Brain Health
If you are like most people, this season of quarantine has brought significant lifestyle changes. Working and schooling at home allow for snack-time at all hours of the day (or night!), the gym is closed for that early-morning workout, and economic stresses translate to cheaper and typically less-healthy grocery options. Thus the “Quarantine-15”… gradual weight-gain,… read more
It’s the newest science-supported motive: exercise boosts physical fitness AND mental fitness. But how much, how intense, how does it change as we age, and the big question: how does it correlate to the current coronavirus epidemic? In a May publication of Redox Biology, scientists evaluated the impact of exercise on extracellular superoxide dismutase (EcSOD).… read more
It’s after 7PM and I’m tossing spaghetti sauce into a pot of pasta. Green beans bubble on the stove, the salad is ready to go, and I holler “dinner time!” to the kids. I’ve been trying to ignore the bickering going on in the next room, but suddenly tempers flare and a scream breaks the… read more
Research on age-related dementia continues to accelerate as our US population grows ever more top-heavy. According to the US Census Bureau, within the next 15 years there will be more older adults than kids for the first time in our country’s history. Learning how to improve the quality of our aging years has never been… read more
(Back by popular demand…re-post from 1 year ago!) It was the evening of January 1st when my oldest son garnered the family’s attention at the dinner table. “It’s New Year’s Day,” he announced with a dramatic flair, “and I’ve got something important to tell you all.” While his tone was serious, I detected a twinkle… read more
Steven came home late that winter evening and dropped down on the couch with a triumphant grin. Another playoff success! With a regionals win under his belt for a second year in a row, Steven was dreaming of a State Championship to highlight his senior year. He rubbed his temples, trying to soothe away the… read more
It was two-thirty in the afternoon and Dana’s positive attitude was wearing thin. She needed at least another three hours of mental focus for her workday, so she poured a cup of coffee into her favorite mug and stirred a generous scoop of sugar into the steaming liquid. The caffeine would hopefully kick in soon,… read more
We’ve all heard grandma chiding us to eat our fresh veggies and fruits; “an apple a day keeps the doctor away!” Now scientific research offers an interesting twist on that perspective: “an apple a day keeps dementia away!” Indeed, healthy lifestyle choices not only increase our lifespan but also help increase our aging brain power.… read more
The retirement home kitchen is bustling with activity. Staff members put the finishing touches on a delicious dinner prepared for the residents and their family members. Fresh vegetables and wild rice are served alongside grilled chicken…a typically healthy meal for these aging seniors. But the unusual addition of sauteed mushrooms prompts my question: why mushrooms?… read more
It has been estimated that half of all adults in the United States will develop a serious chronic disease in their lifetime, but what can be done to lower these prevalence rates? Recent research published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine suggests that the amount of time spent sitting or lying down may negatively impact… read more
She rushed into the kitchen and reached for the steaming coffee pot. Smooth, dark hair hung loose about her shoulders, framing a strikingly beautiful face. Her long legs were lean and fit, accentuated by the patterned running tights and tank top she wore. She was the picture-perfect example of a successful high-school senior; straight-A student,… read more
Eat Your Way Out of Cognitive Decline When I was a child I was told, “you are what you eat.” But somehow despite my constant consumption of baby dill pickles I didn’t grow up green, sour and bumpy. However, new scientific research is telling me that all those salty pickles probably impacted my brain development…and… read more
