This Month's Wellness Group discussion was lead by Sherry Weeks. Here are her notes regarding the meeting!
The Magnificent Mind
Prevention is the most effective way to defend against Alzheimer's and stave off the onset of dementia. a lifestyle that promotes brain health not only strengthens neurons and pospones mental decline, it also improves memory ability and brain efficiency right away. Learn what you can do at whatever age you are right now to maintain and strengthen your brain.
Thanks to SHERRY WEEKS for researching this very important topic!!!
ALZHEIMERS REPORT
Of all the things I’ve lost, I miss my mind the most.
Start by holding up a glass of water that is about half full.
"How heavy is this glass of water?" she inquired with a smile. Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.
She replied , "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it.
If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.
If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it,
the heavier it becomes." She continued, "and that's the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens all the time,
sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on. AND NEITHER WILL THE BRAIN.
Stress is one of the RISK FACTORS for developing memory loss , dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. We can make Lifestyle changes that can reduce these Risk Factors and improve our overall health and improve cognitive ability and reverse or delay mental decline and Alzheimer’s.
GENETICS IS ONLY 10%
POSSIBLE LIFESTYLE CHANGES THAT CAN INFLUENCE THE OTHER 90%
Books: If it was mentioned in more than one of Books or sources I read, then I included it.
100 Ways to Prevent Alzheimer’s
Magnificent Mind At Any Age by Daniel Amen
Hijacked by Your Brain by Julian Ford and Jon Wortmann
Aging Well by George Vaillant
The Alzheimer’s Prevention Program by Gary small
Class: Nutrition and the Aging Brain sponsored by the Institute for Brain Potential
. MANAGE STRESS
This is what a physiologic reaction of the nervous system and body to threats – real or imagined
Stress –Amygdala- Hypothalamus -Pituitary Gland - adrenal gland (releases epinephrine and cortisol).
Amygdala is in Brain or Central nervous system signals the Hypothalamus which links the nervous system to the endocrine sys pituitary gland which responds by releasing ACTH which tells the adrenal gland to release epinephrine and cortisol.
An acute response to danger real or imagined activate the nervous system and cortisol release from the adrenal gland for a short period. Cortisol increases the blood to the legs and increases attention and strength to deal with a threat. If it continues for more than 2 hours or if your stress is chronic the prolonged elevation in cortisol is destructive to many body systems, especially the brain. Cortisol kills brain cells in the hippocampus.
Stress impairs learning and memory at any age. In older people, higher cortisol levels are associated with cognitive impairment. In Alzheimer’s patients, those with greater cognitive impairment are those with higher cortisol levels.
STRESS is a major cause of mental decline. ACUTE stress is survival. CHRONIC stress = disease
Bodies do not distinguish between life threatening and non-life-threatening demands. So ASK YOURSELF: Is the threat real or perceived? Your brains reaction is the same. BUT You can control your thoughts and evaluate your adaptive capacity to current or potential stressors. You can focus on what you might learn from the situation, “I can handle this and learn something too.” Signal your brain in times of stress to turn off the worry. You understand there is a concern and you are able to handle the situation. The stress comes down and your ability to handle the situation goes up.
"As with the glass of water, you have to put stress down for a while and rest before holding it again. So first subject today. HOW to reduce STRESS?
a. Spiritual Ritual: Prayer, Scripture Study, Temple
b. Meditation can rewire your brain. It helps reduce stress and improve mental focus. In one study, after 8 weeks of 30 minutes of meditating per day, subject showed increased volume of gray matter in the hippocampus, a brain area that controls learning and memory. Meditation also fires up the frontal areas of the brain that are associated with attention and relaxation and fortifies the neuronal circuits that control our emotions.
Have a meditative signal word – EASY – ready at all times, delete spiritual Junkmail as soon as appears on the screen of your brain. Can’t stop send but can delete. Don't carry stressful thoughts through the evening and into the night, ... Pick them up tomorrow, after you "give it a rest". Meditation tapes can help you to focus on breathing, relax each muscle group, turn off your problems and stressors.
c. Exercise combining both aerobic and mindfulness exercise like yoga, thai chi, pilates. Bring blood to the brain and cause you to focus on healing thoughts and takes your focus off your stressful event or problem or relationship. Changing up your workouts offers additional benefits by exercising your brain and body differently.
