tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-344323142024-02-07T19:31:05.289-08:00Gene Morphis ' ViewAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.comBlogger411125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-90151530323817311992018-09-07T07:30:00.000-07:002018-09-07T07:30:36.809-07:00Manage Your Blood Pressure While Young to Have a Big Healthy Brain Later<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1zfoJ4qR7tJjaqWuabSeb2vZkF5wOs1yNElZ2vyNipQJ1v6zZ2IiBqnHdsuFuMhE117IC9M3iMV-ekb8X_bluinS8e8Nba3fD3COiV9FSCYpCrIrXLpefuIdcStvmqa5WJJU/s1600/BP+Cuff.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="205" data-original-width="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1zfoJ4qR7tJjaqWuabSeb2vZkF5wOs1yNElZ2vyNipQJ1v6zZ2IiBqnHdsuFuMhE117IC9M3iMV-ekb8X_bluinS8e8Nba3fD3COiV9FSCYpCrIrXLpefuIdcStvmqa5WJJU/s1600/BP+Cuff.png" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Anatomy Refresher<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The brain accounts for around 2 percent of body weight but
gets as much as twenty percent of blood pumped by the heart. There are about
370 miles of tiny “microvessels” in the brain. Those vessels deliver oxygen and
nutrients throughout the brain.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhitu1UTb-yRmJx75Jh6QlCDBXckssJD6CJ8YPk9REN9PJ4fJLhjeN97EG9K359NoZStsCG7hgeDEpCTj1Yq5M5qGix2vMbcka_BRelACrEQM6X0IfdqhQ4ovkbih4kjGp5A/s1600/Brain+image+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="214" data-original-width="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhitu1UTb-yRmJx75Jh6QlCDBXckssJD6CJ8YPk9REN9PJ4fJLhjeN97EG9K359NoZStsCG7hgeDEpCTj1Yq5M5qGix2vMbcka_BRelACrEQM6X0IfdqhQ4ovkbih4kjGp5A/s1600/Brain+image+3.png" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Blood Pressure and
Brain Health<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Two recently-released studies reveal the importance of blood
pressure management to brain health. More importantly, the researchers
discovered the importance of managing blood pressure in one’s forties, or even
younger. Dr. Matthew Pase, PhD, and Research Fellow in Neurology at the
University of Boston School of Medicine, and Dr. Charles DeCarli, Professor of
Neurology at the University of California Davis, presented a paper at the
Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in July. (We’ve mentioned Pase
in previous newsletters and posts. He used the highly-regarded Framingham Heart
Study to produce the now famous, and famously disconcerting, study on the deleterious
affects of not only sugary soda, but also diet soda.) Pase and DeCarli used Framingham
data to determine whether high blood pressure experienced at younger ages had
lingering effects on the brain later in life. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Meanwhile, in the UK, Christopher Lane, MD and PhD, and
Jonathan Schott, MD and Professor of Neurology, both at University College
London, were studying the same topic, using a group of about 13,000
participants who have been part of a UK research project since their birth in
1946.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Both research teams reached the same conclusion: that high
blood pressure in the age range of forty-to-early-fifties can result in brain
damage that shows up around age 70. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
damage is done to those microvessels. Curiously, high BP that occurs in the
late fifties and beyond doesn’t seem to have as negative an effect. <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.alzforum.org/news/conference-coverage/brain-damage-cardiovascular-disease-starts-earlier-you-think">Link
to a summary of that research here</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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An online search for “ideal blood pressure” and ways to
manage blood pressure will deliver all the information you could possibly want.
There are a number of non-medical ways to improve BP, as well as <o:p></o:p>a number of effective medicines. Don’t damage your big
brain.</div>
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<a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/pure-aromatherapy/products/jasmine-aromatherapy-set" target="_blank"><img alt=" Jasmine Aromatherapy Set" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_6SXTjGwqcywnZMXhyphenhyphendK9emAw77Zxa1t_BqyPBC2VNSLprjIjFrMEc0l08exQ4vkzXUR4NAnrEIR8BSgErRx3I8YYwp5R5WgImz6N6VwFDVwREtQIzXWdYDlm8MbDGrXDFM/s400/Jasmine+Blue+Tear+White+4MP.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Shameless Plug-Aromatherapy
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Fragrances such as jasmine, lavender and vanilla should help create an
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Have friends who need bigger brains? Please forward a link to this post
to them.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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PS – If you haven’t received a copy of our clever,
fun-and-fact-filled <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">9 Simple Steps to
Build a Bigger Brain</b>, send me an email <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="mailto:gene@BigBrain.Place">gene@BigBrain.Place</a></span> and we’ll get
it right to you.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-90010099052626444582018-08-02T06:44:00.000-07:002018-08-02T06:44:56.673-07:00Researchers Say Do This to Make Your Brain 10 Years Younger<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrIoDSVs2kIYzTpZxUOhTEJhNkcHHm58QFvrDRCTmcVrGXMxk50aiA3hqo0db-3qJzBmmHAk6zSxNIBIGgoWWcX4Hx_uNZ78PbgEw2WLMuV3zmIFUMJuTWFdFw8CiEX49LXK0/s1600/Crossword+Pic+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="1180" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrIoDSVs2kIYzTpZxUOhTEJhNkcHHm58QFvrDRCTmcVrGXMxk50aiA3hqo0db-3qJzBmmHAk6zSxNIBIGgoWWcX4Hx_uNZ78PbgEw2WLMuV3zmIFUMJuTWFdFw8CiEX49LXK0/s320/Crossword+Pic+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Do your parents or grandparents keep a pot of coffee brewing
all day? Do they spend the morning sipping a cup of coffee while working Jumble
and the crossword puzzle in the newspaper?<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Just because there is no evidence that it works doesn’t
mean that it doesn’t work. It just means that no one has paid for research to
determine whether or not it works.” That was my response to one of the earliest
subscribers to our newsletter. He is fond of crossword puzzles and was hopeful
that solving them would help build cognitive reserve. At that point we hadn’t
seen any research that indicated that word puzzles were useful. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Guess what: our subscriber and your family members are on to
something. There now is research to support that individuals regularly working
puzzles are building some serious brain strength.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Crossword Puzzles and
Fast Brains<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Here’s a quote from Professor Keith Wesnes at the University
of Exeter Medical School: “We found direct relationships between the frequency
of word puzzle use and the speed and accuracy of performance on nine cognitive
tasks assessing a range of aspects of function including attention, reasoning
and memory”. (Wesnes is Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at Exeter). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Researchers from Exeter and Kings College
London analyzed data from over 17,000 individuals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On some measures of reasoning speed and
short-term memory accuracy, frequent puzzle solvers performed at levels 10
years younger than their actual age. Clive Ballard, Professor of Age-Related
Diseases at Exeter noted: “We know that many of the factors involved in
dementia are preventable.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/featurednews/title_595009_en.html">More on
that research here</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Long-time readers will recognize “speed of processing” as an
essential measure of brain health. While super-fast speed of processing is an
attribute of the under-30-year-olds (in the new world of professional video
game players- i.e. “E-Sports” -competitors retire in their twenties), the level
of decline can be moderated by all the actions we continue to cover and
discuss. You won’t always think as fast as a young Einstein, but you don’t have
to accept slower thinking as inevitable either.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">We Need Your Help!<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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One of our best-selling items is our sensory blankets, aka
fidget blankets, fidget quilts, etc. That idea came from customer requests. Do
you know of brain-building items we should carry? A game, educational toy or
something else? Please let us know.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Shameless Plug<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Take a look at our <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/mind-games">brain-challenging puzzles</a></span>,
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/for-younger-children">educational
games for children</a></span>, and <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/games-for-2-or-more-players?page=2">brain-testing
board games</a></span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Check out Go, a 2,500 year-old board game. Easy to learn, but you soon realize it involves fiendishly complex strategy. </span>Have some fun
while building that mega-power brain.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg2yfieV2uyToQcj5QpJ1HErWe72dOzKWWIKgGRzS1u4dpYG43Wg02gJh9IYzS08V1XvV3Ze1M1LNxpmt9TDbzqQJ7CW3qUChmXZt8wU1f67ODIsL5luLXM9UCj10neM2JD-I/s320/Go+Action.jpeg" width="320" /><a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/games-for-2-or-more-players/products/go" target="_blank">Ancient game of Go</a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Coming attractions<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Back-to-school is on the immediate horizon. We’re working on
a guide of brain-boosting activities for everyone from preschoolers to college
kids. It also includes some other items that might be handy at high school or
on a college campus. Working adults may find a few interesting things as well.
Look for it very soon.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Have friends who need a bigger brains? Please link this post.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/">www.BigBrain.Place</a></span>
. Everything you need to grow a bigger brain.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Exercepted from our upcoming book: The Big Brain Guide to Brain Health. Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-45114764800268063362018-07-19T08:54:00.001-07:002018-07-19T08:55:51.560-07:00New Research on How to Use Exercise to Grow a Bigger Brain<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoofgReNINqJaohsPX-SdJd0tNQfdG5ye48TCoQQ7lRsK-PHh5xgY0m7KCPbopGE8VYeRJNgOtVuT6cVDn2UO-F8LEJVQrRDN6mEUJAB60thNGpAUidmhHUNXRP_FHFneJzMo/s1600/Exercise.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoofgReNINqJaohsPX-SdJd0tNQfdG5ye48TCoQQ7lRsK-PHh5xgY0m7KCPbopGE8VYeRJNgOtVuT6cVDn2UO-F8LEJVQrRDN6mEUJAB60thNGpAUidmhHUNXRP_FHFneJzMo/s320/Exercise.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Good News<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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We’re swamped with research on how to grow and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>maintain</u></i> a bigger brain into old
age. Much of the research emphasizes exercise as essential to brain health at
every age. Here’s a summary of relevant baseline research, then we’ll move to some
new, interesting and thought-provoking research.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Background<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Dr. Carl Cotman and Dr. Nicole Berchtold of the University
of California Institute for Brain Aging and Dementia performed research on
aerobic exercise and brain health. Cotman and Berchtold concentrated on
“brain-derived neurotrophic factor” (BDNF). Because, in their words “it
supports the survival and growth of many neuronal subtypes, including
glutamatergic neurons”. In our (very) layman understanding, BDNF is a protein
that helps nerve cells do, well, a lot. Grow in particular, as well as get
stronger and avoid premature cellular death.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Cotman and Berchtold learned that the act of consistent
exercise increased levels of BNDF in the hippocampus. This finding was
important, because previously the assumption was that the brain benefited as a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">secondary</i> effect of exercise, from
improved blood flow, etc. But their research indicated that it benefitted <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">directly</i> from exercise. Said differently,
the brain benefits in two ways from exercise: by improving circulation and
reducing blood pressure, exercise contributes to brain health indirectly. But
it also contributes directly by triggering BDNF production. Link to that
foundational research <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/bf57/1cf0645ed214ad2f16c3ffac15f2db6522c9.pdf">here</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Long-term subscribers know that part of our belief is that a
healthy lifestyle and efforts to build a big brain are inextricably linked: to
enjoy your super-power brain, you want to live a long time.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHNqHl7TFrrbk-c7Lmm5ISs8A2X6GN0T1_Hb7C2wajEQ7LD_saJAODqEv-mTU4-euvUNNDo0K1KKV8AETIaKIzse3fd24wBC2EYcXibe4SmR30FUGOX21LbBYiUXFcAb5-_Q/s1600/smart+brain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHNqHl7TFrrbk-c7Lmm5ISs8A2X6GN0T1_Hb7C2wajEQ7LD_saJAODqEv-mTU4-euvUNNDo0K1KKV8AETIaKIzse3fd24wBC2EYcXibe4SmR30FUGOX21LbBYiUXFcAb5-_Q/s1600/smart+brain.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">New Findings<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->An American Heart Association report indicates
that:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Very fit individuals with high cholesterol and
triglycerides have a lower risk of premature death than unfit individuals
taking statin drugs. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Low fitness is a stronger predictor of premature
death than smoking or high blood pressure. Link <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/early/2016/11/21/CIR.0000000000000461">here</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Dr. Marni Boppart is the head of the Molecular
Muscle Physiology Laboratory at the University of IL-Champagne-Urbana. She and
two others wrote <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Choosing the StrongPath:
Reversing the Downward Spiral of Aging. </i>In the book, they argue that
sarcopenia, the loss of muscle and strength associated with old age, is not
inevitable at all, but rather the result of the tendency of older adults to
become more sedentary. Further, this loss of muscle is associated with higher
risks of all kinds of bad stuff: Alzheimer’s Disease, infections, diabetes,
heart disease and falls. Their recipe: regular strength training.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Christine Wrann, PhD and assistant professor of
