DEMENTIA - TIPS TO DELAY OR AVOID

 

Most of us start worrying about dementia after retirement - and that may be too little, too late. Experts say that if you really want to ward off dementia, you need to start taking care of your brain in your 30s and 40s - or even earlier.     "More and more research is suggesting that lifestyle is very important to your brain's health," says Dr. Paul Nussbaum, a neuropsychologist and an adjunct associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. "If you want to live a long, healthy life, then many of us need to start as early as we can."      So what can you do to beef up your brain - and possibly ward off dementia?  Nussbaum, who recently gave a speech on the topic for the Winter Park (Fla.) Health Foundation, offers 20 tips that may help.     1. Join clubs or organizations that need volunteers.  If you start  volunteering now, you won't feel lost and unneeded after you retire.     2. Develop a hobby or two.  Hobbies help you develop a robust brain because you're trying something new and complex.     3. Practise writing with your non-dominant hand several minutes everyday.  This will exercise the opposite side of your brain and fire up those neurons.     4. Take dance lessons. In a study of nearly 500 people, dancing was the only regular physical activity associated with a significant decrease in the incidence of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.  The people who danced three or four times a week showed 76 percent less incidence of dementia than those who danced only once a week or not at all.     5. Need a hobby? Start gardening.  Researchers in New Zealand found that, of 1,000 people, those who gardened regularly were less likely to suffer from dementia!  Not only does gardening reduce stress, but gardeners use their brains to plan gardens; they use visual and spatial reasoning to lay out a garden.     6. Buy a pedometer and walk 10,000 steps a day.  Walking daily can reduce the risk of dementia because cardiovascular health is important to maintain blood flow to the brain.     7. Read and write daily. Reading stimulates a wide variety of brain areas that process and store information.  Likewise, writing (not copying) stimulates many areas of the brain as well.     8. Start knitting. Using both hands works both sides of your brain.  And it's a stress reducer.     9. Learn a new language. Whether it's a foreign language or sign language,you are working your brain by making it go back and forth between one language and the other.  A researcher in England found that being bilingual seemed to delay symptoms of Alzheimer's disease for four years.  And some research suggests that the earlier a child learns sign language, the higher his IQ - and people with high IQs are less likely to have dementia. So start them early.     10. Play board games such as Scrabble and Monopoly.  Not only are you taxing your brain, you're socializing too.  Playing solo games, such as solitaire or online computer brain games can be helpful, but Nussbaum prefers games that encourage you to socialize too.     11. Take classes throughout your lifetime.  Learning produces structural and chemical changes in the brain, and education appears to help people live longer.  Brain researchers have found that people with advanced degrees live longer - and if they do have Alzheimer's, it often becomes apparent only in the very later stages of the disease.     12. Listen to classical music.  A growing volume of research suggests that music may hard wire the brain, building links between the two hemispheres. Any kind of music may work, but there's some research thatshows positive effects for classical music, though researchers don't understand why.     13. Learn a musical instrument. It may be harder than it was when you were a kid, but you'll be developing a dormant part of your brain.     14. Travel. When you travel (whether it's to a distant vacation spot or on a different route across town), you're forcing your brain to navigate a new and complex environment.  A study of London taxi drivers found experienced drivers had larger brains because they have to store lots of information about locations and how to navigate there.     15. Pray. Daily prayer appears to help your immune system.  And people who attend a formal worship service regularly live longer and report happier, healthier lives.     16. Learn to meditate.  It's important for your brain that you learn to shut out the stresses of everyday life.     17. Get enough sleep. Studies have shown a link between interrupted sleep and dementia.     18. Eat more foods containing Omega-3 fatty acids: Salmon, sardines, tuna, ocean trout, mackerel or herring, plus walnuts (which are higher in omega 3s than salmon) and flaxseed. Flaxseed oil, cod liver oil and walnut oil are good sources too.     19. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants in fruits and vegetables mop up some of the damage caused by free radicals, one of the leading killers of brain cells.     20. Eat at least one meal a day with family and friends.  You'll slow down, socialize, and research shows you'll eat healthier food than if you ate alone or on the go

Tips for Good Sleep

Why Is Sleep Important?

Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety.

The way you feel while you're awake depends in part on what happens while you're sleeping. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. In children and teens, sleep also helps support growth and development.

Tips for Good Sleep

Here are some  tips to cure many sleep problems and help you quickly fall asleep “. There is  no need to count sheep :-):