d. Breathing deeply and with intention – Show a good breathing technique if get in stressful situation – In at stomach, side chest, front chest
e. PLAN AHEAD -Create a plan of attack for your upcoming obligations. Much stress and anxiety comes from feeling a lack of control in our lives so planning ahead reduces stress. Say you have an obligation or a Long term goal - plan out how you will accomplish using Swiss cheese technique – break it into smaller goals and assign them each a time on your calendar. Example Dear Jane – long term goal. No stress because the plan was Tuesday was Dear Jane Day – class once a month for patterns and getting together to sew the other Tuesdays allowed us to complete each row on time and eventually complete the project. Give yourself plenty of time so you aren’t rushed – having to rush to make a Temple Session or a vacation airplane is a source of stress and defeats the purpose.
f. Use Humor and FUN. When Stressed, take a BREAK. Do something really fun – read a book in a hot bath, get a massage, play with a baby, do karaoke or dance in front of your mirror, go to the beach. Focusing on things, activities and people that give you enjoyment or concentrating on a fun craft project, allows you to take a break from your problems and stresses.
g. CONFLICT VS. CONTENTION or Relationship Stress: Conflict does not cause cortisol release but Contention does. Conflict is having different opinions while contention is anger, fighting, arguing, belittling about those differences. Don’t try to prove you way of viewing is correct – just share your view and listen while they share theirs. Use differing opinions as an opportunity to learn more about and understand the other person better. Ask questions: What experiences in your life brought you to this conclusion? Anger causes a release of cortisol so just refuse to get angry and save your brain.
h. Think well of yourself and others using Continuum Thinking - It’s like a dial on an odometer. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Put your negative thought on the dial. I’m a bad parent or spouse. Are you really a O parent? What is a 10 parent? You are at least a 5 or 6 and on good days a 9. Don’t make other people be 10s either. Human is 5. Positive is 8. Do something wrong dial down to 7. Don’t label yourself or someone else.
Ask a trusted friend where you are on the scale. We get a sense of relief from airing our worries when the person listening does not judge or criticize us and their empathy reduces your stress.
REALITY CHECK: It would be nice if ________my daughter didn’t marry that boy. The reality is ____________she has set a wedding date. Therefore, my most effective response is ______________ pray alot for my feelings to change, get to know him so I can show love for his good points, and have faith.
i. Be Conscientious – this boosts achievement and success. If you are responsible, honest and hard working your body is more resilient and has better coping mechanisms against disease.
j. A POSITIVE ATTITUDE helps reduce stress. Tests prove that people who are Easy going and upbeat are 50% less likely to get Alzheimers. I have never been easy going but learned how to be upbeat from my dad who was worried about my anxiety and taught me how to REFRAME negative things, look at them from a different perspective, to stay in the moment and not envision a coming catastrophe or focus on past negative events adding to the present worry. He taught me to put my focus on possible solutions and to go to work improving the situation. The easy going part??
k. Depression is another cause of high cortisol levels and decreased levels of message carrying hormones, serotonin and dopamine. It weakens the brain’s neural reserve. So if you have symptoms of long term lethargy, memory loss, no motivation, agitation, frustration, feeling hopeless, you need to get treatment so your brain chemicals can be more normal and not contribute to memory loss.
l. Sleep recharges your brain and it has an anti-inflammatory effect thus reducing the risk for neural degeneration. Stay up during the Day. Avoid too much liquid before bed. Refrain from activities that hype you up such as a TV thriller and avoid caffeine and night exercise. MELATONIN 6-10 mg Valerian Root 400-900 mg
m. STRESS VS STIMULATE. Finding the right stress level. Find your personal tipping point between Pressure that energizes and stimulates your creative self vs. Pressure that paralyze and causes brain damage.
2. FEED YOUR BRAIN WELL. Many diseases including brain disease are linked to free radical damage. Defense against this damage and to repair brain cells you need ANTIOXIDANTS which detoxify free radicals. Inflammatory foods also destroys brain cells so choose good nutrition.
a. ANTIOXIDANTS - Vitamin E d-a-tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E) is most effective form 400-1000 mg/day. 85 year old women was so healthy and no memory problems. She attributed it to never missing her Vit E tablets and never getting angry.
b. Vitamin C – from Rose Hips 500 mg/day (E and C are top two A)
c. BERRIES: Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, spinach and Kale are all excellent antioxidants, detoxify free radicals and reduce toxicity of amyloid plaques. It is Beta-Amyloid plaques and Tau Tangles and give a clear diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease. They are the TWINS OF DESTRUCTION. Eat ½-1 cup of berries daily. Drink dark purple juices like pomegranate, grape and blueberry juice. Other antioxidant foods: grapes, pears, plums and cherries, broccoli, cabbage, celery, onions and parsley. These also fight inflammation as do whole grains and legumes.
