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Brown bag lunch series will promote brain health

Interest in brain health is at an all-time high – fueled in part by the rising numbers of adults affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Last month the White House announced a historic $350 million increase for Alzheimer’s disease research for this year’s federal budget.

Some of the most common questions gerontologists receive are:

* How helpful are crosswords – will they really keep me from getting Alzheimer’s?

* What foods and supplements should I take to keep my brain healthy?

* What does research say about Alzheimer’s and cooking with aluminum pots?

* Can coconut oil really prevent Alzheimer’s?

These questions and more will be explored over the next year at a monthly brown bag lunchtime series sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association Aloha Chapter and the University of Hawaii Manoa Cooperative Extension.

Why a lunchtime series? Brain health is a lifelong pursuit, not just something to consider after retirement. The hope is that lunchtime allows both working and retired adults to participate. The earlier you start taking steps to protect your brain, the more beneficial it will be in the long run.

’10 Ways to Love Your Brain’

The Alzheimer’s Association defines dementia as a decline in mental ability that is severe enough to interfere with daily life. Memory loss isn’t the only symptom. Others include a decreased ability to communicate, focus, pay attention, reason and make decisions.

Dementia can be caused by medication side effects, alcohol abuse and even cardiovascular disease. But Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia and accounts for as many as 80 percent of the cases of dementia.

Alzheimer’s is a very complex disease, so no single strategy will eliminate someone’s risk of developing it. However, brain science is rapidly moving forward and researchers have identified many activities that correlate with lower risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s.

The Alzheimer’s Association recently released a publication called “10 Ways to Love Your Brain.” It takes current brain science research and condenses it into a very user-friendly guide. It will also serve as the backbone of the monthly Brain Health series. And here they are:

1. Break a sweat. Oxygen is a critical nutrient that is carried to the brain by blood. Exercise increases the rate at which blood circulates and therefore increases this important “brain food.”

2. Hit the books. Formal education is linked with reduced risk of dementia. Even if you aren’t in school, community classes offer excellent lifelong learning opportunities.

3. Butt out. Kicking the cigarette habit benefits the heart, lungs, and brain. Talk to your doctor or call the Hawaii Tobacco Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

4. Follow your heart. Managing weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes helps both the heart and the brain. Step one is knowing your blood pressure, cholesterol and fasting blood sugar numbers.

5. Heads up! The recent movie “Concussion” has opened up a national discussion on the long-term effects of sports-related concussions. Buckling up in the car, wearing a helmet when biking and rollerblading, and taking steps to prevent falls also decrease the risk of concussions.

6. Fuel up right. A healthy, balanced diet benefits your heart, brain and waistline.

7. Catch some ZZZs. Lack of sleep from insomnia, sleep apnea or just getting to sleep late negatively impacts the brain. In fact, uncontrolled sleep apnea in midlife is correlated with a much higher risk of dementia in later life.

8. Take care of your mental health. Managing mental health, including depression, anxiety, mood disorders and stress, is closely related to better brain health.

9. Buddy up. Social activities like volunteering, spending time with friends and family, attending parties and events are all excellent “brain medicine.”

10. Stump yourself. And finally – yes, puzzles and other challenging games are a piece of the bigger brain health puzzle. They will not prevent Alzheimer’s, but they are fun and have been shown to be brain protective.

The 2016 Brain Health Series Kick-Off Presentation will be held Jan. 28 from noon to 1 p.m. All meetings will take place in the Community Services Building at the University of Hawaii Maui College on the fourth Thursday of the month. Presentations are interactive and hands-on, so you will leave each with important brain protective tools. It is free, but preregistration is requested. Call the Alzheimer’s Association at 242-8636, ext. 8243, or the UH Cooperative Extension at 244-3242, ext. 226, for additional information and to register.

* Heather Greenwood-Junkermeier is with the University of Hawaii Manoa Cooperative Extension, Maui Aging and Intergenerational Programs. Today’s column was written jointly with Lynsey Capone-Smith, Maui program specialist with Alzheimer’s Association Aloha Chapter. “Aging Matters” covers topics of interest to the aging Maui community and appears on the third Sunday of each month.

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