Medicine at the Harvard Medical School is involved in research on endurance
exercise and brain health. Studies indicate that six months of consistent
endurance exercise results in the creation of new brain cells in areas involved
in formation of new memories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Further,
it increases brain volume in the prefrontal and temporal cortex, which are
areas that normally shrink with age. [Bigger Brain boys and girls. Bigger
Brain.]<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I’ll Bet You Haven’t
Heard This Before<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Michelle Motolla, PhD and professor at Western University in
Ontario CN studies exercise and pregnant women. Her research shows that
pregnant woman who don’t exercise are 2.5 times more likely to have an
overweight infant. Moreover, half of the pregnant women who develop gestational
diabetes have a overweight newborn, and those infants are more likely to become
obese adults. Links <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26704894">here</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21324938">here</a></span>
and <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25932847">here</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">And a Warning<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Barry Franklin, PhD at Wayne State, warns of the risk of
vigorous exercise for those not already in shape. Vigorous exertion can
markedly increase the risk of sudden cardiac death when done by someone not
already fit. Those of us in the cold and snowy sections of the country see this
every winter where someone shoveling snow suffers a fatal heart attack. <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11932-004-0001-5">Link here</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you aren’t working
out regularly, see your physician first and then begin your program gradually.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">In Case You Missed It<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our take on how you can prevent stress from damaging your
brain. Link <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://bigbrain.place/blogs/news/stress-can-be-deadly-heres-how-to-control-it">here</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We covered the diet almost guaranteed to grow a bigger
brain. Link <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://bigbrain.place/blogs/news/this-diet-is-almost-guaranteed-to-grow-a-bigger-brain">here</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Notes<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our activity blankets for dementia sufferers are back in
stock. In our view, ours are better than others in seven ways. If you are
thinking of purchasing one for someone, may we suggest you order soon? We tend
to sell out quickly, and our skilled artisans who make them have limited
capacity. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirzyFCfYvxze_N0llOZDhI-h5NlmFAqRPZZkyNAX0KVfg2L4kmr0UJHMlM-0GpYw5NFJVitYAQrPd9g7p9_zLzlglTgTuMGeMbAuGXxqLw5LrTVeoT1U00okOnb5Inqsdl6tw/s1600/Red+And+Blue+Flannel_Fleece.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirzyFCfYvxze_N0llOZDhI-h5NlmFAqRPZZkyNAX0KVfg2L4kmr0UJHMlM-0GpYw5NFJVitYAQrPd9g7p9_zLzlglTgTuMGeMbAuGXxqLw5LrTVeoT1U00okOnb5Inqsdl6tw/s320/Red+And+Blue+Flannel_Fleece.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Shameless Plug<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Take a look at our <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/mind-games">brain-challenging puzzles</a></span>,
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/for-younger-children">educational
games for children</a></span>, and <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/games-for-2-or-more-players?page=2">brain-testing
board games</a></span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have some fun
while building that mega-power brain.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOtTHe186-henPAtOVwI6wv1Nwl3B-6ZRDQMPGMD9D9e6OBbndQ4h1CRE3nZIGz5H0-Fsc2Z3VJe8Qw8BI9HT2dq5zB7OIe0BmMkWxSm-deUIFKwGAmeWx4RVCTWxvYp_kPjw/s1600/Lo+Shu+Square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOtTHe186-henPAtOVwI6wv1Nwl3B-6ZRDQMPGMD9D9e6OBbndQ4h1CRE3nZIGz5H0-Fsc2Z3VJe8Qw8BI9HT2dq5zB7OIe0BmMkWxSm-deUIFKwGAmeWx4RVCTWxvYp_kPjw/s320/Lo+Shu+Square.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Coming attractions<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
New research on the health benefits of coffee. While you are
waiting on that new research, why not enjoy a cup of ours?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: red;">www.BigBrain.Place. Everything you need to grow a bigger brain.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Have friends who need a bigger brains? Please send them a link to this post.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`</i></b>Excerpted from the upcoming book: The Bigger Brain Program.
Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-33565070311715576592018-06-22T10:54:00.002-07:002018-06-22T10:54:13.323-07:00Stress Can Kill You; Science Shows How to Beat It.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcPYQ7iRl4UXEbzyEpYR14JwX5xtNPVOLBJv_j0N8OlALSsJmRHN7HrtAaorUEhb05AdRBITWVSuNx7cwqeKLDgOImR0Whiea5X44m5Sit0aCgE90o5a9hswVIEoPp6ETYxB0/s1600/Meditate.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1097" data-original-width="1600" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcPYQ7iRl4UXEbzyEpYR14JwX5xtNPVOLBJv_j0N8OlALSsJmRHN7HrtAaorUEhb05AdRBITWVSuNx7cwqeKLDgOImR0Whiea5X44m5Sit0aCgE90o5a9hswVIEoPp6ETYxB0/s320/Meditate.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In previous posts, we’ve discussed the deleterious effects
stress has on brain health. Stress is linked to headaches, stomachaches, missed
periods and erectile dysfunction. It is also tied to type 2 diabetes, heart
attack, stroke, depression and insomnia. It may be a risk factor for cancer
and, by weakening the immune system, make us vulnerable to illnesses of all
kinds. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a growing
body of knowledge of how using various techniques of controlled breathing can
offset stress effects.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Science of Deep
Breathing and Breath Control<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdA8cR_DcJX1Op1_jMV1KwYbg9Hz9dLTLD0M_Ysz_6AHJa7l-ie54zT3E0zFIrfZ2j4gQ5zkjTWoS6OtIJSO8G-vbcceVlkQ9inRXLRy6GEmGrwnRT06h9ZVyPbyPimF8Plw/s1600/Medulla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="187" data-original-width="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdA8cR_DcJX1Op1_jMV1KwYbg9Hz9dLTLD0M_Ysz_6AHJa7l-ie54zT3E0zFIrfZ2j4gQ5zkjTWoS6OtIJSO8G-vbcceVlkQ9inRXLRy6GEmGrwnRT06h9ZVyPbyPimF8Plw/s1600/Medulla.jpg" /></a>Medical science discovered the sympathetic and parasympathetic
systems years ago. Among other functions, those systems control our breathing
automatically. At the base of the brain is the brain stem which includes the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">medulla oblongata</i>. The medulla oblongata
extends from the spinal cord into the brain. Among its functions are monitoring
carbon dioxide levels in the blood and adjusting as appropriate. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Doctor Matthew MacKinnon uses an automobile metaphor to
explain those systems: the sympathetic nervous system is an analog to the gas
pedal, while the parasympathetic nervous system is the brake. Sensors in our
lungs use the sympathetic system to notify the brain stem that our lungs need
to expand, e.g.-put on the gas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then the
parasympathetic system kicks in telling the lungs to put on the brakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When contracting, the lungs push the blood,
freshly filled with oxygen, throughout the body.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Researchers at Trinity College of Neuroscience and the
Global Brain Health Institute at Trinity in Dublin set out to find the exact
mechanism that makes this work, and whether breathing exercises might influence
it. Here’s what they found: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Noradrenaline</i>,
or norepinephrine, is a chemical messenger that is released in the brain stem.
It focuses attention, increases alertness and is responsible for the effect
known as fight or flight. They found that it is produced in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">locus coeruleus</i>, which is also in the
brain stem. Michael Melnychuk, PhD candidate at Trinity, was the lead author of
the study.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He noted “When we are stressed
we produce too much noradrenaline and we can’t focus. When we feel sluggish, we
produce too little and again we can’t focus. There is a sweet spot of
noradrenaline in which our emotions, thinking and memory are much clearer. This
study has shown that as you breathe in locus coeruleus activity is increasing
slightly, and as you breathe out it decreases. Put simply this means that our
attention is influenced by our breath and that is rises and falls with the
cycle of respiration. It is possible that by focusing on and regulating your
breathing you can optimize your attention level and likewise, by focusing on
your attention level, your breathing becomes more synchronized.”</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi00kjuhz6OU_LKFDB3zKWMXQhfkawQRS_fa4aKj3jwQSBY94BlsflCnW5obWvZxDRvUhZo225xARQBs_kAmrF_OBnA3PTEM7SzEXZzwS_Ti_du8Kl84ZHF_x36q06Olh4HSWQ/s1600/Controlled+Breathing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi00kjuhz6OU_LKFDB3zKWMXQhfkawQRS_fa4aKj3jwQSBY94BlsflCnW5obWvZxDRvUhZo225xARQBs_kAmrF_OBnA3PTEM7SzEXZzwS_Ti_du8Kl84ZHF_x36q06Olh4HSWQ/s1600/Controlled+Breathing.jpg" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Buddha Had It Figured<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In other words, medical science is catching up with what The
Buddha, Isaac and countless Yogis have known for 2,500 years or so. By
consciously instituting deep breathing, we take control away from the brain
stem temporarily and give everything an oxygen booster shot. Further, by
relaxing and remaining still, we reduce the need for oxygen.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
According to Dr. MacKinnon, taking control of your breathing
for a while can be relaxing and calming. Your heart is also tuned-in to all
this respiration work as well; you can read more with <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/neuraptitude/201602/the-science-slow-deep-breathing">this
link</a></span> to MacKinnon’s work.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ian Robertson, PhD is Co-Director of the Global Brain Health
Institute at Trinity and Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology was also
involved in the Trinity study. He noted: “It is believed that by observing the
breath, and regulating it in precise ways-a practice known as pranayama-changes
in arousal, attention and emotional control that can be of great benefit to the
meditator are realized. Our research finds that there is evidence to support
the view that there is a strong connection between breath-centered practices
and a steadiness of mind”. Another comment from Robertson: “Brains typically
lose mass as they age, but less so in the brains of long term meditators. More
‘youthful’ brains have a reduced risk of dementia and mindfulness meditation
techniques actually strengthen brain networks.” Link for more information about
this research <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.tcd.ie/news_events/articles/the-yogi-masters-were-right-breathing-exercises-can-sharpen-your-mind/8917">here</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Seems like rather good rationale to meditate.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">In Case You Missed It<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We covered the diet almost guaranteed to grow a bigger brain.
Link <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://bigbrain.place/blogs/news/this-diet-is-almost-guaranteed-to-grow-a-bigger-brain">here</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We discussed how experiencing certain positive emotions are
positive for brain health. Link <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://bigbrain.place/blogs/news/can-nature-heal">here</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Very Important Note<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We’ve sold all of our activity blankets for dementia
sufferers. We’re getting our micro factory here in MA geared up to make more
ASAP. With recommendations from customers and the help of our blanket (OK- she
insists it is a quilt) designer, we have some ideas to make the next ones even
better. If you’ve been thinking about ordering one for a family member or
friend afflicted with dementia, please send Blane an email <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="mailto:Blane@BigBrain.Place">Blane@BigBrain.Place</a></span>
so that he can reserve one for you.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Shameless Plug<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We know that many of you already meditate. We offer two
books that are suitable for both beginners and experienced meditators who want
to expand their practice. We selected “unplug A Simple Guide to Meditation for
Busy Skeptics and Modern Soul Seekers” by Suze Yalof Schwartz, and “Meditation
Made Easy More Than 50 Exercises For Peace, Relaxation and Mindfulness” by
Preston Bentley only after reading a number of titles on the topic. Link to learn
more or purchase <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/meditation">here</a></span>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMcNw9_xhHyaWLBXksqLNyfyj3UQdYtDLlLaTclTa3YTXtkx8bdxgxNGEM-11Bd4_jFbW_XmCBD8Fj18pdbUcQf-vqcldg0XbL783QqA1qz_LoRMM95IHRwIYg6yf71ciB6VU/s1600/Meditation+books+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMcNw9_xhHyaWLBXksqLNyfyj3UQdYtDLlLaTclTa3YTXtkx8bdxgxNGEM-11Bd4_jFbW_XmCBD8Fj18pdbUcQf-vqcldg0XbL783QqA1qz_LoRMM95IHRwIYg6yf71ciB6VU/s320/Meditation+books+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Have a friend who needs a bigger brain? Please forward this email.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/">www.BigBrain.Place</a> .</span> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Everything you need to grow a bigger
brain.</span></i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Please share our posts.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Excerpted from our upcoming book “How to Grow a Bigger
Brain. Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-52037487092890544172018-05-30T07:44:00.002-07:002018-05-30T07:44:18.229-07:00Go Barefoot - Have a Healthier Heart & Brain?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDASrBtTrUjQ4fY-mhHMs5fM4ji2Fi46zOFKbJ7XZNSEplNLj1VPZYbH51AppHTY8_x4YhzXfdjCn7X_5-y9L537NBYcat6wCySufAjx0iR1LFtI3sQMzJea5Re3MP-rSJLeY/s1600/barefeet+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDASrBtTrUjQ4fY-mhHMs5fM4ji2Fi46zOFKbJ7XZNSEplNLj1VPZYbH51AppHTY8_x4YhzXfdjCn7X_5-y9L537NBYcat6wCySufAjx0iR1LFtI3sQMzJea5Re3MP-rSJLeY/s1600/barefeet+1.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Robert Parker had a hit with his song “Barefootin” in 1966.
