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December 16, 2010 Leave a Comment

Exercise to Prevent Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease

There are many things we can do to prevent Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia.  But we have to commit ourselves to taking action and improving our mental health and brain’s fitness on a daily basis.

Sadly, it’s said that around 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease.  Furthermore, Alzheimer’s is now classified as the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.

As a web publisher with several self help websites, I spend a great deal of time reading and researching diseases.  I round up all of the information I can, pour over it, and report it to my readers.  I’ve been known to get up on my soap box from time to time if I really want to get a point across!  ESPECIALLY when, as is the case with Alzheimer’s disease, there are certain things we can do to dramatically lower our chances of getting the disease.

That’s why you’ll find so many articles about eating healthy, managing stress, challenging the brain with brain games, puzzles, and new tasks.  You’ll also find plenty of admonitions to move that body of yours!

New research shows that physical activity plays a front seat role in reduced risk of dementia.  Did you catch that?  Reduced risk of dementia!  It’s always exciting to know that there are things we can do, that we aren’t helpless.  Let’s really be as smart as we say we are and pay attention to what science is telling us.

Shouldn’t we start today?

Experts tell us that the harder we work out, the more it may help. In a Harvard study of 1,211 patients enrolled in the Framingham Heart Study, researchers found that 244 participants developed either Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. Those who engaged in moderate to heavy physical activity were 45 percent less likely to develop any kind of dementia than those reporting only light exercise.

Researcher Dr. Zaldy Tan of Harvard was quoted in Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter (October 2010): “Physical activity can be maintained even late in life, and we have to remain active even in old age. Engaging even in moderate activity at least an hour a day appears to be protective of dementia.”

What would be classified as moderate activity?   Serious shopping, housework, yard work, cleaning the garage, walking the dog, bowling, golf, etc.  One sure way to sneak in extra moderate activity is to move around while watching television. Either stand up and walk in place during the show you’re enjoying or jog in place during each set of commercials.

If you have an exercise bike, move it into the room you’re in the most often. When it’s right there staring at you, you’re more apt to climb on and take a ride

Not only should we move more, we should also eat smarter. When it comes to diet, research points to increasing antioxidants from food.

Foods rich in vitamin E and vitamin C, beta-carotene and flavonoids may help stave off mental decline with aging. Major food sources for vitamin E include margarine, sunflower oil, butter, cooking fat, soybean oil, mayonnaise, peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds, spinach and broccoli. Major food sources for other antioxidants include nearly all fruits and vegetables.

Like so many things in life, it all boils down to making smart choices.  Do what you know you should do and avoid that which you know you shouldn’t do.  Kind of like grade school, right?

Make each moment count double,
~ Joi

Filed Under: Mental Fitness, Prevent Alzheimer's Disease, Tough Love! Tagged: ,
August 2, 2010 1 Comment

The Breakfast of Mental Champions

Like a good little mental fitness blog should, we’ve been researching in the field of mental health – finding the things we can all do to improve our mental health. Something we’ve uncovered is very encouraging – there’s far more than we ever thought possible, that can be done to improve one’s memory, mental health, while preventing dementia and Alzheimer’s.

One of the most effective, and easiest, changes we can make is at the breakfast table.

It’s alarming how many people skip breakfast and even more alarming how many think they are actually doing something good for their body when they do so.

Study after study shows that for optimum physical health, we need to eat a good breakfast.  I’m sure you’ve seen these studies before, yourself.  What you may not realize, however, is just how important a good breakfast is for your mental health.

Studies have found that eating breakfast may improve short-term memory as well as attention. Students who eat breakfast tend to perform significantly better than those who don’t.  By the same token, workers who fuel up with a healthy breakfast work circles around those who either skimp or skip breakfast entirely.

So what breakfast foods do the experts suggest are the most pivotal for your brain’s health?   To fully arm yourself with the healthiest brain foods and fuel your mind with the nutrients it craves, include high-fiber whole grains, dairy, and fruits.  Be sure not to overeat, however.  High calorie breakfasts can slow you down and make it hard to concentrate.

Sugar is one of your brain’s favorite fuel sources – not table sugar, but glucose, which your body metabolizes from the sugars and carbohydrates you eat. That’s why a glass of something sweet to drink can offer a short-term boost to memory, thinking processes, and, yes, even mental ability.  A glass of juice is, obviously, the best way to give your brain this sweet treat.

Then, of course, there’s my favorite part of morning (or noon, or night…): Coffee.  Caffeine can energize and help you focus and concentrate.Caffeine in foods such as coffee (and chocolate, another reason for loving life) give your body and mind a wake up call.  Of course, the effects aren’t long term – just long enough to help you wake up and begin functioning.

