“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

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!

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!

How is garlic extract helpful?

A member of the allium family (aromatic root vegetables such as onion and leek), garlic has powerful antioxidant properties.  Studies have shown that aged garlic extract can reduce the risk or impact of several disease conditions, including:

• cardiovascular disease,
• stroke,
• cancer,
• sickle-cell anemia, and,
• Alzheimer’s disease.

How can garlic reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease?

A researcher at the University of Illinois at Chicago, N. B. Chauhan, found that aged garlic extract can reduce the amount of amyloid beta in the brains of treated mice.  Amyoid beta (Abeta) is found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients and is know to interfere with neuronal communications and to reduce the birth of neurons in the brain. Chauhan studied the effects of mice whose DNA had been altered to include genes related to Alzheimer’s disease.  He reports

[dietary garlic increased sAPPalpha by 25% and decreased Abeta40 and Abeta42 by 31% and 32%,    respectively, compared to untreated [transgenic mice carrying Swedish double mutation].

Chauhan also found in a later study that feeding aged garlic extract to transgenic mice stopped mild cognitive impairment from worsening.

Researchers in India also found support for garlic’s interference with Abeta.  They found that an active ingredient in garlic (S-allyl-l-cysteine) prevented the death of neurons by preventing amyloid beta from forming.

What does this research mean for Alzheimer’s disease?

Findings support the notion that aged garlic extract can reduce the amount of amyloid beta found in the brains of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.  They also suggest that taking aged garlic extract can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Thus, aged garlic extract may serve a preventative as well as a therapeutic function for Alzheimer’s disease.

Use with care

Aged garlic extract is inexpensive.and easy to find on drugstore shelves  In addition, aged garlic extract does not usually produce the unpleasant odor that sometimes surrounds people who eat substantial amounts of garlic.

Following package directions, take aged garlic extract only with meals to avoid stomach upsets.  Do not exceed the recommended dosage because taking too much can have a toxic effect on the heart.

Try this therapy for three months, recording your own impressions of cognitive function daily. Expect to see improvements over time.

References

Borek C.,Antioxidant health effects of aged garlic extract. J Nutr. 2001 Mar;131(3s)

Gupta VB, Rao KS. Anti-amyloidogenic activity of S-allyl-L-cysteine and its activity to destabilize Alzheimer’s beta-amyloid fibrils in vitro. Neurosci Lett. 2007 Dec 18;429(2-3):75-80. Epub 2007 Sep 29.

Chauhan NB.Anti-amyloidogenic effect of Allium sativum in Alzheimer’s transgenic model Tg2576. J Herb Pharmacother. 2003;3(1):95-107.

Chauhan NB, Sandoval Amelioration of early cognitive deficits by aged garlic extract in Alzheimer’s transgenic mice. J. Phytother Res. 2007 Jul;21(7):629-40.Click here to read Links

Takasu J, Uykimpang R, Sunga MA, Amagase H, Niihara Y. Aged garlic extract is a potential therapy for sickle-cell anemia. J Nutr. 2006 Mar;136(3 Suppl):

I just came across an awesome site, http://www.mindmovies.com.  There’s nothing to buy, and within just minutes you’ll understand both the concept of mind movies and how you can create your own mind movie — just for you, tailored precisely to the life you want to create.

Author of the technique, Ryan Higgins, has a gift for you, actually as many as six gifts.  No, there’s nothing to buy.  Unlike so many internet authors, this man really means what he says when he offers you a “gift.”  Here’s the link.

Mind Movies

Can you create your own mind movies?

Absolutely - and at little or no cost.

You don’t need expensive video creation software, although those are nice.

You don’t need expensive video clips.

You don’t need expensive custom sound tracks.  In fact, if you’re operating with Windows XP or VIsta, you’ve already got video creation software or you can get it from Microsoft here at no charge.  This free software allows you to add video, photos, soundtracks, and create text slides - whatever you like to make your own mind movie — customized just the way you want it.

For free photos and free music, look for material in the public domain.  I frequently use FirstGov.gov and find a lot of useful information free to the public.  Search for “images,” “video,” or “audio.”

For a small fee, you’ll find inexpensive photos at BigStockPhotos.com and inexpensive music at Stock20.com.

Try it out.  You can create your own mind movie in just a few hours and supercharge the law of attraction.  You’ll find that crating a movie forces you to focus with laser intensity on what you want and what is important to you.  It’s a great idea!

The Idiot Test looks simple, but just give it a try.  Play with it when you are rested and when you can focus your attention fully on the game. Your brain will thank you.