Who knew he was talking about brain health.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Hypothesis 1</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is a hypothesis that we need to spend more time
barefoot. Those holding the view that we should spend more time shoeless base
it on the idea that our ancestors spent eons that way. By wearing shoes all the
time, our brains are not getting important signals from those thousands of
nerves on the soles of our feet. By going barefoot, we restore the flow of
information into the brain, keep those nerve pathways active and so on.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Hypothesis 2</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is an additional, related hypothesis in favor of us
spending a lot more time barefoot-particularly outside. The leading proponent
of this idea is Dr. James Oschman. Dr. Oschman has degrees in Biophysics and
Biology from the University of Pittsburgh. According to him, planet earth gives
off free electrons, which can transfer into our bodies if we don’t have an
insulation layer in the form of shoes. And that those free electrons, once
introduced into our bodies, are potent free radical scavengers. (A free radical
is a molecule with an unpaired electron, making it highly reactive. In a giant
over-simplification, free radicals are associated with heart disease via
oxidative stress.) This hypothesis is generally known as “earthing” or
“grounding”. Dr. Oshchman wrote about the benefits of barefooting in his book <u>Energy
Medicine: The Scientific Basis</u>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Therefore, if you walk barefoot in the grass, not only will
you be stimulating nerve pathways from your toes all the way to your brain, you’ll
also get a healthy dose of electrons, which will pair with the free radicals
and thereby neutralize them. And your heart and brain will be better for it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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If you decide to try it, don’t call us if you step on
something sharp.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Have a friend who needs a bigger brain? Please use the links below to
share this post.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/">www.BigBrain.Place</a> offers fun
products that are good for your brain.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Excerpted
from the upcoming book <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>How to Grow a
Bigger Brain</u></b>. Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-5573557584123361382018-05-11T07:52:00.001-07:002018-05-11T07:53:54.327-07:00Is Coffee Carcinogenic- or a Miracle Drug?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26fl2Yx4agQFySzzfZXu-feiwGzklGVO89EMlUeui2PEIbKR8KKRYg1hdwmmQSfHlmYTcagndNJiBViXld8QwoRNZk5H3v4kvDCUGXmb5S7B_09ahdB6kNXqBTwcRE65PGAk/s1600/pouring-hot-coffee_4460x4460.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26fl2Yx4agQFySzzfZXu-feiwGzklGVO89EMlUeui2PEIbKR8KKRYg1hdwmmQSfHlmYTcagndNJiBViXld8QwoRNZk5H3v4kvDCUGXmb5S7B_09ahdB6kNXqBTwcRE65PGAk/s320/pouring-hot-coffee_4460x4460.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">COFFEE CAUSES
CANCER!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wait, not so fast.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You might have seen that CA Judge Elihu Berle has ruled that
coffee shops, convenience stores and others selling coffee must publicly post
in each location that it contains a carcinogen named acrylamide.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Background<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Here’s the Cliff Notes version of a complex story. In 1986,
CA passed Prop 65, which required retailers and others to post a list of any
toxic materials that someone might be exposed to while in their store. The list
must be easily visible. Since a lot of stuff is toxic in large quantities-e.g-aspirin-
or a lot of common household products are toxic if consumed – e.g.- Clorox- the
list of dangerous products that could be in a clothing store or coffee shop
quickly became enormous. (Probably defeated the original purpose of Prop 65,
but that’s a different discussion).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwTboAF4OPGUW9KlMsDaQOOALpUK18VIFcp_RARf2JEF7pmgTnuezg75HqsWtl0OVKZQapB9gvLWK_L7ozDlHzSc1BMHNj1RKx57xVHEz_F7Bvrhjg3YlnjRXvLpvwrMXnqxs/s1600/French+Fries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="167" data-original-width="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwTboAF4OPGUW9KlMsDaQOOALpUK18VIFcp_RARf2JEF7pmgTnuezg75HqsWtl0OVKZQapB9gvLWK_L7ozDlHzSc1BMHNj1RKx57xVHEz_F7Bvrhjg3YlnjRXvLpvwrMXnqxs/s1600/French+Fries.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What’s “acrylamide”?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You probably consume some every day. Any time a starch is
cooked at over 250 degrees, acrylamide is produced. French fries. Potato chips.
Toast. And, roasting coffee beans. Acrylamide, administered in large doses in
animal test models, causes cancer. So far, there is little evidence that it
does so in humans. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Medical Studies Show
a Benefit to Coffee Consumption<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you are like me, a cup of coffee every morning, or more
than one cup of coffee every morning, is essential to getting started. Despite
Judge Berle, research studies tend to reveal that a cup of coffee is actually
quite healthy. Here are some findings:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Coffee seems <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">help prevent type II diabetes</i></b>
(OK- not so much if you put four sugar packets in every cup).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
maintains a longitudinal study that includes tracking coffee consumption. One
element in this ongoing study compares people drinking three to five cups a day
to those drinking less or no coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>From the study, “Bioactive compounds in coffee reduce insulin resistance
and systematic inflammation…”. The study concluded that regular coffee drinkers
had lower risks of cardiovascular disease, neurological diseases, type 2
diabetes and suicide. Link to the study <a href="http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/early/2015/11/10/CIRCULATIONAHA.115.017341"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">here</i>.</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Coffee also has some positive impact on liver
disease and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">reduces the likelihood of developing liver cancer</i></b>. According to
Dr. Carlo La Vecchia, part of the research team from the Medical School at the
University of Milan: “Our research confirms past claims that coffee is good for
your health, and particularly the liver.” The study found a 40% reduction in
the risk of a type of liver cancer called hepatocellular carcinoma. Link to the
study <a href="https://www.cghjournal.org/article/S1542-3565(13)00609-5/abstract"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">here</i></a>. <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->According to a study performed by the University
of Southern California Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center of the Keck School of
Medicine, coffee consumption is associated with a<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">lower risk of colorectal cancer</b></i>.
Consumption of one-to-two cups per day were associated with a 26% lower
incidence of colorectal cancer. In fact, Dr. Steven Gruber, MD, PhD, MPH said <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“<span style="background: white;">We found that drinking coffee is associated with lower
risk of colorectal cancer, and the more coffee consumed, the lower the
risk". Those men and women who drank on average 2.5 cups per day had a 50%
lower incidence of colorectal cancer. Link to that study </span></span><a href="https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-07-coffee-death_1.html"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">here</span></i><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.</span></a><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: black;">Dr. Murray
Mittleman, of the Harvard School of Public Health, et al, also researched
coffee and health, resulting in a report titled: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Habitual Coffee Consumption and Risk of Heart Failure A Dose-Response
Meta-Analysis</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was the
research-scientist title. The press release on the study had a much better
headline: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Moderate Coffee Consumption
Offers Protection Against Heart Failure</b>. (Mittleman and the other
researchers introduced the term “dose” to the medical literature on coffee,
which let me know that I’m self-medicating with large dosages). Link to the
study </span><a href="http://circheartfailure.ahajournals.org/content/early/2012/06/26/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.112.967299"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">here</span></i></a><span style="background: white; color: black;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: black;">Dr. Muhammad Beg,
a GI specialist at the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at the UT
Southwestern Medical Center noted: “We don’t quite know how coffee exerts its
health benefit because there are many different compounds in coffee. But
researchers have shown that both caffeinated and decaf can be helpful. Studies suggest
that people who drink coffee may decrease the risk of colon cancer”. Link to
that report </span><a href="http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/newsroom/articles/year-2018/coffee-colon-cancer.html"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">here</span></i></a><span style="background: white; color: black;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Finally, the clincher. A very
large study- over 500,000 participants across Europe- produced a ringing
endorsement for coffee. Known as the EPIC study: European Prospective
Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, the study reported: Coffee drinking
was associated with reduced risk for death from various causes. This
relationship did not vary by country.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> One of the leaders of the research
project, Dr. Marc Gunter stated, “<span style="background: white; color: black;">We
found that higher coffee consumption was associated with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">lower risk of death from any
cause</i></b>, and specifically for circulatory diseases, and digestive
diseases". Link to the study </span></span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28693038/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">here</span></i></a><span style="background: white; color: black;">.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black;">This study has been widely reported;
there are a lot of us coffee drinkers rejoicing at these findings. However, frequently
the headline in print and read by television news readers was “coffee
consumption reduces the risk of dying”. Sorry. Our risk of dying remains 100%.
What coffee consumption does is reduce the risk of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">premature</i> dying. Still, not bad for something that also can perk
you up- pun fully intended.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLikyhk1S46Y_PyDTb-di1bJwkkAG-Y7t-3pNs43qom2fZ3iUOY-7xKBxDSy080yfwGVZvie_Q1gq4CxwCziEoOVIb3YVPX0vde0G7qHavfsFzOIMRWo21GPFfuOuhtej7qbY/s1600/pot+of+coffee+IStock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="612" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLikyhk1S46Y_PyDTb-di1bJwkkAG-Y7t-3pNs43qom2fZ3iUOY-7xKBxDSy080yfwGVZvie_Q1gq4CxwCziEoOVIb3YVPX0vde0G7qHavfsFzOIMRWo21GPFfuOuhtej7qbY/s320/pot+of+coffee+IStock.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black;"><br /></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Usual Disclaimers<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
None of us at Big Brain Place Inc. are doctors. If you look
to us for medical advice you’re making a big mistake. But, in our opinion the
CA courts are making a mistake. Medical evidence at this point seems to favor
coffee, not find deleterious health effects.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In full disclosure we sell coffee. And to celebrate our
opposition to Judge Elihu Berle, ESQ, we’re announcing our coffee sampler
extravaganza. All three of our premium, small batch, fresh-and-locally roasted
blends for $36. One each of our classic 100% Colombian Benchmark, our mild and
fragrant Blend and our darker roasted Bold. This whole-bean coffee is roasted
for us by one of the first local small-batch roasters in New England. For those
of you who don’t grind beans for freshness every time you make a pot-shame on
you. Ah, wait, that should say that we are working on getting these same
flavors in freshly ground as well. Here’s a link: <a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/coffee/products/big-brain-coffee-collection">coffee
sale</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Shameless Plug<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We have a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">free
shipping on everything</b> promotion right now. That means that for a couple of
particularly heavy items, we are selling below our cost. It’s your opportunity
to get even with the man. Enter code:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">FREE</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>at checkout.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;"><a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/">www.BigBrain.Place</a>
offers fun products that are good for your brain.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Excerpted from our upcoming book: How to Grow a Bigger Brain. Copywrite 2018. All rights reserved.</span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-64085659379658655582018-04-25T08:17:00.000-07:002018-04-25T08:17:38.746-07:00Eat Chocolate: Prevent Heart Disease?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQogAKcofi2W-kwxcpGPTJKxSagdcaW5VQxWdm_NQPsLK9Omji_CHzhVQzpJNwcuMvaE8GK3AiVYPAyJRqUrq3H9J1h7G4PVI98hYR01Abo0bu5rRwRGn7JHffQ_RwqUVLYKs/s1600/Choc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQogAKcofi2W-kwxcpGPTJKxSagdcaW5VQxWdm_NQPsLK9Omji_CHzhVQzpJNwcuMvaE8GK3AiVYPAyJRqUrq3H9J1h7G4PVI98hYR01Abo0bu5rRwRGn7JHffQ_RwqUVLYKs/s1600/Choc.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Regular consumers of
chocolate are about 42% less likely to develop cardiovascular heart disease</b>.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A research team from The University of Manchester and other
institutes set out to determine if there is a relationship between chocolate
consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. (Chocolate is rich
in flavonoid <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">catechin.</i>)<o:p></o:p></div>
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The researchers included Dr. Chun Shing Kwok, S. Matthijs
Boekholdt, Marleen A. H. Lentjes and others from the Medical Schools at the University
of Manchester, University of Aberdeen, University of Cambridge, the Academic
Medical Center in Amsterdam and other research institutes. They used data from
the massive European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC) study. (You
may recall that we’ve referred to other research reports stemming from EPIC).