One of my favorite breakfast foods is oatmeal.  It’s unmistakably good for you and it’s so wonderfully filling that you don’t feel like you’re starving halfway between lunch and breakfast.  You can kick up the health benefits of oatmeal and make it as healthy for your brain as it is for you heart by adding nuts.  Nuts (and seeds for that matter) are good sources of the antioxidant vitamin E, which is associated with less cognitive decline as you age.

Another favorite  healthy food, dark chocolate, also has powerful antioxidant properties. And it contains natural stimulants like caffeine, which can enhance focus and concentration.  That’s why dark chocolate is a favorite mid-morning snack.

As we’ve said many times on Out of Bounds and Self Help Daily, what’s good for the heart seems to be good for the brain – and vice versa.  The heart and the brain each depend on blood flow and eating a diet high in whole grains and fruits can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, lower bad cholesterol, and prevent memory loss, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. When you reduce your chances of plaque buildup and enhance blood flow, you really fire up those brain cells!

Be sure to include whole grains in your breakfast meals as often as possible.

Further research shows that blueberries help protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

But that’s not all:  Studies also show that diets rich in blueberries significantly improved both the learning capacity and motor skills.

Obviously, adding blueberries to oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, and pancakes is an extremely healthy thing to do for your brain’s health. 

So, are you ready to start powering up each morning with a healthy breakfast?  Start off with 100% fruit juice, a whole grain cereal or oatmeal, blueberries, and a cup of coffee.

In addition to eating a well-balanced breakfast, mental health experts also advise:

  1. Get a good night’s sleep.
  2. Stay hydrated.
  3. Exercise to help sharpen thinking.
  4. Practice relaxation techniques.
  5. Eliminate as much stress from your life as possible.
  6. Stay physically active – remember, keep that blood circulation, for your heart AND brain.

Make each moment count double,
~ Joi

Filed Under: Brain Food, Brain Games, Mental Fitness, Must Reads Tagged: , , , ,
July 13, 2010 2 Comments

3 Things You Should Be Doing Now to Prevent Alzheimer’s

The harsh reality of Alzheimer’ Disease:

• 5.3 million Americans have it.

• Symptoms include memory loss and confusion.

• Half a million Americans in their 30s, 40s and 50s have Alzheimer’s or related dementia.

• It’s the seventh leading cause of death.

I don’t have to tell you how incredibly important it is to do everything within our power to prevent Alzheimer’s disease.   And I don’t have to tell you how vital it is that we all give as much money, time, energy, prayers, and efforts to Alzheimer’s research as well as to families who have been affected.

One of the main missions of Out of Bounds is to arm as many people as possible with the knowledge they need in order to prevent dementia, memory loss, Alzheimer’s, depression, anxiety, and a host of other diseases that can be down right horrific.

USA Today (one of a few periodicals I read every day) recently ran a fascinating article about Alzheimer’s prevention.  When I read the article, I couldn’t help getting excited – it’s always exciting to realize that so many people are throwing their money and brainpower behind the battle against Alzheimer’s.

Research has determined that three things (well within our control) can greatly lessen our chances of getting Alzheimer’s disease:

  1. Exercise
  2. Vitamin D.
  3. Tea

“These are encouraging,” says William Thies, chief medical and scientific officer of the Alzheimer’s Association. “These types of studies make people think, ‘Well gosh, maybe I can do something about this disease.’ “

Exercise to Prevent Dementia and Alzheimer’s

One of the studies is from the Framingham, Mass., cardiovascular risk study, in which researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, among others, tracked more than 1,200 elderly people over 20 years, 242 of whom developed dementia.

The researchers found that participants who had moderate to heavy levels of physical activity had about a 40% lower risk of developing any type of dementia. Those who reported the least amount of activity were 45% more likely to develop dementia compared with those who logged higher levels of activity. -   USA Today

Getting more activity is completely within our control.  It doesn’t matter how long your work days are, how many children you have, how old you are…  Basically you just can’t come up with a good enough excuse NOT to get more activity.

If, however, due to health reasons, you can’t take prolonged walks, exercise on a treadmill, or workout in some other organized manner – you can STILL increase the amount of activity you get each day.

  • If you watch a fair amount of television, use commercials as your cue to get up and move.  Do the twist, walk around the house, do squats – just move that body and keep it moving for as long as the commercial break lasts.  Do the same thing for each and every commercial break.
  • When you go to the store, take one or two laps around the entire store before you even put the first thing into your basket.
  • Even better than working out during commercials, work out during your favorite television show.  March/run in place, do sit ups, lift weights, and so on.  Grab an exercise book or log on to Prevention.com for exercise ideas.
  • Put the laundry up one item at a time.
  • Do all of your housework at once – a 30 minute to 60 minute session of housework can be quite a workout!

