Have a Drink and Improve Your Memory

If you are over sixty, you have probably experienced those dreaded "senior moments."  You know what I'm talking about: those times when you can't remember where you put your reading glasses or car keys, or maybe even where you parked your car at the mall.  If so, I have good news for you: have a glass of wine or two a day and you might actually improve your memory.

Recent studies at several universities have shown that moderate consumption of alcohol, seven to fourteen glasses of wine or beer per week, may actually improve your "episodic memory," the ability to remember events. The studies are based upon follow-up analyses of participants in the famed Framington Heart Study. The consumption of alcohol is believed to increase brain cells.

This follows several earlier studies that showed that similar consumption of wine and beer may actually prevent the onslaught of dementia or Alzheimer's  disease.  The percentage decline in those diseases in moderate drinkers compared to teetotalers was a startling 37%.

The recommened level of consumption per day is one glass of wine or beer for women and no more than two glasses for men.

So drink up and remember where you read about this important information.  http://www.notjustforboomers.blogspot.com, where you can find lots of useful information everyday.















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Good News for Starbucks: Coffee Can Save Your Life

I am not a coffee drinker; I prefer a nice soothing cup of tea. But maybe, I'm missing out on a magic bullet to good health.  At the very least, it appears  that coffee (and presumably the caffeine in coffee) may just save your life if you are a regular drinker of three or four 5 ounce cups of coffee,  or the equivalent of one venti from Starbucks.

 Recent studies by the National Cancer Institute, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of Miami and the University of South Florida all suggest that coffee drinking can reduce the risk of diabetes, skin cancer, prostate cancer, oral cancer and breast cancer recurrence.

Some of those studies also show that coffee may reduce the likelihood that you will develop dementia or Alzheimer's disease. 

For more information, see the June 9, 2013 issue of the New York Times Magazine for the article, This is Your Brain on Coffee, by Gretchen Reynolds.

Given these potential benefits, I may just head down to Starbucks rather than the local pharmacy.

Sherlock Holmes and Mindfulness

In an interesting article in the Sunday New York Times, author Maria Konnikova, suggests that Sherlock Holmes was one of the early practitioners of mindfulness.  "The Power of Concentration." www.nytimes.com.  She points out that Holmes frequently was able to solve his cases while sitting in his rooms at 221 B Baker Street, by concentrating on one aspect of the case at a time.  Rather than a multitasker, he was the ultimate unitasker.

The article also discusses several studies which have shown that as little as five minutes a day of mindfulness (sitting quietly, observing the breathing and clearing the mind of all thoughts) can have a beneficial effect on both your emotions and your thinking ability.  Based on those studies, mindfulness may even have an effect on preventing the decline in mental ability as we age, including, perhaps, helping to prevent Alzheimer's disease.

Bottom line:  if it was good enough for Sherlock Holmes, it surely is good enough for all of us. After all, don't we all want to remain mentally sharp as we age? 

Please see my November18, 2012 post, "What is Mindfulness?" for a further discussion of how to use mindfulness and its cognitive benefits. You will be glad you did.

Boost The Brain's Power Through Tai Chi

We all have heard those horror stories about losing the brain's cells at an early age and how that can effect our memory and cognitive skills. . Now there is something you can do about it.  And it does not involve buying expensive equipment or spending lots of money on supplements.  The answer?  Why, tai chi, of course.

In the June 19, 2012 edition of the  Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, a team of researchers from China's Shanghai Fudan University and the University of South Florida, reported on an eight month study they conducted of Chinese seniors who practiced the art of tai chi at least three times a week. They found that comparing those individuals with those who did not practice tai chi, those who did practice it had increased brain volume.  In turn, that resulted in improvements in both memory and cognitive function.

So, if you are having trouble remembering where you put the car keys, try tai chi.  Who knows, you might even find the keys. Let me know if it seems to work for you.