They isolated a qualifying group of 21,000 adults in the UK who have
participated in the study for about 12 years. The data recorded for that group
included frequency of consumption of chocolate (or no consumption). Over that 12-year
period, about 9.7% of those individuals who most consistently enjoyed chocolate
developed cardiovascular heart disease (CHD), compared to 13.8% of those who
consumed the least. Occurrence of stroke was even more pronounced at 3.1% of
the real chocolate lovers having a stroke compared to 5.4% of those who ate the
least. Link to the research <a href="http://heart.bmj.com/content/101/16/1279"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">here</i></a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Grab a hunk of dark chocolate. After all, it’s for your
heart.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Shameless Plug<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We’d like to offer chocolate to our customers, but shipping
it requires all kinds of refrigeration and special packaging. Better left for
other purveyors. But we do have some very fun educational toys, which are on sale
for just a little longer. Grab them now while supplies last. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/">www.BigBrain.Place</a> offers fun stuff that
is good for your brain.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Please share this post.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Every issue of our
newsletter has brain-building tips. Sign up at <a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/">www.BigBrain.Place</a> and get our fun,
science-based 9 Simple Steps to Build a Bigger Brain infographic.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Excerpted from our upcoming book: The Bigger Brain Program.
Copywrite 2018. All rights reserved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-18446145494797966502018-04-12T09:14:00.000-07:002018-04-12T09:14:52.010-07:00Is Too Little Sleep As Bad For Your Brain as Crack?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPv8vrx0NcRi7YXHKKM2btVQVfdAAqCpOILqnalrRUNDlNL6odbObI0upNw89Dvf81-bERXCSTuguyjRJivhIKD3yAu9mK7s0Xs3pQAuS3ORP7GFEsYt1GH-gdbs52o96fA4/s1600/Sleep+8+hours.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1295" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPv8vrx0NcRi7YXHKKM2btVQVfdAAqCpOILqnalrRUNDlNL6odbObI0upNw89Dvf81-bERXCSTuguyjRJivhIKD3yAu9mK7s0Xs3pQAuS3ORP7GFEsYt1GH-gdbs52o96fA4/s320/Sleep+8+hours.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sleep is essential to brain health. Dr. Nora Volkow just
gave a speech titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Probing the
Sleep-Deprived Human Brain</i>. Dr. Volkow is the Director of the National
Institute on Drug Abuse-part of the National Institute for Health She gave that
speech at Radcliffe College which was reported in the Harvard Gazette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Volkow is an expert on the effects of
addictive drugs on the brain, particularly the effects that cocaine has on the
brain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She has found that cocaine disrupts <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dopamine</i> transmission. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays an
essential role in brain function. In part, it is released by neurons to signal
other neurons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Specifically, she found
that that using cocaine resulted in brain cells releasing dopamine but being
unable to receive it. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">She has found that
lack of sleep can have the same effect on dopamine transmission.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here is a quote from her: “Yet lack of sleep itself produces
some of the same effects that drugs do: It disrupts memory, inhibits alertness
and can contribute to obesity. It also results in accidents, and there are more
fatalities associated with improper sleep behavior than there are with
alcohol.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2018/03/harvard-talk-probes-sleep-deprived-brain/">Link
to the article here.</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another shameless plug: we offer some really great products
to help you sleep. Aromatherapy sets including lavender fragrance which many
folks find helps them drift off, and oversized, silk sleep masks to block
light.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i> www.BigBrain.Place offers fun products that are good for your brain.</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This post is an excerpt from the upcoming book: <i>Grow a Bigger Brain</i>. Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-41957559490112961822018-04-05T08:11:00.000-07:002018-04-05T08:11:44.844-07:00<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhxpW6ZlDqVfxof9TYjP1FQYsULZj4deP5YzKiVeom7Lg14XZTSt2MnbzWOX7nwzEDUF7LgtbTBkHp5qSPfPyw5rCHvgc2yhuvdPo_5gZeTa93Z64GlPPbenVm1yHOMB-Sf8/s1600/VO2+Max+and+Bike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhxpW6ZlDqVfxof9TYjP1FQYsULZj4deP5YzKiVeom7Lg14XZTSt2MnbzWOX7nwzEDUF7LgtbTBkHp5qSPfPyw5rCHvgc2yhuvdPo_5gZeTa93Z64GlPPbenVm1yHOMB-Sf8/s1600/VO2+Max+and+Bike.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The approach that </span>Kan Ding, MD, Takashi Tarumi, PhD, and
team used to evaluate brain health in relation to breathing is unique and
interesting. They used oxygen uptake as a measure of fitness. You’ve likely
seen a tv commercial or video with a professional athlete or perhaps an Olympic
hopeful running or biking with a mask and tube strapped to their face. That
equipment is measuring “VO2Max” or the use of oxygen by someone exercising.
Distance runners, cross country skiers and the like must consume and burn
oxygen highly efficiently if they want to be competitive<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The University of Texas Southwest Medical Center recently
opened its new Brain Institute. That’s where Doctors Ding, Tarumi and
associates work. They recruited 91 participants diagnosed with mild cognitive
impairment. Generally, that means they were able to care for themselves but
were noticing some memory difficulty. Participants in the study had VO2Max
measured, had brain image scans, and various tests of cognition performed. The
conclusion: the lower the fitness level, the faster the deterioration in brain
fiber. Specifically, the deterioration of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">white
matter</i>. We’ve mentioned white matter previously. It is bundles of axons
which connect various gray matter areas to each other and to the spinal cord.
It’s one of the foundation parts of the brain and its operation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>White matter is critical to taking it new
information, assessing its importance (or lack thereof) and make good, timely
decisions. That ability is associated with lower risk of dementia or
Alzheimer’s disease. Link to the <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180214181952.htm">underlying
research here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Fire up the exercise bike.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Shameless Plug<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Are your kids bored with their Christmas presents by now?
We’re having a sale at www.BigBrain.Place on our brain games for kids. Great
brain-teasers. Twenty percent off. Supplies are definitely limited. Enter code
BR4K at checkout. <a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/for-younger-children">Link to those
games here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">www.BigBrain.Place</span></i></b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> offers fun stuff that is good for your brain.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">From our
upcoming book <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Guidebook to a Bigger
Brain</u></b>. Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-60280675698136957072018-03-29T07:22:00.001-07:002018-03-29T07:22:32.105-07:00Lusting for That Standing Desk? Researchers Say Think Twice<div class="MsoNormal">
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTYG1naCxQGhqtBxfy_mqRS_26eu8CM9-nfcC67u-AiE5GM5nYL3z35pmpO3hry7ET51rbu1hmCMOsHbmVfC238-QngeEh87VXIP6UUByTozbjJmwp_rp_Y6Q0iQj_7BG_dIQ/s1600/WESDs_Laptop_Standing_Desk_Conversion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="500" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTYG1naCxQGhqtBxfy_mqRS_26eu8CM9-nfcC67u-AiE5GM5nYL3z35pmpO3hry7ET51rbu1hmCMOsHbmVfC238-QngeEh87VXIP6UUByTozbjJmwp_rp_Y6Q0iQj_7BG_dIQ/s320/WESDs_Laptop_Standing_Desk_Conversion.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Standing desks are the rage. Star coders demand a standing
desk, along with a truckload of stock options, to change jobs. TV commercials
show these lean, obviously high-achiever types using their stand-up desks.
Can’t wait to get one? Think twice. A team at the University of Toronto School
of Public Health did a study. Here’s the punch line: <i>Prolonged standing at work doubles heart attack risk</i>. Peter M.
Smith, MD, PhD led the study of over 7,000 individuals. The research goal was to get
real-world measurement of standing versus sitting in a business setting. They
divided the individuals into four groups: mostly standing, mostly sitting,
stand and walk, mix of positions like crouching and kneeling. Those who stood
the most head a greater risk of heart disease.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Importantly, most of the tests were done in a factory
setting where workers had less opportunity to move, stretch or sit.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Overall conclusion – move around some. If your job allows,
sit when you get tired of standing. Link to a research summary <a href="https://theconversation.com/standing-too-much-at-work-can-double-your-risk-of-heart-disease-83629">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<b><i><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/">www.BigBrain.Place</a>
offers fun products that are good for your brain.</span></i></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-18535314240057353052018-03-23T06:32:00.002-07:002018-03-23T06:32:59.672-07:00Tiger Mom Had This Right For Sure<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcO82LmxUxPWCoxwUTBb-BSvoGhXoH8-KFHqfqDQQ2iHNDuJwLudXFEB5qKac4wlNuLAir376MGdDiK_p30ZamYW0_G7RG6pN7HHCxxjP6yEar1c6gwJlyamvuoX46jAJzhk/s1600/Tiger+Mom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcO82LmxUxPWCoxwUTBb-BSvoGhXoH8-KFHqfqDQQ2iHNDuJwLudXFEB5qKac4wlNuLAir376MGdDiK_p30ZamYW0_G7RG6pN7HHCxxjP6yEar1c6gwJlyamvuoX46jAJzhk/s1600/Tiger+Mom.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Parents and
Grandparents- Read This!<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The University of Southern California hosts a Brain and
Creativity Institute. It just reported the results of a five-year study on the
effect of learning to play a musical instrument on brain development of
children. If you’ve reading our newsletters for a while, you won’t be surprised
with the results. The young musicians, who practiced an average of seven hours
per week, had accelerated brain development in the areas of the brain
associated with speech, reading skills, sound perception and more. Remember the
PR around Amy Chua’s book <u>The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother</u> that
popularized the term “Tiger Mom”? Sounds (get it, sounds?) like she got the
music education part right.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Link to a research summary <a href="https://news.usc.edu/102681/childrens-brains-develop-faster-with-music-training/">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We’ve previously noted that learning to play a musical
instrument at any age is a great brain builder and is one of the steps we can
take to prevent dementia.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpumAmJI6LVAyfNkiiF5o8QBcV_0WS_mi9Rf-SONjYbtj6GHyUq5qEDxnHJv_gArid_8gAAOfpoZxeBPfe-nteB_wlxsH5DsKhyphenhyphenTTilQOWjPZvImDGOho99__3QxJq8KTCNrY/s1600/Play+an+instrument.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="639" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpumAmJI6LVAyfNkiiF5o8QBcV_0WS_mi9Rf-SONjYbtj6GHyUq5qEDxnHJv_gArid_8gAAOfpoZxeBPfe-nteB_wlxsH5DsKhyphenhyphenTTilQOWjPZvImDGOho99__3QxJq8KTCNrY/s320/Play+an+instrument.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">We Promised<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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In our last newsletter, we said we’ll revisit alcohol and
brain health again. Why you ask; this has been a topic in too many newsletters
already. The answer: a huge new study from France.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The French contributions to the arts, design and fine living
are essentially unlimited. Michelin-rated restaurants. The Riviera. The
Cathedral at Notre Dame. The Louvre. Hermes leather goods. Haute couture. And,
of course, the products of the vineyards: the finest champagnes, wines,
brandies and cognacs. That is not, however, an unchecked positive. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDYa6sZriqC9IsOxFz0_BRWAvkko_IJoY6f3w7eSLDWzRRm9QyV7t9cbxpGmjYb7J9vE0dfDPwm0nbScWaPsYgaLSo22s4TE2A5YYbOD3B8MR4Yte9cv0s5l0x37kjSvV9Vmk/s1600/glass+of+wine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="177" data-original-width="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDYa6sZriqC9IsOxFz0_BRWAvkko_IJoY6f3w7eSLDWzRRm9QyV7t9cbxpGmjYb7J9vE0dfDPwm0nbScWaPsYgaLSo22s4TE2A5YYbOD3B8MR4Yte9cv0s5l0x37kjSvV9Vmk/s1600/glass+of+wine.jpg" /></a></div>
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The mortality rate for alcohol-related death is far higher
in France than its neighboring countries. And, a study reported in the
prestigious medical journal The Lancet points out the role of alcohol in
dementia.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A research team assembled from institutions in France and
Canada organized a unique study: they reviewed almost all the information about
adults discharged from French hospitals for the six-year period 2008-13. During
that time, about 31,600,000 adults were discharged from French hospitals.
