Category Archives: Health & Wellness

Your Brain in the Digital Age

Sometimes the speed of technological advancement and the rate of change is awe-inspiring. In many cases new technology makes our lives easier. Just imagine living without the benefits of wireless communication or the ease of access to information on the Internet. But as technology makes some of our tasks easier, is it changing the way [...]

Seniors Should Maintain an Active Lifestyle

My colleague Dr. Jeffery Cummings gave a very informative interview to the Las Vegas Review-Journal last week (entitled Alzheimer’s studies urge active retirement). In the article, Dr. Cummings highlights the growing body of research that leading an active life, especially after retirement, appears to be one of the most important things one can do in [...]

7 Myths About the Human Brain

7.  Humans have bigger brains than all other animals: Although we are the smartest mammals, we don’t have the largest brains on this planet. Whales and elephants have bigger brains than humans, but their brains are obvious less developed comparatively.
What does make us unique is our ratio of brain weight to body weight, which [...]

Is Your State Ready for the “Silver Tsunami”?

This week the Alzheimer’s Association reminded us that as the baby boomer population continues to grow in the United States, so will the number of Alzheimer’s cases. They are referring to this phenomenon as the “Silver Tsunami”.
Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in America. At any given time this disease affects over [...]

Music is Good for Your Brain

Whether it is classical, jazz, or good old-fashioned rock and roll, almost everyone enjoys listening to some form of music. Music can also be good for the brain as highlighted in a recent Cochrane Systematic Review of the prevailing research on music therapy, titled Music Therapy for Acquired Brain Injury.
When someone suffers from an acquired [...]

Vitamin D and Cognitive Health

This week Dr. Katherine Tucker of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging published a report in the Journals of Gerontology which makes the claim that elderly individuals may be able to help sustain their cognitive function by maintaining sufficient levels of vitamin D.
The study (Vitamin D Is Associated with Cognitive Function [...]

7 Ways to Improve Your Level of Happiness

In the most unsophisticated terms, happiness is truly a state of mind. Our level of happiness influences our everyday thoughts and actions. If we feel happy we see the world through a different lens than the lens of those that have a gloomy outlook on life. This week I outline seven easy things you [...]

Cognitive Ability is More Important than Age

In neuroscience news this week, a newly published study by Scott Huettel, Ph.D. (Associate Professor of psychology and neuroscience and director of the Duke Center for Neuroeconomic Studies) attempts to help disprove the myth that simply aging makes us inferior at financial decision making compared to our younger counterparts. Dr. Huettel’s study was published earlier [...]

7 Ways to Improve Your Energy and Mental Focus

This Brain Fitness for Life blog  has delivered several articles on ways to keep your memory sharp. Many of you have also inquired about ways to keep your natural energy up throughout the day to help you concentrate better. There are some simple, scientifically proven, things you can do during the course of the day [...]

Mediterranean Diet Might Protect Against Alzheimer’s

It is well documented that a diet rich in antioxidants, leafy greens, nuts and fish benefits the body in a whole host of different ways. Fresh produce, fish – especially the kind rich in omega-3s like mackerel and salmon – and nuts provide lean protein, healthy fats and plenty of fiber, vitamins and minerals to [...]