Lifestyle

This Major Cause of Dementia is The Easiest to Fix

By |2017-12-28T14:04:51-05:00November 3rd, 2017|Lifestyle|

Every 24 hours your brain engages in an activity that helps preserve your memories, re-energize your thinking abilities and defend against problems like Alzheimer’s. But as you enter middle-age and beyond, unless you’re careful to help your brain regenerate itself in this way every day, you increase your chances of memory loss and other symptoms [...]

“Moderate” Drinking Could be Putting Your Brain at Risk

By |2017-12-28T13:48:59-05:00October 27th, 2017|Lifestyle|

After reviewing hundreds of studies, a number of researchers have concluded that light to moderate alcohol intake, particularly red wine, lowers the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. But before you reach for the corkscrew, you need to be aware that research results on brain health are inconsistent. Other studies associate moderate drinking with brain [...]

To Beat Alzheimer’s, Use a Shotgun, Not a Rifle

By |2017-12-29T08:16:27-05:00September 25th, 2017|Lifestyle|

They cost billions, yet have ended in almost total failure. 244 clinical trials were conducted to test new drugs for Alzheimer's between 2002 and 2012, yet only one of the pharmaceuticals showed any benefit, and even this had hardly any impact on the disease. Developing a drug to target a single aspect of brain chemistry hasn't worked. [...]

Do This and You Sabotage the Benefits of Cutting Down on Sugar

By |2017-12-29T08:15:33-05:00September 15th, 2017|Lifestyle|

The Centers for Disease Control report the average American consumes 13 to 20 teaspoons of added sugar a day, much of it in the form of sugar-sweetened beverages. I’ve seen estimates that average annual sugar consumption is around 150 pounds per person. Someone else is eating my 150 pounds because I seldom touch the stuff. [...]

Loneliness Can be Dangerous to Your Health

By |2017-12-29T08:09:15-05:00September 1st, 2017|Lifestyle|

Social interaction is a basic human need. Studies have shown infants who don’t receive touching and involvement with others often fail to thrive, and even die young. And the world’s jailers have certainly figured out that solitary confinement is a terrible punishment. The need for social interaction doesn’t change as we age. In fact, it [...]

Do Genes Really Have Much To Do With Alzheimer’s Disease?

By |2017-12-29T08:02:48-05:00August 18th, 2017|Lifestyle|

Genes are the "command centers" of cells. They instruct cells to make specific proteins, which then determine what kind of cell it will be. Genes also control a cell’s construction and operation, as well as assist in cellular repair. Genes are also delicate. Even small changes in a gene (known as "variants" or "mutations") can [...]

Alcohol Shrinks Your Brain’s Main Seat of Memory

By |2017-08-01T08:00:30-04:00August 1st, 2017|Lifestyle|

In our last issue, I covered some fascinating research that shows regular (and moderate) Champagne drinking is good for the brain. At the same time, I cautioned that daily drinking still doesn’t seem like a good idea to me. This issue we’ll look at some of the reasons why. There’s a lot of contradictory evidence [...]

Someday Your Doctor May Prescribe a Daily Glass of Champagne

By |2017-07-27T14:49:48-04:00July 27th, 2017|Lifestyle|

All Champagne is sparkling white wine, but not all sparkling white wine is Champagne. According to European law, to be labeled a true Champagne, the bubbly must be bottled within 100 miles of the city of Champagne, France and undergo the specific two-step fermentation process known as Méthode Champenoise -- Champagne Method. Champagne is usually made from [...]

A Weird New Twist on Sleep and Brain Health

By |2017-07-11T04:05:46-04:00July 11th, 2017|Lifestyle|

Getting a good night's sleep is important for maintaining brain health. Poor sleepers tend to have a greater build-up of beta-amyloid -- the protein linked to Alzheimer's -- and perform worse on memory tests. The reason, scientists believe, is that sleep activates the brain's waste disposal system, allowing it to clear away debris, toxic proteins [...]

Beer for Better Brain Health?

By |2017-07-10T16:52:59-04:00July 6th, 2017|Lifestyle|

New research emerges all the time about the benefits of drinking wine… The findings about fermented grape juice got some folks so excited, they started testing the benefits of beer too. And for good reason: when it comes to amount consumed, beer ranks #3 among all the beverages in the world, after water and tea.1 [...]

Go to Top