prevent memory loss

Why You Should Be Eating More Vegetables!

by Joi

Vegetables can prevent cognitive decline and help with preventing Alzheimer's Disease and dementia.

Your mom was right (again).  You should be eating your fruits, vegetables, and wearing clean underwear.  But let’s focus on the veggies for now. They’re excellent for you, head to toe, and it turns out they’re very important for your brain’s health.

Do you think you’re eating enough vegetables for your brain’s health? You may be surprised… grab a couple of carrots and read on.

A new study shows that people who eat 3 servings or more of vegetables daily have a slower rate of cognitive decline as they grow older.  There are plenty of things we can do to lessen our odds of getting dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, or memory loss.  You’ve read about many of them here on Out of Bounds.

Eating vegetables is a delicious addition to the preventative list, so make a point of working more vegetables into your daily routine. Below are a few tips to get you started.

  1. Don’t just make a sandwich – make a healthy Dagwood sandwich. Add spinach or dark leafy lettuce, red onion, red peppers, and even cucumbers. The extra crunch makes the sandwich funner as well as tastier and healthier.
  2. Make salads and/or vegetable soup a frequent guest at lunch.  When having a salad, don’t stop at lettuce and tomatoes. The more vegetables you pack in, the more servings you’re getting.
  3. When it comes to noshing during football, baseball, soccer, or basketball games (we all do it, after all) – try trays of fresh baby vegetables. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and watch them disappear. If you MUST, have a little ranch dressing for dipping. I won’t tell anyone.
  4. Fill omelets or scrambled eggs with red and green peppers, red or green onions, tomatoes, broccoli (trust me, broccoli and eggs are outstanding together), asparagus, chopped spinach, etc.  Up the veggies, up the servings.
  5. Steamed baby carrots with a little butter and honey are never anything but delectable.
  6. Keep chopped vegetables in a container in the refrigerator for when the munchies hit.

Here’s a link to a delicious roasted cauliflower recipe. It’s Bob Blumer’s Popcorn Cauliflower and you won’t feel anything less than mad love for it.

 

Too Much Salt in Your Diet and Too Little Activity in Your Day Can Lead to Cognitive Decline

by Joi

It’s imperative to get a little exercise each day to prevent cognitive decline and memory loss.

A study led by researchers at Baycrest in Toronto – in collaboration with colleagues at the Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, McGill University and the Université de Sherbrooke has found that older adults who have too much salt in their diet and too little exercise in their day are at a greater risk of cognitive decline. Naturally, they’d be candidates for more than just mental problems, they’re also at risk for a host of heart problems.

Researchers found evidence that high-salt diets coupled with low physical activity can be detrimental to cognitive health.

The finding, which appears online in the journal Neurobiology of Aging, ahead of print publication emphasizes the truth of what we often point out here on the mental fitness blog, what affects the heart (positively or negatively) affects the brain.

The study followed the sodium consumption and physical activity levels of 1,262 healthy older men and women (ages 67 – 84) residing in Quebec, Canada, over three years. The adults were recruited from a large pool of participants in the Quebec Longitudinal Study on Nutrition and Successful Aging (NuAge).

“We have generated important evidence that sodium intake not only impacts heart health, but brain health as well,” said Dr. Alexandra Fiocco, a scientist with Baycrest’s Kunin-Lunenfeld Applied and Evaluative Research Unit (KLAERU) and the study’s lead investigator.

“The results of our study showed that a diet high in sodium, combined with little exercise, was especially detrimental to the cognitive performance of older adults,” said Dr. Fiocco.

“But the good news is that sedentary older adults showed no cognitive decline over the three years that we followed them if they had low sodium intake.”

“These data are especially relevant as we know that munching on high-salt processed snacks when engaged in sedentary activities, such as watching TV or playing in front of the computer, is a frequent pastime for many adults,” said Dr. Carol Greenwood, a senior author on the study and internationally-renowned scientist in the field of nutrition and cognitive function in late life.

“This study addresses an additional risk associated with lifestyles that are highly apparent in North American populations.”