Approximately 1,100,000 were diagnosed with dementia, of whom about 57,400 had
early onset of dementia. Early onset was defined as dementia prior to age 65.
Over a third (38.9%) of the early onset cases were directly related to alcohol
consumption; an additional amount had alcohol as a contributing factor. The
researchers wrote: “Alcohol use disorders were the strongest modifiable risk
factor for dementia onset…”.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And: “Also, alcohol use disorders were significantly
associated with all other risk factors for dementia onset”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This observation was based on learning that
heavy alcohol consumers were more likely to be smokers, overweight and suffer
depression – all of which are risk factors for dementia. Researchers determined
that people with drinking disorders were three times as likely to develop some
form of dementia early. Link to the underlying research <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(18)30022-7/fulltext">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In my view, this research confirms what most of us knew: too
much alcohol is deadly in a variety of ways. Again, if we are to enjoy an adult
beverage, we must be very conscious to keep the quantity small. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Infographic<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At <a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/">www.BigBrain.Place</a>
we’ll trade our super-fun, informative <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">9 Simple Steps to a Bigger Brain</i></b> infographic
in return for your signing up to get our equally fun and informative
newsletter.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Shameless Plug<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thanks to everyone who ordered one of our aromatherapy sets.
We still have some overstock left, so we are continuing our 33% off sale while
supplies last. Enter code AROMA at checkout.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/">www.BigBrain.Place</a> offers fun stuff that
is good for your brain.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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Excerpt from our upcoming how-to book on building a bigger
brain. Copyright 2018 all rights reserved.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-13481763057524207582018-03-01T07:10:00.001-08:002018-03-01T07:10:14.507-08:00<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5YiN8T97Um7AlfS05fPulMCJtK44SrqQOt1g0hb9cNLIn0lzsvM3-P_YcdPoSB4HV71sRoLJ1Rn5aqWSWt_mbUKrzIPeRKvyDv-FHrlNg2oChOiA5M1MrFLVkBTfq14llog/s1600/Happy+Older+Adults+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="140" data-original-width="361" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5YiN8T97Um7AlfS05fPulMCJtK44SrqQOt1g0hb9cNLIn0lzsvM3-P_YcdPoSB4HV71sRoLJ1Rn5aqWSWt_mbUKrzIPeRKvyDv-FHrlNg2oChOiA5M1MrFLVkBTfq14llog/s320/Happy+Older+Adults+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">SuperAgers Live Longer
& Retain Better Memory Function<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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The Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease Center at
Northwestern’s University Feinberg School of Medicine has been tracking a group
of older adults. They’ve found some of the group have remarkably better memory
skills than others. To the extent that their memory and recall is as good or
better than most people 20 or more years younger.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Northwestern has labeled those individuals “SuperAgers” and
has been busy trying to identify characteristics that might explain how they’ve
maintained their cognition.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Emily Rogalski, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and
Behavioral Sciences has led some of these research efforts. Here’s some of the
scientific findings: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->SuperAgers had greater thickness of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">anterior cingulate gyrus</i>. Evolutionary
theory postulates that the anterior cingulate was one of the later evolutionary
developments. The anterior cingulate is involved in decision-making, ethics,
emotion, and perhaps self-control.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->SuperAgers have a higher density of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">von Economo neurons</i>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These specialized neurons are believed to send
high-speed messages to other parts of the brain. They are associated with
larger brains: along with humans, great apes, whales and elephants have von Eonomo
neurons. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2AVs74W-B37QQ6_oxZcAVvdDmp9OiYMfkfL2CJ9nz1CysrftvhA5E2VkeVtEi1-Rb5RMkI_Y53ShbnyDkO5b78hInk4vk-6U6Msdm1nyK6hz1DAwJMnVg-puMdaMfJGzk6k/s1600/smart+brain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2AVs74W-B37QQ6_oxZcAVvdDmp9OiYMfkfL2CJ9nz1CysrftvhA5E2VkeVtEi1-Rb5RMkI_Y53ShbnyDkO5b78hInk4vk-6U6Msdm1nyK6hz1DAwJMnVg-puMdaMfJGzk6k/s1600/smart+brain.jpg" /></a></div>
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In addition to the medical examination that observed the
physical brain differences, the Northwestern team administered standard
psychological well-being tests to the SuperAgers and a control group. The
SuperAgers had greater “high quality” positive social relationships, higher
levels of psychological well-being, were more extroverted and less neurotic.
Interestingly, and in contrast to some of the other research we’ve published,
SuperAgers weren’t necessarily more physically active and didn’t always eat a healthier
diet. Link to the research <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0186413">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Takeaway: social relationships are one of the most critical
factors in maintaining a big healthy brain. Work as hard on keeping close
friendships as you do on exercise.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Infographic<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you haven’t already received it or downloaded it, our
fun, informative and science-based <b>9 Simple Steps to a Bigger Brain</b> is
available by signing up for our newsletter <a href="https://bigbrain.place/" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">In Case You Missed It<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last week we reported a study conducted by researchers at
the <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">All
India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The goal was to determine if a multi-phase
intervention could reduce the risk of heart failure. The participants did yoga
poses, pranayama breathing techniques, meditation, stress management and
relaxation along with individualized coaching on nutrition and other health
topics. After ten sessions over a two-week period, participants had significant
improvement. That is, they had measurably reduced their risk of cardiovascular
disease <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in the next decade </i>in a mere
two weeks! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Link to the research </span><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313817483_Framingham_Risk_Score_and_Estimated_10-Year_Cardiovascular_Disease_Risk_Reduction_by_a_Short-Term_Yoga-Based_Life-Style_Intervention"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">here</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Next Time<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Another research team weighs in on the topic of alcohol
consumption and brain health. We will summarize the results of a very large
study.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Shameless Plug<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We screwed up and
ordered too much of some of our fabulous, natural, made in the U.S. and phthalate-free
aromatherapy fragrances. Pick a fragrance, select one of our recycled-glass
diffuser bottles and pick your color diffuser reeds. Chose the perfect scent
for meditation, sleep, energizing the office, romance or just to make your home
smell great. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take advantage of our
mistake: one third off from our regular price. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Enter AROMA at checkout. (Limited time offer).</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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Always trying to grow bigger brains.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Material from my upcoming book on brain health. Look for it!</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-54596933343739154412018-02-22T05:33:00.000-08:002018-02-22T05:33:11.990-08:00This Two-Week Intervention Might Just Save Your Life<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-sEECLi8vP8yzlD4sHBSxAyW7NvfSMil2Vc24SBipkrkQwck1NATu2vJhDmKpcNwSTP4J4dMktOrsulvq9QDTwh3GC3m35TiUXMtpqEaYToENbe7suY3C6REhsvNq8VS6oms/s1600/Meditate.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1097" data-original-width="1600" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-sEECLi8vP8yzlD4sHBSxAyW7NvfSMil2Vc24SBipkrkQwck1NATu2vJhDmKpcNwSTP4J4dMktOrsulvq9QDTwh3GC3m35TiUXMtpqEaYToENbe7suY3C6REhsvNq8VS6oms/s320/Meditate.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Researchers at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences
reduced heart failure risk in two weeks.<o:p></o:p></div>
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One of the great medical research vehicles is the Framingham
Heart Study. Originally created in 1948 to study cardiovascular disease,
researchers from Boston University assembled a group of volunteers who were
monitored in detail and examined every two years. <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Researchers have used data from the
Framingham Heart Study to create a cardiovascular risk evaluation tool called
the Framingham Risk Score (FRS). The FRS is used to assess someone’s chance of
developing cardiovascular disease in the next ten years. Risk groups are: low-less
than a 10 percent risk; intermediate- 10-20 percent risk; and high-over 20%.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGtr40E1QPKq9wIzEwqcuyJJxAonqG0UR58XaIf2uHFfqLSIWHgTYj8uwvrxzft8L7rBizzWYpsZSCSpZDFCDEIMkLSx9ZIEbxlV1yYhN30yLFLP41TFH0JNTL46aLwsYPs8/s1600/FRS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGtr40E1QPKq9wIzEwqcuyJJxAonqG0UR58XaIf2uHFfqLSIWHgTYj8uwvrxzft8L7rBizzWYpsZSCSpZDFCDEIMkLSx9ZIEbxlV1yYhN30yLFLP41TFH0JNTL46aLwsYPs8/s1600/FRS.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Recently, a research team at the All India Institute of Medical
Sciences in New Delhi analyzed the effectiveness of a yoga and meditation-based
lifestyle to determine if it would result in a lower FRS. Yadav Rashni, PhD and
the research team recruited 386 healthy participants for the study. The
participants engaged in a program that did yoga poses, prayanama breathing
techniques, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">meditation</b>, stress
management and relaxation along with individualized coaching on nutrition and
other health topics. After ten sessions over a two-week period, participants
had significant improvement in their FRS. That is, they had measurably reduced
their risk of cardiovascular disease <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in the next decade</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>in a mere two weeks! Link to the
underlying research </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313817483_Framingham_Risk_Score_and_Estimated_10-Year_Cardiovascular_Disease_Risk_Reduction_by_a_Short-Term_Yoga-Based_Life-Style_Intervention">here.</a></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPV3BrafmJC3EWLSx3h-iqcfxhBUk4EYnrDzw70dORJYg3dNZu7Eh-4VIu8WM_Pbr8vu5aMOlQjEHvgKFZ1KSFrNO88aUu0QlwxpJxSEekTVKGjv0s6OG5K3IHmVdsMxg8UI/s1600/Brightly+lit+office+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPV3BrafmJC3EWLSx3h-iqcfxhBUk4EYnrDzw70dORJYg3dNZu7Eh-4VIu8WM_Pbr8vu5aMOlQjEHvgKFZ1KSFrNO88aUu0QlwxpJxSEekTVKGjv0s6OG5K3IHmVdsMxg8UI/s1600/Brightly+lit+office+2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">In Case You Missed It<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Last week we reported a study that light levels in your home
and place of work can affect your brain. Lily Yan, MD, PhD and a team from
Michigan State performed experiments to evaluate the impact of lower light
levels on the brain. Key finding: “When the animals were housed in dim light
during the day, mimicking the cloudy days or <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>typical indoor lighting</u></i></b>,
the animals had a <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">~</span>30% reduction in the dendritic spines, which make the
connection between the brain cells, within the hippocampus, a brain region
critical for learning and memory.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(Emphasis mine). Importantly, long <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dendritic
spines</i> are linked to resilience against Alzheimer’s Disease.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Link to the study <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hipo.22822/abstract;jsessionid=CAB8AA6BD10C7CE34E00DB28BF704C2F.f03t01">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHcygvm3NxcHl1y9g_Fev6wuQRmkU2bMiDmzrcmUy54ZdIGCgoNRr4Yh5gvmCKESCMgvvUFCFp34CNyvD4PgRPabTeYCGEg2QJZOOqwjGZPE13KRklQLiAydPi-PotLXGPIk/s1600/dendetric+spines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="199" data-original-width="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHcygvm3NxcHl1y9g_Fev6wuQRmkU2bMiDmzrcmUy54ZdIGCgoNRr4Yh5gvmCKESCMgvvUFCFp34CNyvD4PgRPabTeYCGEg2QJZOOqwjGZPE13KRklQLiAydPi-PotLXGPIk/s1600/dendetric+spines.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Shameless Plug<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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We have a very limited supply of our outstanding books on
meditation. We tried replenishing our inventory unsuccessfully; it appears they
may now be out of print. If you’ve been thinking about trying meditation, you
might order these excellent books while supplies last.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMcNw9_xhHyaWLBXksqLNyfyj3UQdYtDLlLaTclTa3YTXtkx8bdxgxNGEM-11Bd4_jFbW_XmCBD8Fj18pdbUcQf-vqcldg0XbL783QqA1qz_LoRMM95IHRwIYg6yf71ciB6VU/s1600/Meditation+books+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMcNw9_xhHyaWLBXksqLNyfyj3UQdYtDLlLaTclTa3YTXtkx8bdxgxNGEM-11Bd4_jFbW_XmCBD8Fj18pdbUcQf-vqcldg0XbL783QqA1qz_LoRMM95IHRwIYg6yf71ciB6VU/s320/Meditation+books+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/">www.BigBrain.Place</a> offers fun stuff that is
good for your brain.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-40216329557770690702018-02-15T07:21:00.000-08:002018-02-15T07:21:22.923-08:00Hey- Can You Turn Those Lights Up Brighter?<br />
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We should know by now that factors that aid the health of
that 3 lb. organ in our skull are many and varied. Still, sometimes we are