d. Curcumin and CINNAMON. Curcumin also absorbs free radicals and reduced plaques. India has much less Alz which has been linked to their high use of curry and turmeric. Get in pill form. Cinnamon invigorates insulin production, decreases Beta-amyloid Plaques and destroys Tau Tangles. ¼ tsp twice a day or 250 mg/ twice a day in pill form
e. Alpha Lipoic Acid is a Strong anti-oxidant and combined with Acetyl-l-carnitine (ALCAR) they protect and revive mitochrondria functioning. 200 mg LA and 500 mg ALCAR - I haven’t tried this.
f. Cocoa is also an anti-oxidant and increases Blood Flow to the brain. Dark Chocolate Cocoa powder is the Best (Trader Joes) makes a great smoothie with almond milk, banana and almond butter.
g. Reduce Sugar Intake – excess circulating Glucose harms the brain (called “Diabetes of the Brain”) Normal insulin levels block toxic Beta-Amyloid production. High fructose corn syrup is the worst.
h. Iron and Copper are brain toxins if you are over 50 – Take vitamins without them and drink filtered water.
i. Avoid Environmental Toxins, pesticides, dry cleaning, amalgam fillings and use glass not plastic in the microwave.
j. Eat meat sparingly: beef, organ meat, pork, veal, and lamb cause inflammation. Cured meat such as ham, cold cuts, pastrami, hot dogs and bacon have nitrates and are even worse for your brain. Fish and Poultry however deter Alzheimer’s. Your Dinner plate should have 80% vegetables and fruits and 20% meat. The more color the vegetables have, the better so red cabbage is better than white. Have plenty of Dark green leafy vegetables and cruciferous vegetables (kale, cauliflower, brussels, and broccoli)
An apple a day curbs Beta-Amyloid production and keeps nuerotransmitters healthy
k. Fast Overnight – Avoid eating at least 12 hours at night. If you stop eating at 6 p.m., don’t eat again until at least 6 a.m. because the ketones bodies that are produced during this mini-fast can be protective of the brain.
l. DRINK Water. The brain cannot function optimally when it is dehydrated. The brain is 80 percent water whereas the rest of the body is 70 %.
3. Check B12, Folate, Thyroid and Homocysteine Levels
a. High Homocysteine levels in the blood increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, blood clots and Alzheimers. Homocysteine is a naturally occurring amino acid found in blood plasma and it requires B12 and Folate to convert appropriately. High levels of Homocysteine in the blood irritates the lining of blood vessels and the resulting inflammation contributes to dementia.
b. B12 and Folate regulate homocysteine levels and protect the coverings of neuron, insuring that information from the brain is transported sufficiently. Miss Smith 28 year old couldn’t do her job, couldn’t think straight and had severe memory loss. By taking B12, Folate and homocysteine tests, they found no B12 in her blood. Her auto immune disease was preventing the absorption of B12. As soon as B12 and folate shots were given, her homocysteine levels returned to normal and so did she.
c. Have a Blood test checking for low B12, Folate levels and high homocysteine levels. Eat dark, leafy greens daily.
d. Eat food high in Niacin or B3 – it is good for cellular highways in the brain. Prevented memory loss in mice with Alzheimers’s. It lowers Blood Presure and bnookst good cholesterol. It is found in tuna, chicken, peanuts and swordfish.
e. Take supplements if necessary. You should have 1000 mcg of B12, 1000 mdg of folic acid, 1000 IU of Vit D, 50 mg of B6. B6 prevents homeocysteine buildup in blood.
4. Control Blood Pressure
a. 120/80 is ideal. Anything over 140/90 is High and needs treatment. HBP restrict or reduces the amount of blood flow to organs in your body including your heart, eyes, genitals and brain. This limits the amount of nutrients and Oxygen rich blood that gets to your organs and brain. Less Oxygen damages brain cells. Hypertension can also damage the brain bec. It causes strokes when the blood is cut off from the brain. You can have many mini strokes which won’t affect your brain until you have a lot of them, Most people don’t treat until after damage is done because HPP causes no pain.
b. Dr. may recommend lower salt intake, check Sodium on labels especially soup,), Exercise,
lose weight (every 10 lbs. you lose lowers BP 2.5 degrees,
no soft drinks
c. Have ANKLE – Brackial Index checked – systolic pressure to detect peripheral bloodflow (100 Ways)
d. Decrease Stress and Anger
5. Control Cholesterol
a. Atherosclerosis can cause cognitive decline because of the damage to the inside lining of blood vessels. Plaques form that trigger inflammation. You again get less nutrients and Oxygen to the heart and brain which then cause strokes and heart attacks. May also contribute to Amyloid plaques which are found in Alzheimer’s patients. If you lower your cholesterol, you also lower amyloid plaques. Lipoproteins are the measure.
