A note from Dr. Pone

before you start an exercise program, consult with your personal physician

We have all heard that walking is good exercise, but did you know that the simple act of walking can yield significant health benefits for your brain?
See below for some highlights from an article on the ER of Texas website.

1. Regular walking has been linked to improved cognitive function and increased blood flow to the brain. 
2. Engaging in regular physical activity, such as walking, has been associated with a reduced risk of cognitive decline and age-related conditions like Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.  
3. Walking has been shown to enhance divergent thinking, the type of thinking that fuels creativity and generates innovative ideas.  
4. Regular walking stimulates the release of endorphins, often referred to as “feel-good” hormones, which can alleviate symptoms of depression, reduce stress levels, and improve overall mood. 
5. Research suggests that walking increases blood circulation to the brain, resulting in improved concentration, sharper focus, and enhanced productivity. 
6. Walking outdoors in nature has been proven to reduce cortisol levels. The combination of physical activity, fresh air, and exposure to natural surroundings provides a powerful antidote to stress
7. Walking helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle, enhances the production of serotonin, and reduces anxiety—all of which contribute to a restful night’s sleep.

We highly recommend you read the full article, WALKING FOR BRAIN HEALTH: 8 WAYS TO BOOST COGNITIVE FUNCTION AND MENTAL WELL-BEING, for more information.

Thinks to consider

1. When was the last time you took a walk?
2. Which of the health benefits above are most appealing to you?
3. Are you willing to walk a little more often?

The following information is based on an article from the Cleveland Clinic

When considering to prevent cognitive decline, one of the best diets is the
Mediterranean Diet.
The Mediterranean Diet emphasizes plant-based foods and healthy fats.

You eat mostly veggies, fruits and whole grains. Extra virgin olive oil is the main source of fat. The Mediterranean Diet can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and many other chronic conditions.
Fruits, veggies, whole grains and extra virgin olive oil are foods you’ll eat most often with the Mediterranean Diet.

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean Diet is a way of eating that emphasizes plant-based foods and healthy fats. You focus on overall eating patterns rather than following strict formulas or calculations.
In general, you’ll eat:

• Lots of vegetables, fruit, beans, lentils and nuts
• A good amount of whole grains, like whole-wheat bread and brown rice
• Plenty of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) as a source of healthy fat
• A good amount of fish, especially fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids
• A moderate amount of natural cheese and yogurt
• Little or no red meat, choosing poultry, fish or beans instead of red meat
• Little or no sweets, sugary drinks or butter
• A moderate amount of wine with meals (but if you don’t already drink, don’t start)

This diet allows a reduced rate of cardiovascular disease.
A dietitian can help you modify your approach as needed based on your medical history, underlying conditions, allergies and preferences.

What are the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet?

The mediterranean diet allows you to focus on overall eating patterns rather than following strict formulas or calculations.
The Mediterranean Diet has many benefits, including:

• Lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease, including a heart attack or stroke.
• Supporting a body weight that’s healthy for you.
• Supporting healthy blood sugar levels, blood pressure and cholesterol.
• Lowering your risk of metabolic syndrome.
• Supporting a healthy balance of gut microbiota (bacteria and other microorganisms) in your digestive system.
• Lowering your risk for certain types of cancer.
• Slowing the decline of brain function as you age.
• Helping you live longer.

The Mediterranean Diet has these benefits for several reasons.
First, it limits saturated fat and trans fat. You need some saturated fat, but only in small amounts. Eating too much saturated fat can raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol. A high LDL raises your risk of plaque buildup in your arteries (atherosclerosis). Trans fat has no health benefits. Both of these “unhealthy fats” can cause inflammation.

This way of eating also encourages healthy unsaturated fats, including omega-3 fatty acids. Unsaturated fats promote healthy cholesterol levels, support brain health and combat inflammation. Plus, a diet high in unsaturated fats and low in saturated fat promotes healthy blood sugar levels.

Eating foods high in sodium can raise your blood pressure, putting you at a greater risk for a heart attack or stroke. The Mediterranean Diet limits your intake of sodium.

Eating this way can also limit refined carbohydrates, including sugar. Foods high in refined carbs can cause your blood sugar to spike. Refined carbs also give you excess calories without much nutritional benefit. For example, such foods often have little or no fiber.
This diet favors foods high in fiber and antioxidants. These nutrients help reduce inflammation throughout your body. Fiber also helps keep waste moving through your large intestine and helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Antioxidants protect you against cancer by warding off free radicals.