surprised at the findings.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQh9KBNaziZe03snnqChALkRACfbkyjb8hTSpOCg9639GAKDoZcfMhTz6f9IeOOTHz8jxQYor5tux63WwAYA9-fHAWJK4I9WB1_227V8Nw4HpqOAkfurUqsKkerNEEb5NH3xQ/s1600/Brightly+lit+office+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQh9KBNaziZe03snnqChALkRACfbkyjb8hTSpOCg9639GAKDoZcfMhTz6f9IeOOTHz8jxQYor5tux63WwAYA9-fHAWJK4I9WB1_227V8Nw4HpqOAkfurUqsKkerNEEb5NH3xQ/s1600/Brightly+lit+office+2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Light Level is a Big
Deal for Brain Performance<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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You’ve probably heard, and perhaps used the term “cabin
fever”. It usually refers to the need to get outside after a prolonged cold
spell. That cold spell could also be accompanied by cloudy, overcast days. Lily
Yan, MD, PhD and a team of researchers from Michigan State performed some
experiments to evaluate the impact of lower light levels on the brain.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Using test animals, they found that “When the animals were
housed in dim light during the day, mimicking the cloudy days or <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>typical
indoor lighting</u></i></b>, the animals had a <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">~</span>30% reduction in the dendritic
spines, which make the connection between the brain cells, within the
hippocampus, a brain region critical for learning and memory.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Emphasis mine).<o:p></o:p></div>
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Further comments from Dr. Yan: “Environmental lighting
conditions can impact brain functions”.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Here in MA, we’ve had a long stretch of clouds: rain for a
few days, then on and off snow for a few days, then back to rain, resulting in
lower sunlight levels. Other than inducing lethargy, I didn’t realize that my
brain connections were likely shrinking. The clear implication: peak
performance means a healthy light level, which includes sufficient lumens and
candlepower on overcast days. You might need a new task lamp.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8Dxv89_zsEhyvetiOXjrubQhZ0e3eLpVGwDiw9BeyhL2GRjLwcvA6w_vQif5_-JMmp_s6HPAM9AAVgEqmobEtQJ34gRJ2WPGaXYzYv4wj8JXf6b9aK-gYqsI_HlWwf-FoJY/s1600/dendetric+spines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="199" data-original-width="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8Dxv89_zsEhyvetiOXjrubQhZ0e3eLpVGwDiw9BeyhL2GRjLwcvA6w_vQif5_-JMmp_s6HPAM9AAVgEqmobEtQJ34gRJ2WPGaXYzYv4wj8JXf6b9aK-gYqsI_HlWwf-FoJY/s1600/dendetric+spines.jpg" /></a></div>
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Importantly, long <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dendritic
spines</i> are linked to resilience against Alzheimer’s Disease. (Dendrites
extend from neurons in search of connections.) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Link to more <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hipo.22822/abstract;jsessionid=177580E60A3E1AF6C3E6270E3F499E34.f03t04">here</a>.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">In Case You Missed It<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Last week we reported a study that regular moderate (read as
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tiny</i></b>)
consumption of alcohol helped remove the proteins from the brain that are
associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Research was performed at Rochester
University and the University of Copenhagen. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Link to more <a href="https://bigbrain.place/blogs/news/dont-forget-to-take-out-the-garbage">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaeAr9sHHR6p8LQTM19LixnMr8wMXY9dyHZPIyiu0URJ1cEa21sQPxytgJQCmFowwqGmRDrLDUrwYc8qsGWrU4B5TsT8DSlAdnvy0MhzEDuU8xum8eeAbwpgqkrGeU_uXESyo/s1600/red-white-sangria_925x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="925" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaeAr9sHHR6p8LQTM19LixnMr8wMXY9dyHZPIyiu0URJ1cEa21sQPxytgJQCmFowwqGmRDrLDUrwYc8qsGWrU4B5TsT8DSlAdnvy0MhzEDuU8xum8eeAbwpgqkrGeU_uXESyo/s320/red-white-sangria_925x.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And interesting research from the Semel Institute for
Neuroscience and Human Behavior at the UCLA Longevity Center found that
curcumin, a substance derived from the spice turmeric, may help prevent
dementia and Alzheimer’s. Turmeric is an ancient spice and a key ingredient in
curry. Link to more <a href="https://bigbrain.place/blogs/news/dont-forget-to-take-out-the-garbage">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiAguWD2H3wbEYAvZQktgdDDx6dee24i6y0sDpRhr-4XuEjObQ3yekc9SlPqzi3kjPuj3KHSWXtqK9zTDABP2W3aA-lo8oPgr4l573ZvqOSnTv2XIsJAxWiikEPhED37HvLaY/s1600/turmeric.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiAguWD2H3wbEYAvZQktgdDDx6dee24i6y0sDpRhr-4XuEjObQ3yekc9SlPqzi3kjPuj3KHSWXtqK9zTDABP2W3aA-lo8oPgr4l573ZvqOSnTv2XIsJAxWiikEPhED37HvLaY/s1600/turmeric.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Shameless Plug<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Did you make a New Year’s resolution about health and
fitness? Now might be a good time to get a workout booster shot with <a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/exercise-and-fitness/products/train-your-heart-train-your-brain-fitness-kit">our
fitness kits</a>. Travel friendly, includes two pages of sample exercises and a
bargain.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizD3Kf4Tq-Ai3i23qahvnxhkXP-aX1_Qwgvk0eWcL3JtkysUdvFRPcnWCMBlSq2hIdCgxsFDiQVZricfU0umfg_TsAIX-x1H_Cd1OIWi97e0oi5cPAxB0Ug_uFBqz9DFvTghU/s1600/Exercise+kit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizD3Kf4Tq-Ai3i23qahvnxhkXP-aX1_Qwgvk0eWcL3JtkysUdvFRPcnWCMBlSq2hIdCgxsFDiQVZricfU0umfg_TsAIX-x1H_Cd1OIWi97e0oi5cPAxB0Ug_uFBqz9DFvTghU/s320/Exercise+kit.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<o:p>This post is from our upcoming how-to book on growing a bigger brain. </o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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Always trying to grow bigger brains.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/">www.BigBrain.Place</a> offers fun stuff that
is good for your brain.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-16517401920208464762018-02-08T06:41:00.000-08:002018-02-08T06:41:16.586-08:00Don't forget to Take Out the Garbage<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_bZ_O6j2gNLjJTOepPqkxWyCazBbzZkl3ox_NrT9gjXBRHjog2ZS1U8e0H5j819c9XdE1ATdkFGuZnbR-ERfyMG6fgDZXY2C9ey8CeDwdbLL7yXFHnwklU2BVZ0TC2_SyABI/s1600/Trash+Truck.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_bZ_O6j2gNLjJTOepPqkxWyCazBbzZkl3ox_NrT9gjXBRHjog2ZS1U8e0H5j819c9XdE1ATdkFGuZnbR-ERfyMG6fgDZXY2C9ey8CeDwdbLL7yXFHnwklU2BVZ0TC2_SyABI/s1600/Trash+Truck.png" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Alcohol and Brain Health-Part I<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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A few weeks ago, we warned of the
risks of alcohol consumption, based on a study by the Department of Psychology
at Oxford University. Five hundred fifty people were tracked over thirty years,
with detailed records of their health maintained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anya Topiwala, PhD and Charlotte L. Allen,
PhD led the project. From the study: “…even those drinking moderately had three
times the odds of right sided hippocampal atrophy”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Also from that study:
“Light-to-moderate drinking has been associated with a lower risk of dementia
and a reduced incidence of myocardial infarction and stoke. Brain imaging studies,
however, have thus far failed to provide a convincing neural correlate that
could underpin any protective benefit.” Link to study <a href="http://www.bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j2353">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Further, the definition they used
to determine a moderate amount were different than the old U.S. four once glass
of wine, 1.5-ounce cocktail or ten-ounce beer. In all cases they were smaller.
A half-pint of beer as an example, which is a couple of ounces less than ten. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Oxford University isn’t a
lightweight school, and Topiwala and Allen are serious scientists.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Alcohol and Brain Heath-Part II<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Then, last week, we get new
research from the University of Rochester and the University of Copenhagen. The
research team was led by Maiken Nedergaard, the discoverer of the glymphatic
system. That is the system that scrubs your brain while you sleep – or, as
recently referred to- the garbage truck of your brain. Dr. Nedergaard is also a
very serious scientist, and highly regarded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here’s a partial quote from her: “…however, in this study we have shown
for the first time that low doses of alcohol are potentially beneficial to
brain health, namely it improves the brain’s ability to remove waste”. Link to
study <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-20424-y">here</a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. One
super-important point: one of the waste products that the glymphatic system
cleans up are the proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease: tau and
beta-amyloid.</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPzJ0HspDS3YLyiWPrmDgJYlSi8DtX0WhQih85BjxiNnVlINktUHAOzg9OKdiYc8jHPspclYWZSJ5WefkgP8q8YEoGQZdoW0QbtpGbR-yLn4v6qbtdu-UMH4n5fgWUzIySdzg/s1600/red-white-sangria_925x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="925" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPzJ0HspDS3YLyiWPrmDgJYlSi8DtX0WhQih85BjxiNnVlINktUHAOzg9OKdiYc8jHPspclYWZSJ5WefkgP8q8YEoGQZdoW0QbtpGbR-yLn4v6qbtdu-UMH4n5fgWUzIySdzg/s320/red-white-sangria_925x.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Just what us laymen need: dueling
scientists. One qualifying note: Nedergaard’s team used a mice model, whereas
Topiwala and team tracked humans. My guess: if you drink, be really serious
about portion control.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Not Enough Spice in Your Life? Think Yellow<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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We also found a study from UCLA,
specifically, the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at the
UCLA Longevity Center. Dr. Gary Small and Dr. Prabha Siddarth are doing
concentrated research on healthy aging. They found reasons to test curcumin to
see if it really has a benefit for brain health. Curcumin is derived from the spice
turmeric. Turmeric is widely used in India, particularly in curry. And, there
is lower incidence of Alzheimer’s disease in India.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Small and Prabha recruited test
subjects and selected a group of 249 “non-demented” subjects (their term; not
mine). That group ran through all the medical tests as well as a specialized
brain scan. Some participants got the usual placebo; the others got a
supplement of curcumin twice a day. It turns out the curcumin isn’t very
bioavailable, that is, our bodies don’t absorb it very well, so they used a
specialized concentrated form that is more bioavailable.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR7mEBVf3kfWjWHGusP9moUSTn-jWUex28RELb53OvPfZFhSPBDVjUzfur3m4oxqejsWWYfr5wvx5TJSPJJtLgCGS7RtFeuSfVy83XmTlLCQmN8qajecTbPwbkOP0xu4fLr1M/s1600/turmeric.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR7mEBVf3kfWjWHGusP9moUSTn-jWUex28RELb53OvPfZFhSPBDVjUzfur3m4oxqejsWWYfr5wvx5TJSPJJtLgCGS7RtFeuSfVy83XmTlLCQmN8qajecTbPwbkOP0xu4fLr1M/s1600/turmeric.jpg" /></a></div>
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After 18 months, everyone had a
brain scan again. Results: better memory and attention in the supplemented
group. And, why? Lower presence of….. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you guessed it: tau and beta-amyloid. </i></b>Link
to study <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-20424-y">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There you have it; two ways that
promise to reduce stuff in your brain that seems to be linked to Alzheimer’s
disease. Actually three – remember that sleep is when the glymphatic truck
shows up.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We don’t sell supplements;
however, we are looking into it. In the interim, since you’ve just been
reminded that sleep is the key way to get the garbage out of your brain, we DO
sell great sleep masks and fragrance kits that might help you relax and get a
good night’s sleep.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3RdEBbqVqNN_J7Bub1ON0rGUM_BfOvNkGYDWLORnbhUrVcQW4_5SjVip6kCiZIxN-MPRZzcREBHxTvjaJmNc7zD9bKu4-nMcaTDHpsApQ_oCCC1EShe0p2JiJ0OA6eCdB20/s1600/Megan+Sleeping..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3RdEBbqVqNN_J7Bub1ON0rGUM_BfOvNkGYDWLORnbhUrVcQW4_5SjVip6kCiZIxN-MPRZzcREBHxTvjaJmNc7zD9bKu4-nMcaTDHpsApQ_oCCC1EShe0p2JiJ0OA6eCdB20/s320/Megan+Sleeping..jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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If you have a friend who would benefit from these brain
health tips, please pass this email along.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Always trying to grow bigger brains, <o:p></o:p></div>
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Blake, Blane & Gene<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Big Brain Team<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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This material is derived from our upcoming book on how-to build a bigger brain.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/">www.BigBrain.Place</a> sells fun stuff that is
good for your brain.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-66930901594655033772018-02-01T07:01:00.000-08:002018-02-01T07:01:25.726-08:00Easy Steps to a Bigger Brain in 2018<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Use These Two New
Research Findings to Build Your Bigger Better Brain in 2018<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Best, the benefits come from easy- to- do things.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKp8_BbT_UW5MGF_5YtJx6pqg-qBEJr5WP_jOsS2aSXde8TeBiTaNXRjqOv83TKQFBeUrUhj6WrsjFWt6bARoU8uCnXUDlsbTy5att36QPvpPO6oiJEv0S6Fe-bIrlfIL0pg/s1600/walking+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKp8_BbT_UW5MGF_5YtJx6pqg-qBEJr5WP_jOsS2aSXde8TeBiTaNXRjqOv83TKQFBeUrUhj6WrsjFWt6bARoU8uCnXUDlsbTy5att36QPvpPO6oiJEv0S6Fe-bIrlfIL0pg/s1600/walking+1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Walking Has Newly-Discovered
Brain Benefits<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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If you’ve been following our posts, you certainly know that exercise
is your top brain-building activity for 2018. Here’s the latest, and rather interesting,
research. A team of researchers from schools of medicine at New Mexico
University, Colorado University and the University of Copenhagen studied
healthy young adults performing different activities. They found that walking and running have a
unique effect: they create pressure waves beginning in the feet caused by
landing on the ground. Those pressure waves propel blood into the brain. That
contrasts to other exercises like cycling where there isn’t either the lighter
foot pressure of walking or the heavier foot pressure of running. Link to the
research <a href="http://www.nmhu.edu/research-shows-walking-increases-blood-flow-brain/">here</a>.
