For a Better Brain, Take a Walk on the Sunny Side

A recent study published in the journal, Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders 1, points to Vitamin D as a potent correlate of cognitive function. Researchers in the Netherlands looked at blood levels of Vitamin D3 in 235 outpatients who had been diagnosed with probable Alzheimer’s disease. They found that patients who were deficient in vitamin D3 scored significantly lower on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) than those who had sufficient levels of D3.

“But,” you may say, “subjects in this study had already had memory problems or they wouldn’t have been diagnosed with probable Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, taking vitamin D clearly does not prevent Alzheimer’s.”

You would be right. This study does not show that vitamin D prevents Alzheimer’s. What it does show is that vitamin D may reduce cognitive decline in the elderly.

Researchers in Wisconsin 2 found a similar result when they studied 80 patients who experienced memory problems. Among those patients, levels of vitamin D were significantly and positively correlated with their MMSE scores. In other words, in spite of their memory problems, patients with high levels of vitamin D functioned at a higher cognitive level than those who were vitamin D deficient.

So how do you get sufficient levels of vitamin D3?

Simple. Whenever possible, take a walk in the sun.

Some scientists suggest that you expose your skin to the sun one minute daily for each five degrees you live north of the equator. You can easily determine your latitude from Google or Mapquest.com.

Not only is your location a factor in the amount of vitamin D your skin produces, but the amount of clothing you wear, the time of day you are outside, the natural darkness of your skin (dark skinned people produce less vitamin D), and the time of the year are also important contributors.

But my doctor says “never go outside without sunscreen

Sunscreens protect your skin against harmful radiation. However, they reduce the amount of Vitamin D your skin can produce by as much as 85%, so expose your skin to sunlight for only a few minutes to produce both the right amount and the right kind of vitamin D. In addition, not all scientists agree on the safety of sunscreen. When you will be outdoors for longer periods of time, protection is a must, but it can be provided by clothing such as long-sleeved shirts, using sunscreen only on uncovered areas of skin.

What happens in winter?

If you live well north of the equator and spend much of the fall and winter months indoors, you’ll need a supplement. Check the product label. It should contain the more expensive D3, the vitamin produced by your skin, not the more common D2, a plant-produced vitamin. When you think about the improvement in brain functioning you receive from vitamin D, you’ll find that it’s a small price to pay.

References

1Oudshoorn C, Mattace-Raso FU, van der Velde N, Colin EM, van der Cammen TJ. Higher serum vitamin D3 levels are associated with better cognitive test performance in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2008;25(6):539-43.

2Przybelski RJ, Binkley NC. Is vitamin D important for preserving cognition? A positive correlation of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration with cognitive function. Alzheimer’s disease. Arch Biochem Biophys. 2007 Apr 15;460(2):202-5. Epub 2007 Jan

Energy Independence: It Takes a Plan

I just listened to T. Boone Pickens speak at the Washington Press Club.  He made all kinds of sense.  And he has a plan to reduce our dependence on foreign oil by 30% within 10 years.

We’ve had candidate after candidate promise energy independence.  Nothing has happened.  And given our financial tsunami with taxpayers on the hook for how much — $700 billion or more? — we need some give in a system of finance and energy that is already stretched past the breaking point.

Whatever your opinion of T. Boone Pickens, I suggest you take a look at his energy independence plan.

He presents it in a short video that will tell help you understand the problem and suggest solutions.

We’ve sat on our collective duffs long enough!

More Online Brain Games - No-Cost Exercises for Your Brain

Recently I featured a brain game that relies on dedicated focus for completion.  Today I have another game that I really enjoy.  This game engages both sides of the brain, so if you typically use the left side of your brain predominantly, as for example, writers, programmers, and statisticians do, this game is for you.  It’s easy, fun, and can become quite challenging.  You set the level of difficulty and move into more difficult levels only when you are ready.

Here’s the link to “Heraldry:”

http://www.prevention.com/braingames/happyneuron_heraldy_newlywrapped.html

I like this game because it is unusual and commands my attention. In fact, attention and memory are required to be successful at “Heraldry.”  It took me a couple of times to find my personal focus, but then . . . ok, it’s fun!

By the way, use the link above rather than the search function to avoid a charge for this game.

Another site to investigate is CogOLog.  This is a government-funded, cognitive games site.  Try out the demo game first.  You’ll find the site speedy and well-designed.

There is no charge to play; however, you must sign up to access the full range of brain games.

Enjoy!