"100 Simple Things You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer's"

This is a very useful article. Read from start to finish and save it for your reference,especially for parents who want to raise healthy and motivated children with good memory

The idea that Alzheimer's is entirely genetic and unpreventable is perhaps the greatest misconception about the disease," says Gary Small, M.D., director of the UCLA Center on Aging. Researchers now know that Alzheimer's, like heart disease and cancer, develops over decades and can be influenced by lifestyle factors including cholesterol, blood pressure, obesity, depression, education, nutrition, sleep and mental, physical and social activity.

The big news: Mountains of research reveals that simple things you do every day might cut your odds of losing your mind to Alzheimer's.
In search of scientific ways to delay and outlive Alzheimer's and other dementias, I tracked down thousands of studies and interviewed dozens of experts. The results in a new book: 100 Simple Things You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer's and Age-Related Memory Loss (Little, Brown; $19.99).
 Here are 10 strategies I found most surprising.
            1. Have coffee. In an amazing flip-flop, coffee is the new brain tonic. A large European study showed that drinking three to five cups of coffee a day in midlife cut Alzheimer's risk 65% in late life. University of South Florida researcher Gary Arendash credits caffeine: He says it reduces dementia-causing amyloid in animal brains. Others credit coffee's antioxidants. So drink up, Arendash advises, unless your doctor says you shouldn't.

            2. Floss. Oddly, the health of your teeth and gums can help predict dementia. University of Southern California research found that having periodontal disease before age 35 quadrupled the odds of dementia years later. Older people with tooth and gum disease score lower on memory and cognition tests, other studies show. Experts speculate that inflammation in diseased mouths migrates to the brain.

            3. Google. Doing an online search can stimulate your aging brain even more than reading a book, says UCLA's Gary Small, who used brain MRIs to prove it. The biggest surprise: Novice Internet surfers, ages 55 to 78, activated key memory and learning centers in the brain after only a week of Web surfing for an hour a day.

            4. Grow new brain cells. Impossible, scientists used to say. Now it's believed that thousands of brain cells are born daily. The trick is to keep the newborns alive. What works: aerobic exercise (such as a brisk 30-minute walk every day), strenuous mental activity, eating salmon and other fatty fish, and avoiding obesity, chronic stress, sleep deprivation, heavy drinking and vitamin B deficiency.

            5. Drink apple juice. Apple juice can push production of the "memory chemical" acetylcholine; that's the way the popular Alzheimer's drug Aricept works, says Thomas Shea, Ph.D., of the University of Massachusetts . He was surprised that old mice given apple juice did better on learning and memory tests than mice that received water. A dose for humans: 16 ounces, or two to three apples a day.

            6. Protect your head. Blows to the head, even mild ones early in life, increase odds of dementia years later. Pro football players have 19 times the typical rate of memory-related diseases. Alzheimer's is four times more common in elderly who suffer a head injury, Columbia University finds. Accidental falls doubled an older person's odds of dementia five years later in another study. Wear seat belts and helmets, fall-proof your house, and don't take risks.

            7. Meditate. Brain scans show that people who meditate regularly have less cognitive decline and brain shrinkage - a classic sign of Alzheimer's - as they age. Andrew Newberg of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine says yoga meditation of 12 minutes a day for two months improved blood flow and cognitive functioning in seniors with memory problems.

            8. Take D. A "severe deficiency" of vitamin D boosts older Americans' risk of cognitive impairment 394%, an alarming study by England 's University of Exeter finds. And most Americans lack vitamin D. Experts recommend a daily dose of 800 IU to 2,000 IU of vitamin D3.

            9. Fill your brain. It <http://brain.it/> 's called "cognitive reserve." A rich accumulation of life experiences - education, marriage, socializing, a stimulating job, language skills, having a purpose in life, physical activity and mentally demanding leisure activities - makes your brain better able to tolerate plaques and tangles. You can even have significant Alzheimer's pathology and no symptoms of dementia if you have high cognitive reserve, says David Bennett, M.D., of Chicago 's Rush University Medical Center .

            10. Avoid infection. Astonishing new evidence ties Alzheimer's to cold sores, gastric ulcers, Lyme disease, pneumonia and the flu. Ruth Itzhaki, Ph.D., of the University of Manchester in England estimates the cold-sore herpes simplex virus is incriminated in 60% of Alzheimer's cases. The theory: Infections trigger excessive beta amyloid "gunk" that kills brain cells. Proof is still lacking, but why not avoid common infections and take appropriate vaccines, antibiotics and antiviral agents?
            What to Drink for Good Memory
            A great way to keep your aging memory sharp and avoid Alzheimer's is to drink the right stuff.

            a. Tops: Juice. A glass of any fruit or vegetable juice three times a week slashed Alzheimer's odds 76% in Vanderbilt University research. Especially protective: blueberry, grape and apple juice, say other studies.

