Brain Health
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
The subject of cannabis (marijuana) has become highly controversial not only in politics and public media but also in the field of scientific research. There are arguably as many studies confirming the efficacy of cannabis for a variety of health benefits as there are studies touting its harmful effects. Regardless of the controversy, many states… read more
The winds of Springtime are upon us, and those fitness resolutions from January haunt our days. Celebrity magazines are awash with miraculous weight-loss stories from the apparently effortless process of intermittent fasting. In the last decade this tactic has gained enormous popularity as an easy pathway for weight reduction, improved energy, and mental clarity. Yet… read more
February is here, Spring is right around the corner, and time is rushing by at breakneck speed. And yet. And yet I sat there in the winter sunshine and did nothing. Of course there were ten-thousand-and-one things on my to-do list, emails to return, phone calls to make, kids to pick up…but that could all… read more