As the boomer demographic ages, experts expect to see more problems with cognitive decline (memory loss, dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease), but they hope that educating the public about lifestyle changes that can help delay or prevent normal, age-related cognitive decline. Adopting a healthy lifestyle which includes lots of healthy fruit and vegetables, daily activity, stress management, and making smart dietary decision (such as cutting back on salt and red meat) can help protect us long term.

By all means, adopt these lifestyle changes for yourself, your spouse, and your children – but also look out for your parents and grandparents. Maybe introduce Mrs. Dash seasonings to them as an alternative to so much salt. Also, if they’re health allows it, go for walks with them, even if it’s just around a store or the mall.

The more I read about brain fitness and cognitive decline, the more I realize just how much lies in our own hands. We have to make smart choices and keep on making them!

More “Salt-y Information”
“Those neurofibrillary tangles associated with Alzheimer’s Disease contain aluminum (an element that makes up 14 percent of the earth’s crust). While there’s no evidence suggesting that aluminum causes memory problems, it’s better to try to avoid it. One way to reduce the aluminum you absorb: Use sea salt instead of table salt, which is processed with aluminum to avoid caking. Other things that contain aluminum include nondairy creamers, antacids, cans, certain cookware, and antiperspirants.” – From You Staying Young by Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen

 ** Don’t forget the salt content in foods and drinks. The amount of sodium in diet sodas, for example, is staggering.

Vitamin B12 and Protein: Vital for Mental Health

by Joi

B12 Vital for Mental Health

Vitamin B12 is one of the most powerful tools in the Prevent Alzheimer’s and dementia arsenal. I know that, you know that, even my cats know that. To me, the real importance of the study is that it deals one more body blow to modern diet recommendations, which tell us that protein and fat are the enemies of good health.

However, mental fitness experts point out that protein is where nature meant us to get our B12 from. And, let’s face it, nature knows what its doing.

The only natural food sources of vitamin B12 are animal products like fish, meat and eggs.

Research proves that protein keeps you healthy and strong.  Recently I was doing a great deal of research on skin health – as it relates to aging as well as components of a healthy skin diet.  Source after source after source pointed out the importance of protein. Basically, my research showed that protein is VITAL for healthy skin and a healthy complexion.  If you’re interested in keeping your skin looking as young as possible (and who isn’t?!), protein is a secret weapon.

Even more importantly,  in addition to being necessary for good heart health, protein prevents serious problems (even more serious than wrinkles!) like depression and Alzheimer’s.  Even a slight deficiency in B12 can lead to anemia, fatigue, and depression.  Even more frightening, a long term deficiency in B12 can potentially cause permanent damage to the brain.

 

Here are some food sources of vitamin B12:

  • Eggs (here’s something that might shock you – you’d have to eat almost half a chicken to get the same amount of B12 you can get in just one egg)
  • Chicken
  • Fish
  • Beef
  • Cheese
  • Crab
  • Lobster
  • Liver

As with other vitamins and nutrients, don’t rely on supplements. Get your vitamins from the food you eat.  You have more riding on it than you can afford to lose.

Make each moment count double!

~ Joi

     

     

    Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease with the Internet

    by Joi

    Sudoku Puzzles keep your mind sharp!

    Below is a guest post by freelance writer Kathleen Hessing. The information and advice is the sort of thing we’re committed to here on Out of Bounds – keeping your brain sharp, strengthening your mind, preventing memory loss, and preventing Alzheimer’s Disease. The information is truly priceless.

    Although the disease is incurable once it occurs, there are steps we can take to help prevent the development of Alzheimer’s. Keeping your brain alert has been proved to do just that.

    Even if you have the busiest of schedules, you can work small things into your day to help you stay sharp. One way to do this is to use your non-dominant hand for everyday tasks like eating and opening doors. By doing this, you exercise the opposite side of your brain.

    Mind-engaging puzzles like Sudoku and crosswords can increase brain activity as well. Several websites offer games and puzzles to entertain and challenge you. Here are a few to get you started:

    • WebSudoku.com – This website claims to offer billions of  Sudoku puzzles. That should keep you busy for quite a while!
    • BoatloadPuzzles.com – When they say boatload, they aren’t kidding. You’ll find 40,000 free crossword puzzles on this site.
    • JigZone.com – Like jigsaw puzzles, but don’t have the space to lay them out and solve them? This site allows you to put together jigsaw puzzles made up of 6 to 247 pieces. You can play against a clock for more of a challenge, too.