            b. Tea: Only a cup of black or green tea a week cut rates of  cognitive decline in older people by 37%, reports the Alzheimer's Association. Only brewed tea works. Skip bottled tea, which is devoid of antioxidants.

            c. Caffeine beverages. Surprisingly, caffeine fights memory loss and Alzheimer's, suggest dozens of studies. Best sources: coffee (one Alzheimer's researcher drinks five cu! ps a day ), tea and chocolate. Beware caffeine if you are pregnant, have high blood pressure, insomnia or anxiety.

            d. Red wine: If you drink alcohol, a little red wine is most apt to benefit your aging brain. It's high in antioxidants. Limit it to one daily glass for women, two for men. Excessive alcohol, notably binge drinking, brings on Alzheimer's.

            e. Two to avoid: Sugary soft drinks, especially those sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. They make lab animals dumb. Water with high copper content also can up your odds of Alzheimer's. Use a water filter that removes excess minerals.

            5 Ways to Save Your Kids from Alzheimer's Now
            Alzheimer's isn't just a disease that starts in old age. What happens to your child's brain seems to have a dramatic impact on his or her likelihood of Alzheimer's many decades later.

            Here are five things you can do now to help save your child from Alzheimer's and memory loss later in life, according to the latest research.

            1. Prevent head blows: Insist your child wear a helmet during biking, skating, skiing, baseball, football, hockey, and all contact sports. A major blow as well as tiny repetitive unnoticed concussions can cause damage, leading to memory loss and Alzheimer's years later.

            2 Encourage language skills: A teenage girl who is a superior writer is eight times more likely to escape Alzheimer's in late life than a teen with poor linguistic skills. Teaching young children to be fluent in two or more languages makes them less vulnerable to Alzheimer's.

            3. Insist your child go to college: Education is a powerful Alzheimer's deterrent. The more years of formal schooling, the lower the odds. Most Alzheimer's prone: teenage drop outs. For each year of education, your risk of dementia drops 11%, says a recent University of Cambridge study.

            4. Provide stimulation: Keep your child's brain busy with physical, mental and social activities and novel experiences. All these contribute to a bigger, better functioning brain with more so-called 'cognitive reserve.' High cognitive reserve protects against memory decline and Alzheimer's.

            5. Spare the junk food: Lab animals raised on berries, spinach and high omega-3 fish have great memories in old age. Those overfed sugar, especially high fructose in soft drinks, saturated fat and trans fats become overweight and diabetic, with smaller brains and impaired memories as they age, a prelude to Alzheimer's

Excerpted from Jean Carper's newest book:
"100 Simple Things You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer's"

 from Auntie Mame of Toronto

Some good info about banana's

Some good info about banana's

A professor at CCNY for a physiological psych class told his class about bananas. He said the expression 'going bananas' is from the effects of bananas on the brain. Read on:

Never, put your banana in the refrigerator!!! This is interesting.  After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again.

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit.It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

 Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia : High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of haemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anaemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administra tion has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school (England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fibber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers:&NB sp;One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey.. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
   
Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and
irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous
system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers:The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant
women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood Enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they c ontain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by stro kes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with
a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate,     three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe it's time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, 'A banana a day keeps the doctor away!'

PASS IT ON TO YOUR FRIENDS
PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time!

I will add one here; want a quick shine on our shoes??     Take the INSIDE of the banana skin, and rub directly on the
shoe...polish with dry cloth. Amazing fruit

HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH Center for Health Communication Jay A. Winsten, Ph.D., Associate Dean and Center Director Highlights from this week's issue of Harvard's World Health News (www.WorldHealthNews.harvard.edu):

