After running into a post in which the author asked if anyone had
information/research on keeping memory healthy, I thought I'd post the
following article. It is re-published (but authored by me) from my own
blog:
In October, 2007, CBS program, 60 Minutes, featured the amazing,
86-year-old, Forrest M. Bird, who invented the respirator that would
make the iron lung obsolete. As of the airing of the program, Dr. Bird
remained certified to fly his airplane, which he continues to fly
regularly. Without re-telling the fascinating life story of the
pillar-straight, 6' 4"-tall, Bird, suffice it to say that this vibrant
man's mental acuity most likely surpasses that of any number of
30-year-olds.
Forrest M. Bird, MD, PhD, ScD, and founder of Bird Respiratory Care
Products, is, of course, no run-of-the-mill, average, guy. That, in
itself, offers one clue to ways to retain cognitive functioning in
advanced age. Dr. Bird may be unique in his legendary accomplishments,
but he is not unique when it comes to being elderly and remaining
mentally sharp. The world is full of elderly individuals who show no, or
very little, in mental sharpness. Most of us know more than one elderly
person who is a whole lot more on top of things in life than a lot of
younger people are.
A well known brain study, which was a collaboration between
collaboration between 678 Catholic sisters and Alzheimer's expert, David
Snowdon, looked at the lifestyles of the aging nuns, who showed lower
incidence of dementia. The nuns, who led quiet but social lives, were
people who regularly engaged in activities that kept their minds active.
A healthy diet was another factor. Probably needless to say, the nuns
did not drink or smoke. In autopsies performed upon their death, some
nuns, who had shown few or no signs of dementia while alive, were found
to have brains that showed the presence of advanced Alzheimer's disease.
In other words, they had Alzheimer's Disease but didn't show signs of
it while they were alive.
While, of course, information gained from a study like this cannot
guarantee the prevention of dementia in the presence of Alzheimer's
Disease, it does offer the proverbial food for thought.
Some basic information on the "Nun Studies"/David Snowdon can be found at the following link.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nun_Study
Also, there's a handful of videos on YouTube about Snowdon and the studies. Search "Nun Studies" or David Snowdon".
For the individual interested in reading additional, and more
"academic", material on the studies searching something like "Nun
Studies, David Snowdon, Alzheimer's" will result in a handful of
material that gets farther into the research/studies.
What are, then, recommended practices that could offer the best chance
of fending off mental decline? The most sensible and potentially
effective practices are as follows:
1. Remain mentally active. Engage in activities that make the brain
work. That can be reading, doing crossword puzzles, knitting,
challenging one's memory, or any number of activities that involve
actively thinking (rather than watching television, which doesn't
challenge the brain).
2. Get as much physical exercise as possible. Physical exercise is said
to possibly be the most effective protection against any number of
medical conditions. Aside from any direct benefit exercise offers the
brain, the indirect benefit of keeping a body healthier, longer, should
not overlooked. Not all decline in cognitive functioning is related to
the presence of Alzheimer's Disease. Some can occur as a result of other
medical conditions.
3. Eat a healthy diet. As with exercise, the benefits of a diet that is
healthy for the body includes being healthy for the brain. (After all,
the brain is part of the body.)
4. Get enough sleep. As with other "standard" health recommendations,
getting enough sleep can offer a real edge when it comes to maintaining
general health. Not getting enough sleep can have serious consequences,
including premature aging.
5. Have Social Interaction. Remaining in touch with family and friends,
and even interacting with a beloved pet, has been proven to offer
benefits.
6. Don't drink.
7. Don't smoke.
8. Learn how to manage chronic stress. Under chronic stress the body
goes into a stress response mode, and living in a chronic stress
response mode is dangerous. Learn ways to reduce stress, even when the
cause of stress cannot be eliminated. Good coping techniques, mental
relaxation techniques, listening to music, getting exercise, getting
fresh air, and getting one's mind off one's worries are all ways of
reducing the stress response.
Finally, most elderly people who remain sharp and vibrant will tell you
that remaining young at heart, and refusing to let chronological age
dictate one's thinking, may just be the best place to start one's
personal program of fending off mental decline.
