5 Foods to Promote Brain Functionality
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1. Coffee –åÊIn a Finnish study, coffee drinkers between the ages of 40 and 50 had less of a chance of developing Alzheimer’s Disease later in life. There are some beliefs that it may be the concentration of caffeine within this popular drink which is more than beneficial to your health than slamming back a Mountain Dew.åÊAnother Finnish studyåÊhas provided additional grounds that coffee can help prevent liver disease especially in those who consume alcohol.
2. Spinach –åÊAs spinach is rich in various vitamins and minerals, it is an excellent food to eat for a variety of purposes. A half of a cup of cooked spinach produces three times the vitamin K your body needs during the day. While some of us prefer not to have this slimy green goop on our plates, it is one of the healthiest foods you could possibly eat. Even uncooked spinach as a salad, which is far more palatable to a large portion of the country, can provide lasting effects if eaten daily.
3. Fish –åÊNearly every diet under the sun includes fish, and for good reason. Fish is low in calories and saturated fats, but is a great source of needed proteins for the body and brain. Among some of these that can promote protection against Alzheimer’s and promote higher brain power is salmon. The omega-3 fatty acids within this delicacy to many is one of the most prolific for providing health for your brain. Loaded with docosahexaenoic acid, salmon gives the eyes and brain the fatty acids that are needed to promote development. Instead of chicken and mashed potatoes for dinner tonight, why not have Salmon and a spinach salad?
4. Carrots –åÊThese orange roots are full of vitamin A. The beta-carotene contained within carrots promotes eyesight which is greatly beneficial to those who are seeing the effects of old age. As beta-carotene is converted in the body to vitamin A, those who consume carrots and other anti-oxidants have a reduced chance of developing Alzheimer’s Disease and promoting higher brain functions.
5. Berries –åÊAnother food product that is on the list for nearly every diet are berries. Eating berries and grapes helps by providing a great deal of anti-oxidants to the brain and can improve spatial memory. According to CNN, volunteers for a study by the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine improved memory and learning skills after drinking Concord grape juice regularly for three months.
Regardless of how old you are, it is always best to practice good eating habits. Sitting at your desk all day and pounding down Pringles is not going to help your physical or mental health. You would be wise to include healthier choices in snacking and meals as time marches on. As we are what we eat, a healthy diet is the corner stone of living well.
Stroke Before 50 Not Good for Long Term Health
Adults 50 years of age and younger who experienced a stroke had a significantly higher risk of death in the following 20 years compared with the general population, according to a study in the March 20 issue of JAMA.
ÛÏStroke is one of the leading causes of mortality, with an annual 6 million fatal events worldwide. Stroke mainly affects elderly people, yet approximately 10 percent of strokes occur in patients younger than 50 years.åÊ
Loes C. A. Rutten-Jacobs, M.Sc., of Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and colleagues conducted a study to investigate long-term mortality and cause of death after first acute stroke among adults 18 through 50 years of age and to compare this with nationwide age- and sex-matched mortality rates. Observed mortality was compared with the expected mortality, derived from mortality rates in the general population with similar age, sex, and calendar-year characteristics.
During the follow-up period, 192 patients (20.0 percent) had died. Analysis of the data indicated that after surviving the first 30 days after ischemic stroke, the cumulative mortality was increased compared with expected based on nationwide population mortality data.
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ÛÏThis mortality remained at this higher level even in the second and third decade after young [18-50 years of age] stroke. The cumulative 20-year mortality for ischemic stroke among 30-day survivors was higher in men than in women (33.7 percent vs. 19.8 percent).
The authors observed that a long-term increased risk for vascular disease could have important implications for the implementation of secondary prevention (both medical and lifestyle) treatment strategies.
Bottom line, you need to be constantly monitored. Check with your physician.
Will ÛÏEmpty SpacesÛ Affect Your Aging?
Guest Blog by Dr. Jill Bjerke
I was working with a client not long ago who afforded me one of those ÛÏepiphanyÛ moments.åÊ We were diligently rearranging her kitchen because she felt it difficult to work in.åÊ She said she could not find the things she needed when she needed them, items were scattered about and nothing seemed to have any order.åÊ Once we reorganized everything, she ended up with a totally empty cabinet above her stove.åÊ ÛÏWhat am I going to do with that,Û she asked me.åÊ Good question!åÊ ÛÏWhy do you have to do anything with it,Û I replied.åÊ As it turns out she, like many of us, felt empty spaces must be filled.åÊ After all, if we leave them empty, does that imply that we are forgetting something or have left things only partially done?åÊ And so appeared that ÛÏaha moment!Û
Read the rest here.
Stress Can Accelerate Alzheimer’s (VIDEO)
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Stress Can Accelerate Alzheimer’s
Stress-induced hormones produced by the brain can increase an individualÛªs risk of developing AlzheimerÛªs disease and accelerate the development of AlzheimerÛªs in individuals already suffering from the disease.
This study is the first to discover the precise mechanism that causes stress-induced AlzheimerÛªs disease.
When the brain is stressed, it produces steroids that can inhibit general brain activity. One of such steroids, allopregnanolon.
A research team conducted a laboratory experiment on mice genetically predisposed to developing AlzheimerÛªs disease. The mice were treated chronically with elevated allopregnanolone levels, comparable to those caused by mild stress. After a period of no steroid treatment, the mice were tested for learning and memory.
The mice with elevated levels of the stress steroid experienced impaired memory and learning in the earliest stages of AlzheimerÛªs development, when they normally would not display these symptoms. The brains of the mice also displayed higher levels of beta-amyloids, proteins that formåÊplaques between nerve cellsåÊin the brains of individuals with AlzheimerÛªs disease.åÊ
The researchers noted that a similar acceleration of Alzheimer’s disease in humans due to chronic stress could mean the difference between living independently and requiring professional care.
Not much more to say. Want some advice. Read my post on Caring.com on living a meaningful (and less stressful) life.