The Mediterranean Diet includes many different nutrients that work together to help your body. There’s no single food or ingredient responsible for the Mediterranean Diet’s benefits. Instead, the diet is healthy for you because of the combination of nutrients it provides.

Similarly, the Mediterranean Diet works by giving you an ideal blend of nutrients that harmonize to support your health.

Things to consider:

1Is it easy for you to follow the Mediterranean Diet?
2 Do you have risk factors for heart Disease?
3 Finally, this diet may allow one to live longer.

We all deal with stress on a regular basis, but did you know that too much stress in your life may ultimately lead to depression and dementia?

Chronic stress and anxiety can damage areas of the brain involved in emotional responses, thinking, and memory. This can potentially contribute to an increased risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression, dementia or even Alzheimer’s disease.

When feelings of stress and anxiety become long-term, chronic conditions due to work or personal problems, they can begin to “wreak havoc” on our immune, metabolic, and cardiovascular systems and cause damage to the brain.

*reference: Dr. Mah. Univ of Toronto

Dehydration refers to the loss of body water, with or without salt, at a rate greater than the body can replace it.

A study was conducted that looked at results of dehydration in soldiers. For full details, see The BRITISH JOURNAL OF NUTRITION, Jan 2014.

In this study, cognitive tests were completed in the following areas:
•short-term memory
•numerical ability
•psychomotor function (defined as
motor action directly proceeding from mental activity)
•sustained attention

Results of the study demonstrated cognitive deficits were dependent on the severity of dehydration. Performance in all cognitive tasks was affected when soldiers were in a severe state of dehydration (>2% body mass loss).

Studies measuring self-reported changes in mental state have consistently found associations between dehydration and MOOD in conjunction with changes in performance. When in a dehydrated state, people reported the following symptoms.
•mood swings
•being less alert
•difficulty concentrating
•fatigue
•difficulty completing the experimental tasks

For more information, see the NIH National Institute of Health, 2008.

Socialization with friends is important to preserve cognitive function.

Human beings are social animals and when we are disconnected from each other, it can have negative physical and neurological effects on us.
As we age, we tend to become more socially isolated, and this decrease in social activity is associated with an increase in cognitive decline.

In a clinical study between 1998 and 2010, the loneliest of patients over the age of 65 experienced cognitive decline 20% faster than those who were not lonely, regardless of other factors.

Ways to prevent loneliness
Here are some aCTIVITIES which might help PREVENT social isolation and loneliness.
•Exercising or walking with a friend or two
•Joining a choir or other singing group
•Playing cards, dominos or other social games
•Going on weekly trips
•Gardening
•Dancing
•Bowling

What other ideas do you have? We would love to know about your favorite ways to stay social.

In our SEEDS acronym, the first S stands for sleep. Sleep is so important for good cognitive health. Below are some tips to help you get the best sleep possible for refreshing and regenerating your brain.

1. Get enough. According to the Mayo Clinic, adults should get 7-9 hours of sleep per night.
2. Put yourself on a schedule. The brain learns our sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.
3. Routines rule. As adults, we still need a good bedtime routine. Soft music, comedy, and light reading are all good ways to unwind and prepare the brain for sleep. Do not do heavy reading or thinking about the tough schedule for the next day.
4. Don’t burn the midnight oil.. Do not take your electronic devices to bed with you as they stimulate the brain.
5. Wake up ready to go. After you wake up, get out of bed immediately. The bed is not the place to think about the upcoming day’s events.

While we are asleep, our brain processes what it took in the previous day and it is easy to recall the following day. Here are some resources for you to read further on this topic.

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams
Matthew Walker, PhD
Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at University of California and Harvard University
Pp 108 – SLEEP AS A MEMORY AID:
Before learning we should prepare our brain for initially learning new memories,
And after learning the brain cements memories and prevents forgetting
Pg. 114 – Sleeping after we study increases memory learning.
Before students slept, they were fetching memories from the short-term storage site of the brain called the HIPPOCAMPUS- the temporary warehouse, which is a vulnerable place to live for any long-term duration of time if you are a new memory. But memories move; after a full night of sleep, students were now retrieving that same information from the NEOCORTEX, which is at the top of the brain – a region for long term memories, where they can live safely. In perpetuity. (Eternity)
Sleep for memory increases our creativity. Many composers of songs are able to find a completion to their work after sleep.

In the elderly we have to be careful because if they wake up to go to the bathroom they may fall and fracture their hip. Thus, doctors recommend that there should be no fluid intake after 10PM.

Wishing you a good night’s sleep so you can obtain and maintain the best brain health possible.