Needless to say, if at all possible, walk!  Take a nice, relaxing, brain pumping walk every day — use a treadmill when the weather isn’t conducive to an outside walk.

Drink Tea To Prevent Dementia and Alzheimer’s

Perhaps even more within our control than exercise, drinking tea has been found to help in Alzheimer’s prevention.  Great, great news for me – I have a cup of tea nearby me at all times!

In a study of more than 4,800 men and women ages 65 and older, participants were followed for up to 14 years. Tea drinkers had less mental decline than non-tea drinkers. Those who drank tea one to four times a week had average annual rates of decline 37% lower than people who didn’t drink tea.  (Source: USA Today)

Tea is full of antioxidants that your body loves – and now, apparently, we learn that our minds love tea as well.  Cool.  If you’re hooked on diet drinks or soft drinks, start asking yourself (before each sip), “What good is this doing my body or mind?”  Then ask, “What benefits would drinking tea instead give my body and mind.”  Then order tea!  Remember, if you’re on a decaf diet, you can order decaf tea – it doesn’t appear to be the caffeine that our brains love so dearly.

Vitamin D for Alzheimer’s Prevention

Finally, we come to another Alzheimer’s and Dementia prevention tip that’s completely within our control:  Getting enough Vitamin D.

British researchers looked at vitamin D’s effect on brain health. They examined data from 3,325 U.S. adults ages 65 and older from the NHANES III study. Vitamin D levels were measured by blood test, and cognitive tests were administered. Odds of cognitive impairment were about 42% higher in those deficient in vitamin D, and 394% higher in people severely deficient.

“Vitamin D is neuro-protective in a number of ways, including the protection of the brain’s blood supply and the clearance of toxins,” says author David Llewellyn of the University of Exeter Peninsula Medical School.

There is actually very little vitamin D found naturally in the foods we eat.  The best food sources of vitamin D are coldwater fish. In many countries, vitamin D is added to milk and other foods like breakfast cereals and margarine, contributing to our daily intake.

The best way to get vitamin D is from the sun.

While researching vitamin D, I found this on Real Age.com and thought it was pretty fascinating:

As indicated by the study of submarine personnel noted above, by far the best source of vitamin D is sunlight. However, current recommendations which stress sun avoidance and the use of sunblock may have the unintended effect of increasing the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency. Severe vitamin D deficiency was common in England in the 1800s due to coal smoke obscuring the sun. During that time, cod liver oil, which is high in vitamin D, became popular as a supplement for children to help prevent rickets. (Rickets is a disease caused by vitamin D deficiency in which developing bones soften and curve because they aren’t receiving enough calcium.)

Vitamin D deficiency is known to occur today in the elderly (who often receive less sun exposure) as well as in people who live in northern latitudes and don’t drink vitamin D-enriched milk. The consequences of this deficiency may be increased risk of hypertension, osteoporosis, and several forms of cancer. (Source: Real Age.com)

Use common sense when getting enough vitamin D.  Aim for a little sunlight daily if at all possible.   I’m not suggesting you burn or even simmer your skin – but I am suggesting that you seriously ask yourself if you’re getting enough sunlight and enough vitamin D.

While you’re thinking about it, take a walk around your yard – while, of course, sipping a tall glass of iced tea.

Your brain will love you for it!

Make each moment count double,
~ Joi

Filed Under: Brain Food, Mental Fitness, Must Reads, Prevent Alzheimer's Disease Tagged: ,
February 19, 2010 3 Comments

The Mediterranean Diet: Why Your Brain Craves This Food

We all know that following a Mediterranean diet is healthy for our hearts and can lead to a trimmer body.  As if that’s not enough reason enough to eat more Mediterranean food,  a Mediterranean diet can also help prevent brain damage linked to memory problems and strokes.

A study which was  presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 62nd Annual Meeting, showed that people who followed a Mediterranean-like diet were less likely to suffer brain tissue damage.

The diets of 712 people were studied and scrutinized.  They were separated into groups that were based on how closely participants followed the diet. MRI brain scans showed that those following the Mediterranean diet the closest were 36 percent less likely to have areas of tissue damage than those following the diet the least closely.  That’s huge.

Experts point out that these findings beautifully back up and support previous research which taught us that the Mediterranean diet could be associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and lengthen the lives of people with Alzheimer’s.

The Mediterranean diet has been proven (not just suggested… proven) to help prevent heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, heart attacks and, now, apparently brain disease.  This type of eating should be adopted, today and every day for the rest of our lives.

Just what is a Mediterranean Diet?

A Mediterranean diet involves a very high intake of vegetables, legumes, fruits, cereals, fish and monounsaturated fatty acids.