Have fun!

P.S. I’m a verified idiot.  Hope you do better!

Also included are a few high-level tips for protecting your memory and preventing dementia.  The Society recommends that you:

• Skip the salt (to reduce blood pressure);
• Eat a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and veggies;
• Exercise at least 30 minutes a day five days a week;
• Keep blood pressure and cholesterol within normal limits; and,
• Maintain a healthy weight.

Although these tips are no more than traditional health advice, they do indicate that traditional organizations are beginning to acknowledge that dementia is a preventable condition.  And, because most dementias are presently incurable, prevention trumps waiting for a cure that may never come.

Start now, no matter how old you are, to defend your brain and maintain your memory.

Such was the case with the house not far from mine.

One evening, I was in desperate need of a break, so I jumped in my car for a ride. Heading off into the historic district of town, I noticed that an antique house I’d been itching to explore was open.

It's beautiful now, but six months ago this house was headed for the wrecking ball.

“Can I take a look inside?” I asked the woman on the porch who was clearly cleaning up after our annual Gingerbread Trail.

“Sure, just take off your shoes. The floors, you know.”

The house, newly restored, was a 1920 Craftsman style home. Six months before, I’d been certain it was headed for the wrecking ball. A broken foundation had worsened to the point that the house sagged several feet from side to side and right down the middle. Walking inside must have required railings. Eaves pointed toward the clouds. Nevertheless, some visionary saw past the bags and sags and tilts to the beautiful structure hidden beneath.

Now it glowed. New paint showed off beautiful architectural details, modern appliances gleamed in the kitchen, and the house’s foundation was, for the first time in my memory, level. Light streamed through banks of windows, filtered by the leaves of huge pecan trees. It was a house you could dream of coming home to.

“Better than new,” I thought.

The woman and I introduced ourselves and began to chat about the house’s rebirth. I mentioned that I was taking a break from caring for an Alzheimer’s parent and appreciated the respite that touring the house gave me.

“I understand how tiring it can be to take care of an Alzheimer’s patient,” she said. “I hope I can avoid getting it. But I don’t know what I can do. Eat a good diet, I guess. And hope they come up with a cure soon.”

I hope so too. But better than hoping for a cure is preventing dementia in the first place. The old house that gleamed in the background provides important clues:

• The foundation comes first. Without fixing the foundation, no cosmetic changes will be lasting.
• Focus on restoring original beauty rather than attempting to make an old house into a new one. The house was a brilliant example of the Craftsman era of the early 20th century. To attempt to make it into a 21st century home would be ridiculous.
• Find the beauty points, and focus attention on them. Ignore or diminish attention to less beautiful areas. No house, no person, is perfect or ever was.  Learn to be a visual magician.

When you feel good, you look good, so you can expect your efforts at improving the foundation to pay off in good looks as well as good health.

Packed with tips to help you prevent aging of the brain, this is information you probably won’t hear from your doctor: How diet, supplements, exercise and more will influence and can decrease your risk for Alzheimer’s and other major diseases of the brain; what side effects the drugs widely used for symptomatic relief may create in other areas of the body.

Research from medical journals published in 2005 and 2006 confirms much of what Dr. Perlmutter discusses here. The latest research adds credibility to his methods but denies none of them.

If you care about keeping your brain sharp, this book is a “must read.” Get it (Amazon.com has a number of used copies for less than $5.00), study it, and start using the information for your good health!

Blue Lake green beans, sweet onions, strawberries, purple asparagus, peaches, and pomegranates.

Although I’ve had some successes, I had a lot a failures until I discovered the abundant resources from Texas A & M University, set up just to help backyard gardeners like me.  I’ve learned to care for my pomegranate bushes, and how to adjust soil conditions for my veggies, so I’m now a huge fan of their site.  The information they provide is tailored for my particular locale, so I’m not wasting time trying to grow things that are not suitable for my area.

Having a backyard garden has provided me with a number of benefits:

• I get out in the sunshine frequently, so my Vitamin D production is probably right on the mark.
• I pick fruits and veggies right before eating them when vitamins and phytonutrients are still at their peak.
• I have an outdoors hobby that keeps me, at least part time, away from the keyboard.
• I save money and pack in the flavor by having the freshest food right at my door, and without the high prices at the market.

If you want a backyard garden that produces, I suggest you seek out the website of your local agricultural college.  It’s the best and most up-to-date information you’ll find, tailored for your area, and, best of all, at no charge.  Couldn’t be tastier!