b. LDL are low density lipoproteins and you want a LOW number because these are the damaging ones. Multiple studies correlated high LDL with poor memory and increasing cognitive impairment. Stay away from fried food, saturated fats like corn oil, fatty meats, fatty dairy products, salad dressings made with oil other than olive oil, chips, donuts and most Fast Food. Omega 6 found in these foods is bad for optimal brain function, adds to Beta-amyloid plaques and undoes the brain protection of Omega 3
c. HDL are high density lipoproteins and you want a High number on these – good fats. Polyunsaturated fats such as in fish increase HDL as do fats in avocadoes, nuts and olive oil. Eating fatty fish twice a week will lower risk your amyloid plaques by 41% (Salmon, tuna and sardines). Extra virgin olive oil strengthens neuronal membranes. Walnuts curb oxidative damage and fight inflammation. Almonds prevent the progression of dementia and pecans are the top nut for high anti-oxidants. Cook with Coconut Oil.
d. Cholesterol lowering Statins may also reduce the risk of Alz further proving the correlation between high cholesterol and mental decline.
6. Protect Your Head
a. Severe blows to the head at any age can lead to memory loss decades later especially blows that lead to unconsciousness.
b. Protect your head and those of children and grandchildren - helmets for roller blading, skate boarding and bike riding and keep them away from motorcycles and football. Blows to the head tear branches between neurons leaving you with a smaller brain reserve when you need it. They also increase amyloid plaques.
7. Look, Snap and Connect - Memory exercises
a. ELIMINATE NON-ESSENTIAL Material to remember: Use Calendar, Ipad, Notes so you don’t have as much to commit to memory. Brain can then delete these from memory leaving more room for things you can’t record.
b. LOOK at things you want to remember. To remember something you read or to recall things you must first register them in your brain in the hippocampus. The brain will file what it thinks is important for later retrieval and file it appropriately instead of deleting it. To tell your brain this is important to keep you must register it as important by concentrating on it.
c. SNAP – Take a Visual picture like with a camera and make a camera sound. Notice details
d. CONNECT – To knowledge you already have, to surroundings or to information associated with it. So if at a Hugh Mall Parking lot you need to look at where you parked, snap a mind picture of where you car in and connect that picture to surrounding buildings, trees, lights and door you go in at the mall. (Forgot once to look at door of store I went in and looked for car for several hours in the wrong parking lot)
e. Practice 1 Practice 2 Connect Rob looks like Rabbit and works at phone Co
f. Check eyes and ears and make sure your senses are sharp so you can be alert, awake and interested. You can’t look and snap and connect if you can’t see. Also better vision and hearing can get better access to info stored in hippocampus. It is difficult to participate in learning activities if you have difficulty reading and harder to be socially active if you can’t hear.
g. Getting enough sleep is also critical to be able to concentrate. Sleep is a wonder drug, keeps Beta –Amyloid plaques in Balance.
h. Some combinations of medicines dull your senses and can work against your memory.
8. GET PHYSICAL
a. New England J of medicine – those who Exercise live longer, have better overall health, have lower Blood Pressure, improved memory and reduce the risk of dementia later in life. The added blood flow in the brain reverses cellular deterioration, stimulates the growth of new synapses nd makes brain cells more responsive to external stimuli.
b. All tests show that physical fitness leads to better memory and a sedentary lifestyle is a risk factor in developing Alzheimers. High levels of fitness and exercise cut your likelihood in ½ for developing Alzheimers and dementia.
c. Test of University of California reports that every extra mile walked can yields 13% improvement in memory: The natural protein BDNF (Brain derived neuropathic factor) improves neuronal health and survival and synthesis of new synapses. The more miles you walk the higher level of BDNF you will have.
d. Learn to keep your Balance – Stand on one foot in grocery line. At home try standing on one foot with your eyes closed. Try adding exercises that improve balance like Tai Chi or yoga.
e. Nature Settings restore attention and increase short term memory. The brain relaxes in serene settings. A nature walk is a better brain booster than a city walk.
f. Cycling, Swimming and Racquet sports are all excellent. Even table tennis offers hand-eye coordination. Piano, guitar
g. Resistance and strength training not only builds muscle mass and protects bones but it also has cognitive benefits.
h. Yoga is physical and also reduces stress.
