Assisted Living in Vancouver WA | Adult Family Homes | Memory Care
"I can't make it easy, I can make it easier."
New hope for Alzheimer’s Disease?
Researchers have found a natural substance in a type of moss, Huperzia Serrata (also known as Chinese Club Moss) that could be a powerful treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease, and may potentially combat the effects of chemical warfare agents, too. Called Huperzine A, the compound is an enzyme inhibitor that has been used to treat Alzheimer’s disease in China since the late 1990s. It’s also sold in the U.S. as a dietary supplement to help maintain memory.
Unfortunately, the moss is extremely rare and may be near extinction in its native China. But now there has been a major breakthrough – Yale scientists have come up with a practical way to synthesize huperzine A in just eight steps, producing a yield of 40 percent. Their research was just published in the journal Chemical Science.
Plans are underway to further test the therapeutic potential of Huperzine A in clinical trials involving research subjects with several different neurological disorders. In addition, according to the media statement, the U.S. Army is interested in Huperzine A’s potential to safely block the effects of chemical warfare agents.
Several studies have shown Huperzine A has the remarkable power to benefit and protect the brain and may be a treatment for diseases and conditions associated with neurodegeneration, including Myasthenia Gravis as well as Alzheimer’s disease. Huperzine A has been found to be more easily absorbed by the body and last longer in the body than other treatments now prescribed to try to delay AD’s progression. Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/033435_Alzheimers_disease_medicine.html#ixzz1WjO09Caz
Memory care – does the Internet hurt or help?
Memory care is not just something we should look into when we start having problems. We should work to maintain our memory before a problem occurs. There have been many studies that show using technology can help our memory but is that always true?
A recent study indicates that the internet may actually hinder our memory skills – not because of the technology but because we feel there is no longer a need to remember things on our own when it is so easy to access information online.
Betsy Sparrow, assistant professor in psychology at Columbia, analyzed the impact of the huge accessibility of data from the internet on memory skills. Dr. Sparrow and her collaborators, Daniel M. Wegner of Harvard and Jenny Liu of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, staged four different memory experiments. One was for participants to type snippets of knowledge into a computer. One group was told the data would be erased and another was told it would be stored. The group that thought the data would be erased was much more likely to be able to recall the snippets later.
The other experiments had similar results. You can read more about this study here.
Ultimately, it seems that we need to be aware that using technology can be very beneficial. For example, many computer games challenge us in ways that enhance our memory. But it is wise to be aware that the internet can also make our brains “lazy”. Challenge yourself to use your memory more and the internet less by picking a subject you are fond of and studying it and memorizing the trivia!
Where Did I Put It? Regaining Memory
Forgetting where you put your keys a lot lately? Leaving that shopping list at home all of the time? Having trouble remembering names for all of those faces? Menopausal women often complain of fuzzy thinking, forgetfulness, and difficulty concentrating; some even wonder if this is the beginning of dementia. You are most likely not losing your mind! Join the Red Hot Mamas for Menopause 101 to find out the causes of memory loss during menopause and what you can do to fight it. Presented by Anne Hamburg, MD, Southwest Medical Group Neurology Associates.
Social time and refreshments at 6 p.m. The program begins at 6:30 p.m. Click here to learn more and sign up!
Although it is unlikely that a menopause related forgetfulness will cause enough problems to require an assisted living solution, memory problems can make it difficult for people to live alone. If you or someone you care about is in need of an assisted living solution in Vancouver, WA our team can help.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HANUKKAH
Written by Regina Brett
90 years old Regina, is of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio . This is a reprint of her article on 45 lessons of life.
To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I’ve ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:
- Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good..
- When in doubt, just take the next small step.
- Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
- Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
- Pay off your credit cards every month.
- You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
- Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
- It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
- Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
- When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
- Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
- It’s OK to let your children see you cry.
- Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what
- their journey is all about.
- If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.
- Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God never blinks.
- Take a deep breath It calms the mind.
- Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
- Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
- It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
- When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.
- Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
- Over prepare, then go with the flow.
- Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.
- The most important sex organ is the brain.
- No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
- Frame every so-called disaster with these words : ‘In five years, will this matter?’
- Always choose life..
- Forgive everyone everything.
- What other people think of you is none of your business.
- Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
- However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
- Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
- Believe in miracles.
- God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.
- Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
- Growing old beats the alternative — dying young.
- Your children get only one childhood.
- All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
- Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
- If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
- Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
- The best is yet to come…
- No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
- Yield.
- Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.
Tips To Prevent Memory Loss As You Age
(StatePoint) You may not realize it, but you can take steps to keep your brain fit and flexible as you age. In fact, some experts now say that through proper diet and routine mental health exercises, you even can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease long enough to avoid experiencing the symptoms.
“The sooner you start to protect your brain against Alzheimer’s, the sooner you will notice improvement — not only in recall and mental focus, but also in energy level, mood, general health, and sense of well-being,” says Dr. Gary Small, M.D., Professor at UCLA, and author of the new book “The Alzheimer’s Prevention Program” (Workman Publishers).
Small offers these stay-sharp tips to help you get started:
- Eat brain food: Stock up on food filled with antioxidants like berries, avocados, and raw vegetables; omega-3 rich, anti-inflammatory food choices, like fish, whole grains, and legumes; and memory-boosting spices like turmeric and cumin. Alcohol in moderation can be beneficial too, so don’t shy away from a glass of wine or beer at dinner.
- Train your brain: You can cross-train your brain, by jumping from right-brain to left-brain workouts. “The Alzheimer’s Prevention Program,” offers great daily mental workouts that combine wordplay, letter scrambles, 3-D drawings, tricky equations, logic challenges, and number sequences. For more information, visit www.drgarysmall.com.
- Be flexible: Try simple tasks like writing and eating with your non-dominant hand. By engaging neural circuits in ways that are different from their usual patterns, you will provide your brain a good mental stretch.
- Make discoveries: Like any muscle you’d work out at the gym, your brain needs variety and stimulation to stay in shape. Find new challenging mental activities that you also enjoy, so that engaging your brain is never a chore. For example, explore a genre of music you haven’t before, or take up a new thought-provoking hobby.
- Get Moving: Hopefully you are already exercising for optimum physical health. If you aren’t, consider this: physical activity increases blood flow, oxygenating the brain. So turn off that mindless television program and take a brisk walk!
- Reduce your stress: Practice yoga, meditate; take a vacation or even just a bubble bath.
“Stress can temporarily impair one’s learning and recall,” says Small. “By taking away sources of stress, or reacting to stress differently, you can improve your memory.”
Alzheimer’s is already affecting 5 million people in the U.S. alone. But a memory lapse today doesn’t need to become a bigger problem tomorrow. Take charge and help sharpen your memory now.
A message from A Caring Heart