That 10,000 steps thing seems to have some scientific support (oh and remember
that we reported research indicating the benefit of walking begins with as
little as 4,000 steps).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>And Yoga Helps Brain
& Body<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Author and podcaster
Dr. Christina Tarantola reported three different benefits from yoga, including
improved mood (and reduction in depression episodes), better pain management
from arthritis sufferers, and overall fitness gains. Linked <a href="http://www.pharmacytimes.com/contributor/christina-tarantola/2018/01/the-surprising-ways-a-mindfulness-practice-can-improve-your-quality-of-life">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-1nMMjQVeIi-sMCQeX8AxfVFA8axZcvz9Lsf4-I3tazMS9AJC9uHYt6FDifSYRggXoD8USZee28vcTqOhrGEXMJrSkmuKkU0ADTX5aqhoPvt8pxRTNhVnw8KHuj1sODr4Rg/s1600/Yoga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-1nMMjQVeIi-sMCQeX8AxfVFA8axZcvz9Lsf4-I3tazMS9AJC9uHYt6FDifSYRggXoD8USZee28vcTqOhrGEXMJrSkmuKkU0ADTX5aqhoPvt8pxRTNhVnw8KHuj1sODr4Rg/s1600/Yoga.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>In Case You Missed It<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->There is new research indicating <a href="https://bigbrain.place/blogs/news/just-when-you-thought-it-was-safe">excess
salt consumption is bad</a> for brain health, and the culprit is in our
intestine and all those little microbiome critters.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihEkqVBvupZvbAB5ZIYvmgv-Kes8P2czwXUruxtKDDjIoJO3HJg-CrrdCPTTsXECuaP-NOt5Q-UKudI9pYGIqeVZ41K6lJGOXvcw8WVe0vhMUA46oBEzg0rHYVttKROAvR7Ug/s1600/Salt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="193" data-original-width="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihEkqVBvupZvbAB5ZIYvmgv-Kes8P2czwXUruxtKDDjIoJO3HJg-CrrdCPTTsXECuaP-NOt5Q-UKudI9pYGIqeVZ41K6lJGOXvcw8WVe0vhMUA46oBEzg0rHYVttKROAvR7Ug/s1600/Salt.jpg" /></a></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Vs_wJXp24WlAvIjCKoqhZYqgbVT6HBq2zCIP4YfgSnNoGSSaGnV8Ye8yQyYAZXfA_rExnxIV-ynk2hH2y00sKbJq7LFwy65y9ss3MeCSzCrBPcHl5oj9Jt7QYmSK67os3Yo/s1600/pot+of+coffee+IStock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="612" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Vs_wJXp24WlAvIjCKoqhZYqgbVT6HBq2zCIP4YfgSnNoGSSaGnV8Ye8yQyYAZXfA_rExnxIV-ynk2hH2y00sKbJq7LFwy65y9ss3MeCSzCrBPcHl5oj9Jt7QYmSK67os3Yo/s320/pot+of+coffee+IStock.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Scientists have discovered <a href="https://bigbrain.place/blogs/news/come-on-try-it-youll-like-it">the
optimum daily dosage of coffee</a>. Note, you really shouldn’t drink an entire
pot of coffee per day.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Shameless Plugs<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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If you’ve thought about yoga but never started, or started
but couldn’t keep it up, we have two excellent books suitable for beginners or
experienced practitioners who need a booster shot.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL81kC8KpDuGgqSvJYCEbFo99Lzv4QaCyZSqOq0y4_D7Ec76cHJ2WyY-btuxYQR-H5OKFAOECDY7vh0BEewvCvN0rpMsMeWouOt2xTCYM7Wdbn2M2ZVp6l2vTOvRXN-Ctnu6I/s1600/Meditation+books+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL81kC8KpDuGgqSvJYCEbFo99Lzv4QaCyZSqOq0y4_D7Ec76cHJ2WyY-btuxYQR-H5OKFAOECDY7vh0BEewvCvN0rpMsMeWouOt2xTCYM7Wdbn2M2ZVp6l2vTOvRXN-Ctnu6I/s320/Meditation+books+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And great fragrance kits to help settle your busy brain to
meditate. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoF5DKZoNkDZdYgLpxj7x1VcnQ4vT5cSx9tpJE9rCArMs4dGZRoi_JZTbdkryy2sSWpvg1-DqShUOjov2-uoLX8Wa6tXCiV8kqUNfS037xtkf9IDN4DQyEQtgLciI1jGqwVbQ/s1600/Brain_Booster_1280x1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoF5DKZoNkDZdYgLpxj7x1VcnQ4vT5cSx9tpJE9rCArMs4dGZRoi_JZTbdkryy2sSWpvg1-DqShUOjov2-uoLX8Wa6tXCiV8kqUNfS037xtkf9IDN4DQyEQtgLciI1jGqwVbQ/s320/Brain_Booster_1280x1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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If you have a friend who would benefit from these brain
health tips, please send them a link.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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At <a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/">www.BigBrain.Place</a>
we are always trying to grow bigger brains.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i>Coming soon, our how-to book on growing a bigger, healthy brain.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/"><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">www.BigBrain.Place</span></i></b></a><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> offers fun stuff that is good for your brain.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-22105993102149766972018-01-25T08:04:00.001-08:002018-01-25T08:04:40.627-08:00Just When You Thought It Was Safe<div class="MsoNormal">
Recently there have been medical research reports indicating
that all the warnings about consuming too much salt were exaggerated. Perhaps
you remember when we were told that consuming eggs would clog our arteries with
cholesterol, and anyone eating butter had a death wish. Now, eggs are an ideal
source of lean protein and butter not only isn’t bad, it is superior to
margarine.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In that vein, having seen the newer reports, I was largely
ignoring salt warnings (particularly since I can eat my weight in restaurant
chips and salsa). Then this report popped-up.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihurE7lfB_kk0mQngx7d-sOI1MDy4Hi1ldA9a7DzCC1Ogi25YyjGJ6GKtJ12lWhHr89ipQl02l0mqlyIZCcifoto-8mmp_PHv1wkfe3JFVUwwXWvwZTyo1G9FRU_d65APyrFc/s1600/Salt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="193" data-original-width="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihurE7lfB_kk0mQngx7d-sOI1MDy4Hi1ldA9a7DzCC1Ogi25YyjGJ6GKtJ12lWhHr89ipQl02l0mqlyIZCcifoto-8mmp_PHv1wkfe3JFVUwwXWvwZTyo1G9FRU_d65APyrFc/s1600/Salt.jpg" /></a></div>
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Quoting from the study: “…excess dietary salt suppresses
resting cerebral blood flow and endothelial function, leading to cognitive
decline.” Cognitive decline, of course,
isn’t good. It causes little brains.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Research Details</b></div>
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Researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College fed mice a
high salt diet. Admittedly, it was a very high salt diet. The result was
reduced blood flow to the hippocampus and cortex. Our old friend the hippocampus,
which we seem to mention in every newsletter, is critical to memory. Now, usually when salt is involved, a
negative impact on blood pressure is the first suspect. However, the
researchers determined that wasn’t the cause of the mice losing their memories
about basic stuff such as how to make a nest. But rather it was caused by cells
in the intestine signaling the brain to make adjustments. A new discovery in
the “gut-brain” axis. I won’t attempt to
go through the science but think twice before reaching for the salt shaker. Research
<a href="http://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-017-0059-z">linked here</a> .
And feed those little microbiome critters living in your intestinal tract some
of their favorites such as yogurt and root vegetables to keep them happy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzXwxlKi_BwW1CdoQyexumowwITPpreQosPSN-Cb08qitKXpRZb5I4C1X18E-ZAB_IrpyywXB9oZLLrRwdDvip4MAfxltmv_4iSOuvBf9y9Hto4A8oHmfHuQvQ7IJQqIfitYA/s1600/Eat+Healthy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1121" data-original-width="1600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzXwxlKi_BwW1CdoQyexumowwITPpreQosPSN-Cb08qitKXpRZb5I4C1X18E-ZAB_IrpyywXB9oZLLrRwdDvip4MAfxltmv_4iSOuvBf9y9Hto4A8oHmfHuQvQ7IJQqIfitYA/s320/Eat+Healthy.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>But There Still Are Some Pleasures</b></div>
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If you missed it, last week we noted that you probably
aren’t eating enough <a href="https://bigbrain.place/blogs/news/come-on-try-it-youll-like-it"></a> <a href="https://bigbrain.place/blogs/news/come-on-try-it-youll-like-it">chocolate</a>
, and, unless you are drinking a whole pot per day, you aren’t drinking enough <a href="https://bigbrain.place/blogs/news/come-on-try-it-youll-like-it">coffee</a>
either.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUhydeIRNTDgPlgW1KXchgvozAzKtcZFV_1Dcu4pYf-L5QNo8FN5WIyEVilM-wskaVC7Sc3t5G1N_5Hx_P5lxpLDyyPx15BXQDkmqRmuQKT2dFyiXJgdeO3VdVi5F89964Mlw/s1600/Big+Brain+Coffee+All+Flavors.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUhydeIRNTDgPlgW1KXchgvozAzKtcZFV_1Dcu4pYf-L5QNo8FN5WIyEVilM-wskaVC7Sc3t5G1N_5Hx_P5lxpLDyyPx15BXQDkmqRmuQKT2dFyiXJgdeO3VdVi5F89964Mlw/s320/Big+Brain+Coffee+All+Flavors.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Further, just for your benefit, we noted that we offer our
own gourmet, freshly roasted, small batch, whole bean coffee. And it is so much
better than those K-cups full of stale instant coffee that you’ll notice the
difference immediately.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Please Use the Links Below to Share This Message<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/"><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">www.BigBrain.Place</span></i></b></a><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> offers fun stuff that is good for your brain.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-3334627172163446372018-01-19T08:07:00.001-08:002018-01-19T08:07:39.324-08:00<div class="MsoNormal">
We’ve found some simply delicious research reports.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Chocolate Lovers-
Take Heart!<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Denmark has created a large health
study, with over 55,000 participants who have been tracked for over 13 years. Originally
designed to identify cancer risk factors, it captured sufficiently rich and
detailed information that it can be used to assess heart health benefits as
well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Research teams from Beth Israel
Deaconess Hospital in Boston, and Aalborg University Hospital in Aalborg
Denmark teamed up. Kim Overvad, PhD in Epidemiology at Aalborg University
Hospital took the lead; Murray A. Mittleman, MD of Beth Israel and Elizabeth
Mostofsky, ScD and a post-doc at Beth Israel also worked on it. The researchers
were trying to determine if consumption of chocolate reduced the risk of atrial
fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is commonly called “afib” here in the U.S.
