Depending on where your mind is that title could have all sorts of interesting connotations. However, I'm looking at one in particular: changing the hand you brush your teeth with. If you're like most people you brush with your dominant hand. If you believe population genetics, that's about 95% of us brushing right handed and 5% left handed.
Per a comment I read excerpted from a book I haven't read yet, the theory is that if you exercise your brain in some simple ways it leads to more production of neurotrophins that help fight off the effect of mental aging. Don't believe me? Here's a link to Laurence C. Katz, Ph.D. and Manning Rubin's site, and book, Keep Your Brain Alive. The concept is simple, do thing a little differently than you usually do and you exercise your brain. A simple example is brushing your teeth opposite handed, (there are more, go check them out.)
I tried brushing with my non-dominant hand last night. If you haven't done this before and are not somewhat ambidextrous from some other cause (breaking a dominant hand or arm one or more times during your formative years,) this is HARD. Doing it normally, you go in, don't even think about it and viola, 2-3 minutes later you're off to do something else. Getting your teeth clean if you use the other hand takes longer . . . I'm picky about my teeth. I brush the recommended 2 minutes every time being sure to balance the areas covered. If I find a spot I missed marked by distinct texture where there should be smooth enamel, I go back and take care of it right then. Doing this process entirely with the opposite hand (and no, I didn't cheat at all, thank you,) takes time. About 15 minutes in my case.
It is just one of those things that make you go, "Hmm," as you go about your daily routine. If it means a healthier brain down the road, I'll try it. It's time to go find a copy of that book and do some more investigation.
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