Food for Thought: Good Health Starts with Your Brain

We all want to keep our minds sharp as we age. Alzheimer's is a horrid disease that effects all aspects of life, but we tend to forget that our brains need exercise and proper nutrition just like the rest of us.

Take that spinach salad, that besides being good for your waistline, is literally food for thought as well, says the Healthy Aging Partnership, a coalition of 40 Puget Sound-area organizations dedicated to the health and well-being of older adults.

An estimated 4.5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease as of 2013, the most common form of dementia, and that number is expected to grow as the first baby boomers begin to turn 65, according to the National Alzheimer's Association. Given the odds, it’s not surprising that Americans age 55 and older fear Alzheimer's more than other diseases, including cancer, according to a 2011 MetLife Foundation survey.

The good news is, "the lifestyle choices you make now can improve your brain health and lower your risk for dementia," says Dr. Jane Tornatore, family care consultant with the Alzheimer's Association, Western and Central Washington State Chapter. “Even a simple mental exercise like driving a different route home helps to create new brain pathways,” she says.

Here are some tips to get your on your way: 

Feed your brain: Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet that is rich in antioxidants and vitamins E, C and B-12; folate; and omega-3 fatty acids. That translates to generous portions of dark-colored vegetables and fruits (including kale, spinach, broccoli, beets, red bell peppers, tomatoes and berries); cold-water fish (including halibut, mackerel and salmon); and nuts (including almonds, pecans and walnuts). 

Move your body: Physical exercise - even as little as a daily 30-minute walk - promotes blood flow to the brain. 

Exercise your brain: Mental exercises - reading, writing, games and puzzles - build up brain-cell reserves and improve connections. 

Check the numbers: Keep your weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood-sugar levels in check and within recommended ranges. 

Cut the bad fat: Foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol are associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's. Use mono- and polyunsaturated fats, such as olive oil or coconut oil, and pick baked or grilled instead of fried. 

Socialize: Those who regularly interact with other people, particularly during activities that also involve mental and physical exercise, lower their risk of dementia. So join that book club, take that dance lesson or volunteer at your local charity. 

Protect your head: Head injuries have been linked to an increased risk for later Alzheimer's disease and other dementias as well. Remember safety first; so wear your seatbelt and put that helmet on. Making minor changes around the house may also prevent falls. 

Mind your meds: Check with your doctor if a new medication doesn't feel right or if you are concerned about the interaction of multiple medications. Make a system, like setting alarms or keeping them in a visible place, so you'll take them at the time they are prescribed. 

Break habit: Find your sense of adventure! Walk a different path, eat or brush your teeth using your non-dominant hand, seek out out types of food you've never tried. These seemingly minor things create new brain pathways, and the more you have the better.


Resources:
MetLife Foundation (2011). Retrieved from https://www.metlife.com/assets/cao/contributions/foundation/alzheimers-2011.pdf

National Alzheimer's Association (2013). Retrieved from http://www.alz.org/research/overview.asp

Brain Fitness Puzzles For Those With Alzheimer’s and Dementia

It's a common question: 

Do puzzles help those with Alzheimer’s and dementia?

Karen Miller, owner/developer of Memory Jogging Puzzles, responds: 

"It all depends upon the puzzle."

There are many important factors to consider when deciding if a puzzle is beneficial for those with Alzheimers or dementia.

I feel until you have spent time with Alzheimer and dementia patients, you don’t realize how important small details are, the ones we take for granted.

My mother was always working on large puzzles and didn’t have any problems picking up those tiny, thin cardboard pieces and finding the right place to put them. She could move around and stretch across the cardboard table to fetch any piece she wanted. But, after her stroke and being paralyzed on her right side, things were different. She could not move at all on her right side and couldn’t lean across the table to pick up a puzzle piece.

She was a little shaky doing things with her left hand and unable to voice how she felt made it more frustrating.

My father was her caregiver and I remember like it was yesterday, dad bringing home a small childs puzzle with baby chick theme.

Mom didn’t put it together, she just cried. Later we discovered she was embarrassed and felt humiliated because it was a child’s puzzle and she was not a child.

Her disabilities made it difficult to find activities she could do without becoming frustrated. Her frustrations were embedded in my memory and her needs became my model for memory jogging puzzles and memory exercise card games.

One size puzzle does NOT meet everyone’s needs.

There are several large piece puzzles on the market. I have heard, some of these puzzle pieces are too large, making it difficult for elderly to handle. And, the completed puzzle is too big, making it difficult for people to find, reach and put in place puzzle pieces.

If your loved one has disabilities, the best puzzle size is one that keeps puzzle and puzzle pieces visible and within reach. Large chunky pieces are great for those with arthritis, shaky or large hands, giving them substance to feel and hang on to.

Beneficial Puzzles

Puzzles that are beneficial do not frustrate the individual. Puzzles with too many pieces are frustrating to elderly, seniors with dementia and Alzheimer’s patients. If the puzzle has too many pieces, most likely it will not be completed during activity time. Many think this isn’t a problem, I’ve observed this scene and it is a problem. Especially when there are different levels of individuals putting the puzzle together. In order to have a good feeling of accomplishment the puzzle should be completed.

Many times individuals are brought up to the tables in a wheelchair to work on large puzzles. They have limitations; this is not a fun activity. They are given a few pieces to work with, 99% of the time their pieces don’t fit any other piece near them. They sit there, knowing they should find the spot where the pieces go and they can’t. They get frustrated and want to leave. This is frustrating to me.

It is best if you can work one-on-one.

You must choose a puzzle you feel the individual can complete. It is better to have a puzzle with fewer pieces; one they can complete, rather than one more difficult; they can’t do and become frustrated. Yes, you should help them occasionally, but if you are doing the entire puzzle, you are getting the brain exercise not them. You need a puzzle with fewer pieces even then you may need to assist them.

Some websites offer only 12 piece puzzles, I’m sorry but a 12 piece puzzle is too difficult for those in the middle stages of dementia. Some even struggle with a 6 piece.

For many seniors with dementia it has been a long time since they have put a puzzle together. Be patient with them, assist them if needed and most will recall what they are supposed to do and enjoy the moment.

When looking for a puzzle for your loved one, ask yourself if the puzzle meets these needs.

• Is the puzzle age appropriate? This will help your loved one keep their dignity.

• Will the theme capture their attention? It has to capture their attention to motivate them to participate in putting the puzzle together.

• Is the puzzle too large with many small pieces? If so you may want to choose another one. Large puzzles with many pieces, most likely will be frustrating and the person will give up trying. You may see tears rather than a smile.

• Are the pieces large and easy to hang on to? If puzzle pieces are too small or too thin, those with arthritis, shaky or large hands may have difficulty picking the pieces up.

• Does the puzzle have storytelling theme or is it an object? Storytelling themes stimulate memories, emotions and conversations better than objects.

• Is puzzle small with few pieces? Completion builds self-esteem, confidence and stimulates a good feeling of success.

Choose a puzzle you feel the individual will enjoy putting together easily without frustration.

Trivia: Adult puzzles emerged around 1900. In 1908, puzzles were a full-blown craze in the United States. In 2008, Memory Jogging Puzzles developed the first age appropriate wooden puzzle with storytelling themes, designed specifically to meet needs of elderly and Alzheimer patients. http://memoryjoggingpuzzles.com

©2013 Karen Miller, owner/developer of Memory Jogging Puzzles

Resource Photo - Photobucket