aging. "Writing the book was very challenging," Albert said. "My husband likes to ask people if they'd write a book with their spouse and most say 'no.' We sat side by side at the computer and debated about words. But we also encouraged and criticized each other, too." The two married in 1997 after working together for several years, McKhann at Johns Hopkins and Albert at Harvard Medical School where she was a professor of Psychology and Neurology and director of the Harvard-Mahoney Neuroscience Institute. She also worked as director of the Gerontology Research Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital. After the wedding they continued to live in separate cities until Albert began working at Johns Hopkins. She left her positions at Harvard and Massachusetts General two months ago. "Keep Your Brain Young" was released in hardcover last year. Two weeks ago the book became available in paperback. "We've gotten a really great response from this book," Albert said. "With it in paperback now I think we'll be able to reach more readers." But for some shoppers, even knowledge about the health benefits isn't enough to make a mall trip pleasurable. "I hate the mall," said Sheila Riley. "Nothing fits." Even brain scientists don't have all the answers. Staff writer Rebekah Sanderlin can be reached at [log in to unmask] or 323-4848, ext. 372. SOURCE: The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer http://www.fayettevillenc.com/story.php?Template=features&Story=5661953 * * * REFERENCE: Keep Your Brain Young: The Complete Guide to Physical and Emotional Health and Longevity, Guy M. McKhann, Marilyn Albert http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0471407925/ http://www.dana.org/books/press/danabook/young/ * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn