Notes from Webinar About Brain Health

 I just watched a highly informative webinar about brain health. 

Here are my notes:

  Brain Health

February 15, 2022

 

BEDDSSS

           Brain training

           Exercise

           Diet

           Dental hygiene

           Stress management

           Sleep

           Supplements

 Brain training

           If you don’t lose it you will lose it

           You can learn new things

           Brain is like a muscle

           Brain needs to be challenged and stimulated

                      Brain games – Brain HQ or Luminosity

                      Dance

                      Learn a new language

                      Learn an instrument

                      Politics

                      Use your opposite hand for tasks

 Exercise

           Second most important thing we can do for our brains

                      Cardio

                      Weight training

                      HIIT

                      Skills based (brain training)

           Do what you enjoy and what you will stick with

           Do it consistently every day

           Exercise snacking – little bits throughout the day

                      Take exercise breaks throughout the day

                      Get up and move

 Diet – number one for brain health

           Sugar is #1 contributor to cognitive decline

           Alzheimer’s disease = diabetes type III

           Sugar is hidden in many foods

           Start to read labels and know different names for sugar

           Low fat = high sugar

           What is one way you can start to reduce the sugar you consume?

                      Baby steps

                      Sugar can be very addictive

  Dental hygiene

           Direct link from mouth to brain

                      Inflammation

                      Mercury fillings

           Gingivalis can lead to

                      Alzheimer’s

                      Parkinson’s

                      Pancreatic cancer

                      Kidney disease

                      Heart disease

                      Stroke

           What can you do

                      Floss

                      Brush at least twice a day – wait at least 30 mintues

                      Get regular cleanings

                      Reduce sugar intake

 Stress management

           Increased cortisol can lead to decreased memory

           Stress promotes inflammation

           Important to find every day to relax

           If you don’t make time for wellness, you must make time for illness

           What can you do

                      Meditate

                      Go for a walk

                      Get creative (crafts, scrapbook, paint, draw, dance)

                      Get a good night’s sleep

                      Ask for help

                      Breathing exercises to reduce stress

Sleep

           Where the magic happens

           How do you feel when you are sleep deprived, and how does it affect your actions

           Sleep affects your hormones and your brain

           Many factors affect sleep

           How to get a good night’s sleep

                      Get into a routine

                      Reduce screen time before bed

                      Meditate, exercise or read before bed

                      Get exposure to outdoor light during the day

                      Don’t eat three hours before bed

                      Get a sleep study done if strategies aren’t working

           Try and adjust one thing at a time

 Supplements

           Numerous ones on the market

           How to know what to choose?

           Get your levels checked

           Supplement based on your personalized levels

           Make sure you are purchasing from quality vendors

           Do your own research – look for peer reviewed, quality studies

Steps to take now

           Find a new activity to challenge your brain

           Perform exercise snacking during the day

           Look at one way to reduce your sugar consumption

           Pick one way to improve your dental health

           Find at least five minutes per day to de-stress

           Implement one tactic to improve your sleep

           Get your blood work done

 Q&A

Examples of skills-based training

           Tai chi

           Martial arts

           Coordination of body and brain

 How to find the time

           Wake up five minutes earlier

           Take just a few minutes to meditate or exercise

 Look for healthier recipes

What about prevagen?

           No good studies that it’s beneficial for cognitive function

What about turmeric?

           It’s excellent

           Best way to use the spice in food but you can also take a supplement

Can the symptoms of Alzheimer’s be reversed?

           Best thing is to prevent it

           But could be reversed in early stages

 What about Omega 3?

           Need to balance omega 3 and omega 6

           We don’t get enough omega 3 and we get too much omega 6

           Omega 3 are good for brain health

Concern with hereditary Alzheimer’s

           Having a family history doesn’t mean you will develop it

           Implementing these strategies can help even if you have a family history

Contact:      

lindsey@mdbrainhealth.com

www.MDBrainHealth.com

https://knowledgeableaging.com

librarianintx

 

 

          

 

 

Definition of Risk

I am realizing that everyone must have their own definition of risk. It doesn't do any good to tell someone what they should or should not do. If you tell someone what they should or should not do, you are expending useless energy, and often the end result is unnecessary conflict.

Everyone has to make their own decisions in life. And a big part of that is defining what risks they are willing to take. I am definitely not a risk-taker. However, I know that I engage in some behaviors that due to my health conditions could be somewhat dangerous for me. As I get older, I  become more susceptible to falls. However, because of my osteoporosis, I need to be as mobile as possible to keep my bones strong. So it is a bit of a double-edged sword. I have to stay mobile, but being mobile could cause me to fall. So I have to make my own decisions and define my own risk. I do not want anyone to do that for me.

The problem with covid is that personal definition of risk could affect more than just yourself. If you decide not to get vaccinated, or if you get vaccinated and then contract covid, how you maneuver in society could affect other people. If you have covid, or if you had been exposed to covid, and you choose to be out in society, you are putting others at risk. That is a choice you are making that others could be affected by, and they have no choice.

Very young children and people with health conditions are most at risk of serious illness if they contract covid. People with disabilities and health conditions are already marginalized in society, and now with covid our place in the world is devalued even more. It is a common belief that only people with health conditions are susceptible to severe illness with covid. That is not true, but it is what many people believe. So their thought process is to just have people with health conditions withdraw from society and stay home. Historically, that is what many people wanted anyway, for us to stay out of sight.

This situation has made people with health conditions incredibly sad, frustrated, and angry. We want people to care about us and treat us well. During covid, we have been considered expendable. The first thing someone asks when they hear that someone has died of covid, their first and only question is, did they have an underlying health condition? If the answer is yes, then everything makes sense and they don't have any other questions. If they are healthy, they say to themselves, well, that person was already sick with something else. I am healthy. I will be fine. I don't have to worry. I can go and live my life. They do not understand and do not try to understand that their behavior could have consequences for others in society. 

My wish, and the wish of so many others like me, is that society as a whole would value us and care about protecting us. Think about others as you make decisions about your behavior. Define your own risk when that risk affects you and only you. Consider that risk when it could affect others.

librarianintx 

librarianintx 

Eating Healthier

I read an article today that said eating healthier can help you live as much as 13 years longer.

People have different ideas of what healthy eating is. For some, a vegan diet is how they roll. Others swear by a low carb or keto lifestyle. Some people think intermittent fasting is healthy. When it comes to diets, there is no consensus. However, many medical professionals think the Mediterranean and DASH diets are the two healthiest diets out there.

I'm not writing this post to debate which diet is the best. I just want to mention six food types that I am trying to eat because I think they are healthy:

Fish, especially  salmon

Cruciferous vegetables: broccoli and cauliflower 

Legumes: black and pinto beans

Whole grains: quinoa and bulgur wheat 

Berries: blueberries and strawberries 

Nuts: walnuts and almonds

I don't eat all of these foods every day. But I am endeavoring to eat each group a few times a week at least.

The nice thing is that it's easy and tasty to pair these foods together. When I eat fish, I usually eat it with broccoli. Sometimes my meal is pinto beans with bulgur wheat or quinoa. I have trouble eating nuts because they are dry and difficult to chew and swallow. Then I discovered walnut powder - finely ground walnuts. Today I ate Greek vanilla yogurt with a few spoonfuls of walnut powder mixed in, combined with fresh blueberries. Delicious, nutritious, and filling.

Sometimes I eat canned beans, but I also learned how easy it is to make dried beans in the Instant Pot. You don't have to soak the beans, but I choose to. I then combine beans, water or broth, and spices. Twenty minutes in the IP, ten minutes natural release - done!

It feels good to be eating healthier.

But I still need to do more - more fruits and vegetables, and definitely less sugar.

librarianintx 

Using Rewards to Create Habits

I watched an interesting webinar from our work insurance company. Health Select, Employee Retirement System, and Alliance Work Partners have all provided very helpful and useful resources for physical and mental health during the pandemic. 

Today's topic from the Health Select Fitness Community webinar was "Excuses Debunked". We discussed what excuses we make, why make them, and strategies for overcoming them. 

One strategy was to have a reward system. If you are spending time doing activities that don't align with your goals and purpose, consider using those activities as rewards for completing the physical and mental activities that do align with your goals. 

I think this is a great idea, and wish I had heard about it sooner. For whatever reasons (fear of success, fear of failure, fatigue, anxiety, etc), I often procrastinate on what I need or want to do, and do other activities that I like but usually take less physical or mental energy, or don't align with my goals and aspirations. There are many examples in my life. I want to read more. I want to write more. I want to exercise more. I want to learn sign language. I want to learn how to play the piano. All of these endeavors are good for my mental and physical well-being, and doing them gives me a feeling of accomplishment. Well, I haven't tried the piano yet, but you get the idea. 

So often instead of working on these activities, I "waste" time on playing phone games or scrolling through Facebook. I put "waste" in quotation marks because there are some benefits to both endeavors. The games can be challenging and good for my brain. And I do find helpful information on Facebook sometimes. Maybe hard to believe, but it happens. 

I enjoy the games and looking at Facebook. But I do understand that they are more empty activities. And they keep me from other activities that I want to accomplish. So I think I need use Facebook and games as rewards for putting the other endeavors first in my life. Make daily goals - small, achievable goals - and then reward myself for meeting those goals. 

This also includes activities that I don't want to do but need to do, such as chores or working on my finances.

So here are a few examples I am considering:

learn five new words in sign language, or practice the signs I know for a few minutes, then reward myself 

write at least one blog post or journal for at least ten minutes, then reward myself

get my clothes and food ready for work the next day, then reward myself

A big problem I have is procrastinating on exercising. I exercise every day, but I often wait until close to bedtime, which means I am getting to bed late, and I don't think exercising late at night is healthy. I am also in a rut with my exercise routine. 

I think this reward system will make me more productive and happier with my life. I will be less frustrated and more successful in balancing goals, chores, hobbies, and physical activity. 

librarianintx

Kamila Valieva

History will remember her name.

Kamila,  fifteen years old, from Russia, became the first ladies figure skater to land a quad jump at the Olympics. In fact, she completed two quads during her free skate in the finals of the team competition. 

Kamila has it all - incredible athleticism combined with lovely artistry. Many in the skating world are saying she is the best the sport has ever witnessed. She completes every jump with her arms over her head, which results in a higher grade of execution and garners her more points.

Unfortunately,  the performance was bittersweet. While everyone watching applauded her triumph and celebrated her extraordinary achievement, Kamila exited the ice with a pained expression and commiserated with her coaches - because she fell on one jump. 

I felt so bad for her, and I have to admit I was frustrated too. Girl, you just landed TWO quads! You made history! Be happy! Be proud of yourself. Revel in your success. Don't dwell on the one moment that went wrong. The skating world will remember your incredible success, not that one stumble. In fact, that fall shows that you are human, not a jumping, spinning robot. 

Kamila won the ladies free skate by about thirty points. Seeing her score lifted her spirits. She waved, and her eyes smiled above her mask.

I was grinning and applauding. 

And congratulations to Team USA, who won the silver medal in the skating team competition. 

librarianintx 

My New Love

 I have a confession to make. 

I am head over heels in love...

.........

With my new Instant Pot!

It's fantastic!

Cooking is not easy for me. 

I can't make casseroles without help because I can't lift containers out of the oven. 

It is tiring to use multiple pots and pans on the stove, dish everything up, and clean up the kitchen. 

With the Instant Pot, everything goes into one pot. You saute meat, then add vegetables, pasta, liquid, put the lid on, and the Instant Pot does all the work. 

I've only made a few recipes so far - American goulash, taco pasta, and tuna casserole. 

But I'm excited to find new recipes and try them. 

It's not a perfect system. I burned the tuna casserole. But I know what I did wrong. I didn't use enough liquid. I was able to salvage some of the casserole. In everything you try there will be successes and failures. Just keep going. 

I needed some technical support in the beginning. And it took me a few tries to be able to secure the lid before cooking and get it open after cooking without assistance. 

The independence that the Instant Pot is giving me is invaluable. To be able to cook an entire meal by myself is super exciting. 

While I'm not making the most nutritious recipes yet, I am eating healthier than the convenience / more processed foods that I was eating. No more Hormel meals. No instant mashed potatoes. No cups of instant mac and cheese. 

I've also made dried beans in the Instant Pot a few times. So easy! You don't even have to soak the beans, but I do because they are easier to digest. Soak the beans for at least eight hours. Then put them in the Instant Pot with a ratio of 1 cup of beans to 3 cups water or broth. Add seasonings / spices. Cook at high pressure for 20 minutes. Do a natural release of 10 minutes. Done!

I really like comfort food - soups, stews, casseroles, chili, spaghetti, etc. The Instant Pot was made to cook comfort food. I also like to make big batches and freeze leftovers.  

I love you Instant Pot! Thank you so much to the dear friends who gave it to me. 

librarianintx

Update to Winter Weather

No one is saying this is being caused by the winter storm - but last night at around 8 pm a boil water notice was issued for the entire city of Austin. Boiled or bottled water must be used for drinking, cooking, and brushing teeth. 

Officials are saying the boil water notice could last a few days. So this morning I called both 211 and Metro Access to find out if there are plans to deliver water to people with disabilities or older persons. There are four water distribution sites set up in the city - but obviously you need transportation, and for two of the sites you have to bring your own containers. 

As of now, there are no plans to deliver water to vulnerable populations. If there is still bottled water left in the stores, people can pay to have water delivered. That is their option if they can't boil water. Or ask a family member, caregiver, friend or neighbor to help them. City government is doing nothing to assist. 

Obviously nothing was learned from the winter storm of 2021. 

Emergency preparedness? What is that? 

librarianintx

 

Wordle

You may not have played it, but you've probably heard about it. 

Wordle is the uber popular word game that everyone is talking about. You can only play it once a day, and you get six tries to guess the five letter word. With each attempt, you will find out if the letters are in the correct position (in green), in the wrong position (in yellow), or not in the word at all (in gray or white). 

Sound easy? 

It's not. 

But it's fun. 

Most of the time. 

It's more fun when you ultimately guess the word. 

It's less fun when you lose. 

Especially when you see "everyone else" guessing the word correctly, sometimes in only two or three tries. 

I have always enjoyed word games. And I like a challenge. I am getting the hang of Wordle. I have been playing for a few weeks now, and I can usually guess the word. But it often takes me five or six attempts to get it. I try not to get down on myself when I see everyone else getting it after only two or three tries. Comparing myself to others is a pit I often fall into. 

To practice, I downloaded a knock-off Wordle app that allows me to play all the time. Usually I get the word but occasionally I don't. Interestingly, I have guessed the word in only two or three times using the app. So maybe I will eventually get better at real Wordle. Although the creator of Wordle recently sold the game to the New York Times, so at some point in time it will no longer be free. I will probably stop playing Wordle when that happens. 

librarianintx

Great Quote

 "In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me, there lay an invincible summer." Albert Camus

This quote appears at the end of the movie, "Ashes in the Snow," based on my new favorite book, Between Shades of Gray. The book is about a Lithuanian teenage girl who is taken by the Soviet police, the NKVD, along with her mother and younger brother, and transported to a Siberian work camp during World War II.

I have always been drawn to books about hardships, stories that depict triumph of the human spirit, or show how characters ultimately adapt to living in other countries or some challenging circumstance. The people I read about, both fiction and nonfiction, struggle, suffer, and usually not only survive, but ultimately thrive. Many readers don't gravitate to sad stories about pain and anguish. But I draw strength from these types of books. They show me how strong individuals can be, that one can go through hell and live to tell the tale. 

I believe in the concept that you learn more in bad times versus good times. The past two years have not been easy for me. I know I have not suffered as much as others, and I am grateful for that. Obviously I am not trying to survive a Siberian work camp. But as difficult as this time has been, I have learned and have grown stronger because of what I have been through. I have not found my "invisible summer" yet, but I'm getting there - hopefully.

librarianintx

Project Runway Season Finale - My Predictions

Who should win?

Who will win?

Who do I want to win?

I have seen many seasons of Project Runway.

But I don't know anything about fashion.

So my opinion really doesn't matter.

But when has that stopped me?

Who should win?

An all women finale! Wonderful! I think they are all talented, and any of them could win. It all comes down to the best collection at New York fashion week.

I think Coral should win. Shantall has won more challenges, but I think Coral's designs are unique and beautiful. You know when an outfit comes down the runway that Coral designed it. She knows who she is and what her aesthetic is. 

Who will win?

Again, any of these ladies could win.

But I think Shantall will win. She had a very successful season, and I don't think she is going to fall apart at the finale.

Who do I want to win?

Kristina's designs are my least favorite. But that doesn't mean that I don't recognize her talent. 

My personal favorite is Chastity. She's my Houston girl! I love her personality - from singing in the work room to her catty, stressed out interactions with Christian. I like her designs, but her rollercoaster season makes her chance at winning a longshot I think.

No matter who wins, I have thoroughly enjoyed this season. The personalities were entertaining, the designs were often amazing, and the models rocked the runway on every episode!

librarianintx 

Winter Weather 2022

I am as prepared as I can be this time.

Food and drinking water - but no panic buying

Filled the bathtub

Have flashlights, batteries, and a lantern that can also charge my phone.

Winter Storm 2021 PTSD is real.

Some people in the state suffered greatly.

Some died.

Some were only inconvenienced.

But nearly everyone has a story to tell.

No electricity

No heat

No water

Grocery stores closed, or open with bare shelves

Restaurants and fast food places closed

Driving hazardous

Government assistance non-existent.

Today I am feeling very grateful.

I have a roof over my head.

I have food and water.

I have heat.

I took a hot shower this morning. 

I can flush my toilet.

I can wash my hands

I can clean my dishes.

I can work from home.

I am safe.

Life is good. 

librarianintx