Miscellaneous Health Tidbits, Preserving Mental Function

Well it has been a long time since I have posted on this site and for good reason. The month of June is consumed with our largest event of the year, the Buffalo Springs Lake Ironman 70.3 triathlon. This was the 20th year anniversary of the event and it really went off with a bang. Our numbers were the largest in the history of the event and the competition was world class. We appreciate the 42 states and 13 countries that send us these great athletes. These folks are fit and ready and even read this site every once in a while.

Tidbits: It's time to double up on your whole grains, a recent study shows that fiber-rich foods can give you a longer lease on life, so says USA Weekend. A recent study that followed 14,000 adults ages 45 to 64 over a 13 year period found that those who consumed just one extra serving of whole grains- such as cereal, oatmeal or whole-wheat bread- each day reduced their chance of heart failure by 7%. How they determine this is really kind of a mystery to me unless they just compare the intake of fiber rich foods in each of the 14,000 adults in the test. So, that is 980 and I would want to be in that group. Just cut out that white bread, substitute some whole wheat bread and a piece of fresh fruit to your daily diet and you could end up in the lucky 980.

Exercise study: Researchers evaluated 2,205 men who started exercising at age 50. They surveyed them again at ages 60, 70, 77 and 82. Guess what? No surprise that the ones who exercised the most lived the longest. It didn't mention what the form of exercise was but I would bet it had to do with exercising the ole heart muscle. You know, 3-4 times per week at 75% of your maximum heart rate, and no matter how you get it there it is a good thing.

Just recently a good friend of mine, who is only 43, suffered a stroke. Not only is he young but he is also a supreme triathlete, so heart muscle exercise is his middle name. Regardless of that it did happen to him and due to his fitness level he will recover completely. But, the one thing his doctor told him was to take 2 children's aspirin per day for the rest of his life, and that would provide some good insurance to never having a stroke again. So, take note of this and consult your family doctor before swallowing those little white pills.

In all the cases I know of personally that have Alzheimer's or dementia they have one thing in common, they quit working early and quit thinking at the same time. I am a firm believer in keeping the thinking cap moving and shaking. While I am not a believer in early retirement, sometimes shifting gears to another profession altogether is a good thing. When you do that you need new training, meet new people and really have to think more than just staying in the ole status quo situation. I have started a new profession in Life Coaching and I have met new people, have taken certification courses, and now have my business plan put together to start the practice. This has required a whole new mind set and has really been great to keep me on my toes and be thinking outside the box on a daily basis. Recently I found some interesting dietary and lifestyle changes that might also help against these dreaded diseases. Dr. Weil of "Healthy Aging" fame has put together seven supplements that might help against these two afflictions:
1. Daily multivitamin-we take a good one from E-Caps, but most health food stores can recommend one.
2. Ginkgo-extracts of ginkgo tree leaves increase blood flow to the brain and have shown to slow the progression of dementia.
3. Phosphatidyl serine, or PS-This naturally occurring lipid is considered a brain cell nutrient and may help concentration and memory.
4. A daily low-dose aspirin-here we go again with this recommendation, must be a good thing or it wouldn't keep coming up.
5. DHA-This Omega-3 fatty acid, is essential for normal brain development and has been linked to healthy cognitive function.
6. Turmeric-A natural anti-inflammatory, this spice may have a specific protective effect again Alzheimer's disease.
7. Acetyl L-carnitine and alpha-lipoic acid-When combined, these micro nutrients promote improved mental alertness as well as increased energy.

There you have Dr. Weil's recommendation for fighting the Big A and the little d. I am off to the health food store tomorrow, since some of my supplements do not have all of these items.

mike greer