9. BUILD BRAIN MUSCLE
a. Education at all levels have been proven to sustain good memory. Stimulation of the brain in first 2/3 of life affects your memory in last 1/3.
b. REFIRE, not RETIRE your brain. Keeping your mind limber through mental exercise activates neural circuits. Any kind of mental stimulation is associated with a lower risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
c. READ, STUDY and continue to learn something new each day – this creates brain cells and more synapses so you can handle the challenges of daily life and protects you against Alzheimers.
d. Bored? New Interests When a topic or activity gets boring, move on to something that stimulates your interest and desire to learn. Google something or play computer games. New experiences expand brain volume
e. Find your passion Passion is the momentum in our lives and stimulated the memory centers in our brain. Don’t be stuck in a rut of boredom – and mediocrity. What lights you up also lights up your brain and keeps it healthy. What do you love? How can you make each day exciting? What appeals to your soul and core values? How can you make the world a better place? Each person is different:
Family activities sharing, loving grandchildren, influence on next generation, foreign country service, seeing the world, studying about a place before you go. HOW do you define success? Are you giving time and energy to things that matter most to you now and will matter most to you when you are about to die. Write down your bucket list, your goals and reap the benefits of passion for life.
Play cards, use the computer, follow political events, do calculations in your head, solve puzzles or crosswords, join Book Clubs, do Sudoku, learn a language, play the piano, knit, quilt, diverse intellectual activities. The brain is activated by novelty.
f. Let the oldies play. A Harvard study showed that listening to music from your teen years gives you vitality and makes you feel and behave younger.
g. Lumosity.com is a paid site on the computer that designs games especially for you to stimulate YOUR brain where it is weak. They send you a link daily and you click it and play for 15 minutes. When you start making too many mistakes, they scale it back and they keep track of your progress in each area. You can try it for free on a few games and join if you like it for daily Brain Exercises.
10. MAINTAIN SOCIAL CONNECTIONS
a. Your brain needs diverse Social Activities. To sit home in front of TV is one of the main causes of elderly dementia. Your Brain needs the stimulation that is the result of socialization and leisure fun.
b. Knitting or Quilting group – do what you love with people you love. (Christine) Walking with a friend, classes with other people, mentally stimulating card games, church socials, involvement with family. A rich circle of friends can provide optimum environment for INNER WORK and OUTER SERVICE
Leisure activities with others (Sherry Wall) Travel, find things you and your spouse or friends enjoy and make the effort to walk on the beach, hike, bike and enjoy new places, new foods, concerts, etc. When you stop enjoying the activity, pick another one.
c. LOVE DEEPLY Being lonely or socially isolated is different than being alone. Loneliness is hard on the brain causing memory cells to shrink. Studies show that having a marriage partner in mid-life cuts dementia in late life in ½. Love Deeply. If you have someone who loves you, hang on to them.
d. Reach out to the Elderly who are alone especially your parents. Helping your parents in their final years is the last chance you get to do anything about the baggage you have with them.
e. You need Meaningful work or contribution – community service, church service. Meaningful work stimulates large areas of the brain involving the frontal, temporal and parietal lobes.
A Purposeful life with meaningful service leads to a feeling of well-being, lowers inflammation, raises HDL and helps you age more successfully in every area. Involve yourself in projects that make a difference. Change society or 1 family at a time. Leave a legacy by making a difference in other people’s lives. Set up Service whether a personal mission or Church mission the 1st Year of Retirement.
f. Get a pet – live 10 years longer
MISCELLANEOUS STUDIES
1. Estrogen improves cognition. This is true if you start taking it right at Menopause (early 50’s) If you wait to take it until your 70’s, it can have a detrimental affect. Timing seems to be the difference.
2. Learn from Children: Loving Kind, Spontaneous, Love life
3. Don’t be a Grouch – Positive perceptions allow you to live 7.5 years longer.
4. Other Supplements:
Phosphatidylserine 300 mg/day
Coenzyme Q10, Zinc, Selenium
A summary of Chapter 5 from Light in the Wilderness:
"We have perhaps already seen that living with our own personal-gain agenda produces fear and stress and a depletion of life-force energy..."
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could just open up our mind and hear each day to just let in the light? "...find that quiet, neutral place in our mind, our state of simple being, and there we set up our gentle intentions to be compassionate to all." It sounds as if we just set up a lemonade stand and let the thirsty find us. We are present, mindful and thoughtful to all who come within our vicinity. It sure sounds a lot more simple than waking up each morning with a list of things to do and then fighting our way through the day to get that list done. "...letting go of the relentless worry about not knowing what will happen to "me", ceasing to "seek our own", letting the "me" become soft, open, pliable, inquisitive, accepting what is, receiving others as they are, nothing to defend, nothing to protect..."
Difficult Personalities: A Practical Guide to Managing the Hurtful Behavior of Others (and Maybe Your Own) by Helen McGrath and Hazel Edwards. The cover is yellow with black silhouettes.
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