1. Exercise for 30 minutes a day. You must spend energy to receive energy.  People who exercise have better body temperature cycles suitable for quality sleep and are more energetic. If you don't exercise at all, you'll feel sluggish throughout the day because your body temperature remains stagnant. Don't exercise too late in the day, however, otherwise your body temperature will be too high for good sleep.
2. Get 15 minutes of sunlight a day. If you struggle to rack up a few minutes in the sun each day, you're not sleeping as well as you could be. Your internal body clock uses sunlight to control its energy levels. Light makes you awake while darkness releases melatonin (melatonin is a hormone that is part of the human sleep-wake cycle)to make you sleepy. Get outside and at least open your curtains to absorb some light for better sleep
3. Stay away from caffeine and alcohol six hours before bedtime. I use to think a cup of coffee two hours before bedtime didn't keep me awake “ actually,  However, these drinks disrupt later sleep cycles so you'll get poor sleep.
4. Quit smoking. Nicotine is a stimulant. Also, smokers can experience nicotine withdrawal during the night that disrupts sleep. Your body will thank you in more ways than better sleep once you quit sucking down that crap. 
5. Stay away from television and computer games before bedtime. 
6. Don't take sleeping pills. You should consult with a doctor before following the advice in this article.
7.  Get a nice bed. You spend one-third of your time in bed so make yourself comfortable. Make sure you have plenty of room to stretch out 
8. Eliminate sensory input. Make your bedroom as dark as possible and get outside noises to a minimum. A towel under a door helps with both. 
9. Make your room a good temperature with ventilation. If you're in a hot room with bad ventilation, expect bad sleep.  The body best falls asleep often in cooler temperatures. Open your windows if you can to let in cool air. If you get cold, put on more blankets. Fresh oxygen is vital for good sleep. Experiment with the room temperature best for you. A thermostat to measure your ideal room temperate and a fan to cool you down and ventilate the room will improve your sleep and give you more energy
10. Find your sleeping personality. 95% of the time we won't fall asleep until we are sleeping in a particular position, which feels the most comfortable.
11. Build a relaxing sleep routine. Try yoga, reading, or visualizations, for example, to see what relaxation techniques you like. Do these consistently before going to bed and you'll notice you fall asleep without worry-filled thoughts clogging your mind.
12. Change what isn't working. If you lay in bed for 20 minutes and do not feel sleepy maybe because your mind is rushing, do something else. Things that have worked for many include eating a light meal because a hungry stomach can keep me awake, drinking water, visualizations like tensing then releasing all the muscles in my body from head to toe, reading, or doing some non-stimulating activity until I feel tired.

Follow the above tips and you'll wake up refreshed with heaps of energy ready to create the reality you desire!

Benefits of Smiling!

It seems that nothing has more power to elevate a mood than the impact of a genuine smile. The benefits of a smile extend not only to the recipient of the warm gesture but also to the smile's originator.  

"A smile is a little curve that sets a lot of things straight." Here are some of the many .....

Benefits of Smiling!

1. Smiling Makes Us Attractive- People are spending millions on cosmetic products and procedures to make them look better.If you want to look better, try adding a genuine smile. Its cheaper and mush more attractive.The muscles we use to smile lift the face, making a person appear younger. Don't go for a face lift, just try smiling your way through the day -- you'll look younger and feel better.

2. Smiling Changes Our Mood-Next time you are feeling down, try putting on a smile. There's a good chance you mood will change for the better. Smiling can trick the body into helping you change your mood.

3. Smiling Is Contagious-When someone is smiling they lighten up the room, change the moods of others, and make things happier. A smiling person brings happiness with them.

4. Smiling Relieves Stress-Stress can really show up in our faces. Smiling helps to prevent us from looking tired, worn down, and overwhelmed. When you are stressed, take time to put on a smile. The stress should be reduced and you'll be better able to take action.Smiling helps to promote release of a "feel good" group of hormones called endorphins. These are the same group of hormones responsible for the runners high you hear so much about. If you don't have time to get to the gym for a hard run, try adding a smile  to boost these natural, stress relieving hormones.

5. Smiling Boosts Your Immune System-Smiling helps the immune system to work better. When you smile, immune function improves possibly because you are more relaxed. Prevent the flu and colds by smiling.

6. Smiling Lowers Your Blood Pressure-When you smile, there is a measurable reduction in your blood pressure. Give it a try if you have a blood pressure monitor at home. Sit for a few minutes, take a reading. Then smile for a minute and take another reading while still smiling. Do you notice a difference?

7. Smiling is medication-Studies have shown that smiling releases endorphins, natural pain killers, and serotonin. Together these three make us feel good. Smiling is a natural drug and leads to a healthier immune system.Various studies conducted over the years have shown that smiling can boost the functioning of the immune system. This may help to reduce your risk of developing everything from the common cold to chronic diseases such as
cancer. Could there be a less expensive medicine than this?

8. A smile inspires others-When you smile you also send a positive message that can potentially change someone else's mood for the better. The person you graced with your smile may go on to pass the kindness to someone else. Who knows how far your original smile will travel?

9. Smiling promotes Success -Smiling people appear more confident, are more likely to be promoted, and more likely to be approached. Put on a smile at meetings and appointments and people will react to you differently.When you smile, you appear confident and capable. Given the choice between two equally qualified job candidates, the smiling candidate is going to be perceived as being more of a team player and easier to work with. Who do you think is more likely to get the job offer?

10. Smiling Helps You Stay Positive-Try this test: Smile. Now try to think of something negative without losing the smile. It's hard. When we smile our body is sending the rest of us a message that "Life is Good!" Stay away from depression, stress and worry by smiling.

Smile..!!!...It does not cost a cent and can make a persons day! 

"It takes seventeen muscles to smile and forty-three to frown".