The foods that a Mediterranean diet discourages: Saturated fatty acids, dairy, meat and poultry.  A lot of it comes down to eating foods that are as close to their natural state as possible – more fresh produce and lots of it.  Look for fresh ways to cook asparagus, artichokes, and broccoli.  Add tomatoes, peppers,onions, and cucumbers to salads, soups, and pasta dishes. Replace meat with combinations of vegetables.

For more information on the benefits of the Mediterranean diet as well as a ton of recipe ideas and a more detailed description of the foods in the Mediterranean diet, please click the following link:  How to Follow a Mediterranean Diet.

Make each moment count double,

~ Joi

Filed Under: Brain Food, Mental Fitness, Motivational Tagged: , ,
November 21, 2009 1 Comment

Protect your Brain’s Health in a Berry Nutty Tasty Way

Berries and walnuts are good for your brain

If you love berries, grape juice, and walnuts, you already have an upper hand when it comes to protecting the health of your brain.  If you aren’t already wild about them, it’s time to fall in love!

The polyphenols in walnuts and berries help quiet the inflammation and oxidative stressin the brain.  These are the vile evils that can injure the brain and lead to memory problems.

Potent Brain Protection and Prevent Memory Loss

Just how powerful are the polyphenols in berries, grape juice, and walnuts?  Get this:  They are so potent that research suggests they might even help reverse cognitive decline once it occurs. According to Real Age.com (with Drs. Oz and Roizen), in a study of older adults with mild dementia, the individuals performed better on memory tests after Concord grape juice was added to their diets.

Take Steps to Prevent Mental Decline

Below are some tasty ways to make sure you get enough of these polyphenols.

  • Pick a time of the day to automatically have a glass of grape juice – use a particular time or event to signal the ritual.  For example, have a glass as you wash dishes, check your e-mail, take a bath, or read the paper.
  • Add berries and nuts to your breakfast cereal.
  • Add nuts and berries to your tossed salad.
  • Put some walnuts in the bottom of a clear bowl.  Pour vanilla yogurt over the walnuts, then pile on different colors of berries.  Gorgeous and delicious.
  • Keep a candy dish filled with walnuts near your computer. Nosh on them throughout the day.
  • Add berries and walnuts to your oatmeal.  I’ve gotten to the point where if my oatmeal doesn’t have blueberries on top of it, I walk the other way!

Make each moment count double!
~ Joi

Filed Under: Brain Food, Mental Fitness Tagged: , , , ,
June 6, 2009 2 Comments

Go Nuts! Your Brain Will Thank You

Walnuts

For your brain’s sake, you should begin loading up on peanuts, brazil nuts, and walnuts. Toss them in salads, yogurt, oatmeal, etc. Or, go with my favorite system – straight into the mouth.

Each of these delicious nuts are high in protein – but more importantly, they contain omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids are known to be important to a healthy brain.

So, go nuts!

Make each moment count double,
~ Joi
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DID YOU KNOW?
The Sun’s diameter is about 870,000 miles wide, 109 times the size of earth. You could actually fit 1.3 million Earths inside the Sun!

Filed Under: Brain Food, Mental Fitness, Must Reads Tagged: , , ,
February 13, 2009 4 Comments

More Reasons to Eat Healthy

Mediterranean Diet Foods

A great article in the NY Times recently pointed out that a Mediterranean diet may help prevent mental decline.

They quoted a study published in The Archives of Neurology which tracked the eating habits of 1,393 people with no cognitive problems and 482 patients with mild cognitive impairment, a preliminary state of mental decline that can sometimes signal the onset of Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.

The individuals were divided into two groups:

  1. Those who ate a diet rich in Mediterranean foods (fish, fruits, vegetables, legumes and monounsaturated fats like olive oil, while at the same time consuming moderate amounts of alcohol and only small quantities of meat and dairy products).
  2. Those who did not follow a Mediterranean type of diet.

The results?

After nearly five years of follow up, about 275 people in the healthy group developed mild cognitive impairment. People who closely adhered to a Mediterranean diet had a 28 percent lower risk of developing mild cognitive impairment, compared to those whose eating habits were the least like a Mediterranean diet. Moderate followers of a Mediterranean diet showed a trend toward a 17 percent lower risk than the lowest-scoring group, although that finding wasn’t statistically significant.

A Mediterranean diet also appeared to slow decline in those already diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. Among the 482 men and women with mild cognitive impairment at the beginning of the study, 106 developed Alzheimer’s disease about four years later. But among those who strictly adhered to the Mediterranean diet, risk of Alzheimer’s was 48 percent lower, while risk was 45 percent lower among those who ate a moderate version of the diet.

Click the following link for more information and delicious Mediterranean Diet recipes.

Make each bite count!
~ Joi

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