Is This the End of Popping Vitamins? (The Wall Street Journal, New York) -- "The case for dietary supplements is collapsing. A succession of large-scale human studies...suggests that multivitamins and many other dietary supplements often don't have health benefits -- and in some cases may even cause harm. The data have prompted some nutrition researchers to say taking vitamins is a waste of money for those without a specific nutrient deficiency or chronic illness. Such findings have also fueled a debate about whether the field should continue conducting expensive human trials to figure out whether particular supplements affect health...Researchers and nutritionists are still recommending dietary supplements for the malnourished or people with certain nutrient deficiencies or medical conditions. For instance folic acid -- the supplement form of folate -- reduces the likelihood of a common birth defect if taken by pregnant women. Studying the effects of vitamins and supplements in the real world is difficult, since people eat foods with multiple nutrients that can interact with supplements and skew results. And observational trials can only show an association, not cause and effect...Micronutrients, which include antioxidants like vitamin C, hormones like vitamin D and metals like iron, are essential to the body in small amounts because they help facilitate important reactions in and between cells. Too much of them, however, can cause problems. The effectiveness of many dietary supplements remains untested and makers aren't required to do tests before selling a product. Still, about half of Americans reported taking at least one supplement a month in 2006...The supplement industry brought in $28 billion in sales in 2010...Vitamin users may derive a benefit from the placebo effect, experts say. And they often are convinced the supplements make them feel better, regardless of what studies show." Free registration required. Flu Vaccine Not as Effective as Thought, New Study Says (Minnesota Public Radio) -- "A new comprehensive analysis...screened thousands of flu studies published since the 1960s and found only a handful that adequately measured the effectiveness of flu vaccine...awareness campaigns...and easy access to the vaccine gives the impression that anyone who is immunized will be protected from flu. But the new [report]...suggests...on average, more than 40 percent of people who receive a flu vaccine get no protection from it against the flu." Curb Soaring Population Growth? Keep Girls in School (Reuters) -- "In May, the United Nations projected the world population would reach 9.3 billion in 2050 and 10.1 billion by 2100...Most family planning experts warn against extreme coercive population control measures, such as China's 'One Child' policy...the United Nations Population Fund or UNFPA...[is focused] on empowering women in such a way as to change the cultural norms...Africa is full of examples of countries struggling with efforts to attain full educational enrollment in the face of high fertility." Panel Endorses HPV Vaccine for Boys of 11 (The New York Times) -- "Boys and young men should be vaccinated against human papillomavirus, or HPV...the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices...[previously] recommended in 2006 that girls and young women...should be vaccinated...HPV infection is the most common sexually transmitted disease [up to 80 percent of all Americans are]...infected at some point in their lives. Most...[suffer] no ill effects. But in some people, infections lead to cellular changes that cause warts or cancer...Vaccinating boys is cost effective when...rates in girls are relatively low, which they are now." Free registration required. Ovarian Cancer Risk Almost Halved After 10 Years on the Pill, Study Shows (The Guardian, London) -- "Taking the contraceptive pill for 10 years almost halves a woman's risk of ovarian cancer...Getting pregnant was the next most protective behaviour...The bigger the family she had, the less likely a woman was to get ovarian cancer...The study...is part of a programme of research looking at the links between diet, lifestyle and cancer...How much protection...the pill depends on...individual risk...because some of the causes will be genetic." Free registration required. Measuring Quality Improves Doctors' Care, Study Finds (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) -- "Numerous studies have been done on the quality measures and outcomes now tracked and reported by hospitals...But relatively little information is available about the quality of care provided by doctors in their offices...[The Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality] tracks more than 30 quality measures for physician practices. And [aims]...to show the value in gathering and disclosing the information."     Polio -- Nation Sinks in PAIN (Daily Trust, Nigeria) -- "Nigeria faces a bleak scenario -- that poliomyelitis could resurge...in 2010, officials considered the country to be on target. The dip was less than expected, because activities in the run-up to general elections disrupted immunisation programmes...But [now] a rise in the number of polio cases...has shaken that confidence and ignited worry...The pressure to stop polio is increasing...Nigeria is still one of four embarrassingly named PAIN countries -- along with Pakistan, Afghanistan and India -- yet to completely stop the virus." Report: Industry Decides US Food Ingredient Safety (The Associated Press) -- "Thousands of ingredients that go into food have been classified as safe by private industry alone...Since the early 1960's, private companies and industry trade associations have determined at least 3,000 ingredients are safe, with no federal scrutiny, the study found...The Grocery Manufacturers Association says the industry only classifies ingredients as safe after a battery of rigorous biological tests, but agrees that more transparency in the vetting process would help build consumer confidence."     Pharma Giants Open Up Drug Patents in New Collaboration (Agence France-Presse) -- "Pharmaceutical giants and the UN [United Nations] intellectual property agency launched...a collaboration to share certain patented drug information with public organisations. The cooperation is aimed at the development of new drugs and vaccines for around 20 diseases, including neglected tropical diseases, malaria and tuberculosis, and will involve major drugmakers...Under the scheme, the intellectual property licences on these drugs would be available free of charge for the world's poorest countries."     As More Use Tech, Child Development Is an Issue (San Francisco Chronicle) -- "Television is still the king of media for kids up to age 8...The survey is the first to look at how much kids, from birth to age 8, use the newest and increasingly popular forms of media technology...Doctors and child development experts generally agree that too much screen time isn't great for kids, but with so much of the technology still very new, there's little understanding of what effect -- good or bad -- the various media can have on young minds." Free registration required.

For links to the full text of these and other articles, go to www.worldhealthnews.harvard.edu. ************ World Health News is an online news digest from the Center for Health Communication of the Harvard School of Public Health, offering a combination of original reporting and links to news stories and commentaries from newspapers and magazines worldwide on pressing issues in public health. The site is designed as a resource for an international audience of policy makers and journalists, as well as public health researchers, practitioners, and advocates. Contact: World Health News Harvard School of Public Health Center for Health Communication (617) 432-1038 whn@hsph.harvard.edu