Can we train the brain

Great common sense piece stating the obvious:

"The best exercise to keep your brain in tip-top condition is in fact physical, not mental. Kawashima's claim that a healthy supply of well-oxygenated blood to the brain is crucial for its function is accurate. When starved of oxygen, brain cells, quite literally, die. This is what happens when we suffer a stroke: the blood supply to the brain is stopped and neurons perish because they lack oxygen, resulting in paralysis or aphasia (loss of speech). "I freely admit that a book like this is not the best way to train your brain," says Stafford. "The best way to do that is through exercise – there's far better evidence to show that that will help your brain to function well than anything from the brain-training literature."

Sergio Della Salla, Professor of Human Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Edinburgh, adds that our current obsession with quick fixes desires a simple, "magic bullet" solution like the electronic games. In fact, the answer is a multi-faceted one. "Rather than telling people to exercise a lot, have a healthy lifestyle, read books, keep up your sexual stimulation, go to movies, maintain a wide circle of friends with whom you engage in healthy debate, we are told that playing 10 minutes of Nintendo will turn us into Nicole Kidman."