    Many local newspapers and magazines publish all kinds of puzzles, from Sudoku and crosswords, to word finds, acrostics, and Kakuro, which is similar to Sudoku, but involves math rather than just number placement.

    Reading exercises your brain, too. Do it often. Experts say you should frequently switch up the topics you read so you’ll experience changes in vocabulary, thereby stimulating more areas of your brain.

    Video games can actually benefit your brain in a big way, too. Instead of zoning out to TV shows or movies for hours on end, try playing a game. It can help improve your memory, your development of logic skills, increase your creativity, increase your mental speed, and improve your hand-eye coordination.

    There are plenty of free gaming websites out there. For starters, try these:

    • Bored.com – This site boasts tons of games in categories such as puzzles, strategy, action, and arcade.
    • AddictingGames.com –  You can either play games on your own, or get a friend to play a two-player game with you on the same computer. There are also games to play with friends via Facebook.
    • PlayedOnline.com – Play classics such as Super Mario World and Pac-Man, as well as many new games.
    • Pogo.com – Pogo has some of the most popular online games like Bejeweled, as well as classics such as Scrabble, Yahtzee, Risk, and Monopoly.
    • FreeOnlineGames.com – Not only can you play games on this site, you can get free games to install on your own website.

    If you want to step up the quality of your games and interaction, consider spending some money on a video game console for your home. You can even play games on your cell phone if it has such capabilities.

    Another brain-building activity you can try is learning a foreign language. You don’t have to spend any money on this—everything you need is at your local library. You can check out instructional books, CDs, DVDs, and tapes there. You don’t need to go for total fluency. Just learning some words and phrases is enough to get your brain working.

    While all these activities can help keep your brain sharp, and can potentially help prevent Alzheimer’s, they can’t cure it. Once a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s is made, it’s important to learn about the disease to be able to cope with it to the best of your ability.

    If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, check out the Alzheimer’s Association website for information about the disease and its treatments. Researchers are always looking for ways to improve the lives of those suffering from Alzheimer’s. The site allows you to browse through the various medications that have Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval so you can talk to your doctor about which one is right for you or your loved one.

    Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease can become a heavy burden over time. It requires a lot of patience, but even then, it can be one of the hardest things to do in life. Taking care of a loved one with Alzheimer’s is an admirable endeavor, but it can become more difficult as time and the disease progress. If you ever find yourself unable to continue as a caretaker, consider looking into an elderly care facility that specializes in Alzheimer’s care. It’s a difficult decision to make, but you’ll feel better knowing your loved one is receiving the best care available.

    Kathleen Hessing is a freelance writer who enjoys finding new ways to improve her life, and sharing them with others through her writing.

    

    Coffee or Green Tea? For Brain Health, Go with Both!

    by Joi

    Coffee Beans

    If, like me, you’re a rock star when it comes to drinking coffee and green tea, go ahead and pat yourself on the back.  We aren’t just doing our taste buds a favor when we drink coffee and we aren’t just doing something healthy for our bodies when we drink green tea.   Both of these drinks are great for brain health.

    A study in Neurology that found drinking three cups of coffee a day reduces your risk of mental decline by more than 50 percent.  More than 50 percent.  Amazing!

    Green tea is no slouch, itself, when it comes to mental benefits.  Of course, green tea is known for the many health benefits it offers – from cancer prevention and heart health to weight control and weight loss.  However, did you know that green tea is also very, very healthy for your brain?

    Green tea contains antioxidants called catechins that play a role in keeping the brain sharp and fresh. These catechins also promote healthy blood flow to the brain.

    While there are tons of delicious bottled green teas on the market, you should try to drink freshly brewed green tea as often as possible.

    Your body, mind, and soul will thank you for it!

    The Breakfast of Mental Champions

    by Joi

    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

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

    by Joi

    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

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