It’s likely you’ve seen advertisements for medications to treat it. Afib is
associated with a higher risk of stroke, dementia, heart failure, cognitive
decline and, in general, worse mortality.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0L4R6Cb_346jdpkY5wzZ7iR3Cfumcb1mTaU9yho_AdIE60JgyEjY3QtL63hQl0baMcXhSiOKxqpYhyxicoiTroinw1mZaxwYKkkWsW246xxfPVYvjGWYGI9UsSGrDODSiLmw/s1600/Choc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0L4R6Cb_346jdpkY5wzZ7iR3Cfumcb1mTaU9yho_AdIE60JgyEjY3QtL63hQl0baMcXhSiOKxqpYhyxicoiTroinw1mZaxwYKkkWsW246xxfPVYvjGWYGI9UsSGrDODSiLmw/s1600/Choc.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Research Conclusions<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Relating the consumption of
chocolate to those with afib, those who ate a one-ounce serving 1-3 times per
month had a 10% lower risk of afib than those who consumed it less than once
per month. Those who enjoyed chocolate once a week had a 17% lower risk, and
those chocolate lovers who treated themselves 2-6 times a week reduced their
risk of afib by 20%. (!) According to co-author Dr. Mostofsky, “Moderate
consumption of cocoa and cocoa-containing foods may promote cardiovascular
health due to their high content of flavanols, a sub group of polyphenols with
vasodilatory, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.” The whole study is
linked <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/chocolate-irregular-heartbeat/">here.</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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There you are: treat yourself to an
ounce of delicious dark chocolate containing 70% or higher cocoa. After all,
it’s for your heart.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Coffee Too!<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white;">Some of the researchers who made me
feel better about chocolate have also weighed in on coffee. This time the team was Dr. Murray Mittleman, Elizabeth
Mostofsky, ScD, Megan S. Rice, ScD, and Emily B. Levitan, ScD. The actual
article title: Habitual Coffee Consumption and Risk of Heart Failure A
Dose-Response Meta-Analysis. The press release had a friendlier headline:
Moderate Coffee Consumption Offers Protection Against Heart Failure. Link to
the study </span><a href="http://circheartfailure.ahajournals.org/content/5/4/401"><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">here</span></a><span style="background: white;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;">It was another large study with 140,000
participants. Their conclusion generally matched some studies we’ve commented
on before, with one difference-specificity on portion size (or, as they called
it: <i>dose</i>. I like it. I’ve
occasionally considered a coffee IV, or eating the freshly ground beans with a
spoon. And making a perfect pot of
freshly-brewed coffee requires careful measurement of the amount of coffee
i.e.-the dosage.) The study showed that the positive health benefits peaked at
two eight-ounce cups a day. (Note that
3-4 cups weren’t much different). Dosing
with, er, drinking two eight-ounce cups daily was associated with a 11%
reduction in heart attacks. The only bad news from the study: if you drink more
than 10 cups a day, your risk goes up to the level of non-coffee-drinkers.
There it is addicts: don’t drink the whole pot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC49rYo2Wmt6MgEtGKI0ncXdJjU_kfXmeOhtDGobzVKQ_TgTnk9tfPNNMgoOA-SAemW-yyudWH5-_lhcjajAGPWDP4EvpSLTI9dO62KNssWjfCgPGX3AlTLoVwk-o2TT5Ozhc/s1600/Big+Brain+Coffee+All+Flavors.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC49rYo2Wmt6MgEtGKI0ncXdJjU_kfXmeOhtDGobzVKQ_TgTnk9tfPNNMgoOA-SAemW-yyudWH5-_lhcjajAGPWDP4EvpSLTI9dO62KNssWjfCgPGX3AlTLoVwk-o2TT5Ozhc/s320/Big+Brain+Coffee+All+Flavors.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Did You Know?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Did you know that we offer our own, freshly roasted small
batch coffee? It’s roasted for us by the first boutique roaster in MA. And here
is the dirty little secret of the coffee business: coffee begins to lose the
richness of its taste within days of roasting: fresh roasted is simply better.
That stuff on the grocer’s shelf? How long has it been there? And those little
K-Cups-how old is that instant coffee? Please. Do us and yourself a favor – buy
some fresh roasted. We only offer whole beans. At home and our office, we grind them every
morning. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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At <a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/">www.BigBrain.Place</a>,
we’re always trying to grow bigger brains.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-2878198160863521542018-01-12T08:52:00.000-08:002018-01-12T08:52:02.489-08:00Cool News On Exercise and Brain Health<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz4vmPLAIdxkiSkzLMnGx_DYkGbwRtF5UoZo5KT5ORa7ABY6oCsnl65opgW-6udR_cajZxqyh_wnLECXYUKFgXrbHoK4vmtM8GaF36rJmi_6flJvNWR_QJU7jHQWSu2CSuPwg/s1600/Drummer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="700" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz4vmPLAIdxkiSkzLMnGx_DYkGbwRtF5UoZo5KT5ORa7ABY6oCsnl65opgW-6udR_cajZxqyh_wnLECXYUKFgXrbHoK4vmtM8GaF36rJmi_6flJvNWR_QJU7jHQWSu2CSuPwg/s320/Drummer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We’ve pounded the drum on exercise being the best single
thing one can do for brain health.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There is much cool new news for both adults and kids on this
topic.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But first let’s recap:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->The landmark study on exercise and brain health
was done in 2002 by Professor of Neurology at University of California-Irvine Carl
Cotman, PhD and Nicole Berchtold, PhD, also of UCI. They found that exercise
directly improves brain function. Previously, the assumption was that the
benefit was indirect through improved heart function causing better blood
circulation in the brain. Research <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12086747">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Dr. Yorgi Mavros of the University of Sydney and
Dr. Nicola Gates of the University of New South Wales research showed that
Progressive Resistance Training (PRT) improved brain function and cognition.
Research <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jgs.14542/abstract">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Mount Sinai School of Medicine Post-Doctoral
Fellows Dominik Moser and Gaille Doucet performed research that concluded that
a higher level of physical endurance is associated with better working memory. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/mp2017247">Link</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->And, in our post that was the most widely read
and shared, we summarized the work of Dr. Claire J. Steves and Dr. Ted Spector
from Kings College in London that women with the strongest legs compared to
women with weaker had superior cognitive performance ten years later. <a href="https://www.karger.com/Article/Fulltext/441029">Link</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Good News for Adults<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Prabha Siddarth, PhD of the UCLA Department of Psychiatry
and Behavioral Sciences published research that lowers the exercise bar a bit.
His team recruited a group of older adults who complained of memory problems,
but did not have dementia. They were put on a walking program of 4,000 steps a
day (way below the popular target of 10K). Participants who walked the four
thousand steps had quick, measurable improvement in cognition. Walking more
resulted in even better performance. <a href="https://content.iospress.com/articles/journal-of-alzheimers-disease/jad170586">Link.</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>And Important News
for Children<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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In a bit of a puzzle, we’ve seen press releases about a new
research study on children and exercise, but not obtained access to the study
itself. We’ve included some information from the release, and cover it in more
detail when we can read the underlying report.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The key findings are that active children do better both on
tests and in the classroom. Kids getting exercise, presumably of an hour or
more a day, have better concentration and longer attention spans. That in turn
seems to be due to a larger brain in the areas involved in <i>executive function</i> and decision making. Executive function is the scientific
term for our ability to organize activity, learn from past experiences, make
plans, solve problems and work puzzles. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Among the areas in the brain involved in executive function are
the <i>medial frontal cortex</i> and the <i>lateral prefrontal cortex</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8euq-PjNsNt4o6yaSUoz4fJP2qkKHC8rE_Zn660mYZVpV3xQgufif31QZAtZL9qqPbN9uWxJXDXMYI8WNuD7V4AAskPeGsge395Tm0-Yimf2sDbx2N6MQ7dW-YlwrhK4Sbic/s1600/Swoosh.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="138" data-original-width="365" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8euq-PjNsNt4o6yaSUoz4fJP2qkKHC8rE_Zn660mYZVpV3xQgufif31QZAtZL9qqPbN9uWxJXDXMYI8WNuD7V4AAskPeGsge395Tm0-Yimf2sDbx2N6MQ7dW-YlwrhK4Sbic/s320/Swoosh.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Just Do It <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Adman Dan Wieden came up with the slogan “Just Do It” for
Nike. Generally considered to be the best-known slogan in the world. Nike
founder and CEO Phil Knight hated the slogan, but reluctantly went along. The
rest, as they say…<o:p></o:p></div>
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We aren’t recommending that you aim lower. There are
numerous benefits from aerobic and resistance training. But pointing out that
getting started on even a modest program makes a real difference. Just Do It.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizD3Kf4Tq-Ai3i23qahvnxhkXP-aX1_Qwgvk0eWcL3JtkysUdvFRPcnWCMBlSq2hIdCgxsFDiQVZricfU0umfg_TsAIX-x1H_Cd1OIWi97e0oi5cPAxB0Ug_uFBqz9DFvTghU/s1600/Exercise+kit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizD3Kf4Tq-Ai3i23qahvnxhkXP-aX1_Qwgvk0eWcL3JtkysUdvFRPcnWCMBlSq2hIdCgxsFDiQVZricfU0umfg_TsAIX-x1H_Cd1OIWi97e0oi5cPAxB0Ug_uFBqz9DFvTghU/s320/Exercise+kit.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Shameless Plug<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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If your 2018 goals include getting in better shape, please
consider one of our <a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/exercise-and-fitness/products/train-your-heart-train-your-brain-fitness-kit">travel-friendly
exercise kits</a>. We’ll throw-in one of our <a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/sleep/products/sleep-mask">silk sleep
masks</a> – an $8.99 value- for free. But only while limited supplies last.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKfK-dylz7j26d9E7Fx1_2nm7zmE-AQzclhosjMFuz7PmyeRQDiZvs-9be-dSmDKMnH6gFm_nZ-4jGP7JsPVSPRk6QUUVF1bvX1l6tCHCU84fGn4Zco0xsUi102bKbbf4AE0Q/s1600/Megan+Sleeping..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKfK-dylz7j26d9E7Fx1_2nm7zmE-AQzclhosjMFuz7PmyeRQDiZvs-9be-dSmDKMnH6gFm_nZ-4jGP7JsPVSPRk6QUUVF1bvX1l6tCHCU84fGn4Zco0xsUi102bKbbf4AE0Q/s320/Megan+Sleeping..jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/">www.BigBrain.Place</a>
offers fun products that are good for your brain.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-70510129121715550482018-01-04T10:49:00.000-08:002018-01-04T10:49:48.548-08:00Just How Fast Can This Brain Go?<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk502668560">We’ve noticed a recurring theme in
recent brain health scientific studies called “speed of processing”. Adults
with faster information processing capability seem less susceptible to various
forms of dementia including Alzheimer’s disease. We’ve previously discussed some of these
studies; most were focused on selected groups of individuals such as older
adults. Further, those studies typically concentrated on brain parts known to
play a critical role in memory formation and fast response, usually the
fornix and the hippocampus, parts of the limbic system.<o:p></o:p></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOyp1M617oXLsluulBIQmXv6t90ksoI7bU3htbZPp8dLwJ8QDH8I-m1x1vtdK9xii8xjQujqK65PwcEQWhk5x1NymsvXydFTgvfycsPvkowU9j59_bd1Js752Uyeu5FLXMuQ/s1600/speedbing_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOyp1M617oXLsluulBIQmXv6t90ksoI7bU3htbZPp8dLwJ8QDH8I-m1x1vtdK9xii8xjQujqK65PwcEQWhk5x1NymsvXydFTgvfycsPvkowU9j59_bd1Js752Uyeu5FLXMuQ/s320/speedbing_0.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk502668560"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk502668560"><br /></a></div>
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<b>Does White Matter Matter?</b> </div>
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Researchers at Tohoku University in Sendai
Japan have taken a different approach with their analysis. They performed a
large study of <u>healthy young adults</u> to understand if the overall amount
of <i>white matter</i> in the brain was
associated with faster processing speed. White matter is bundles of axons which
connect various gray matter areas to each other and to the spinal cord. In our “<a href="https://bigbrain.place/blogs/news/vegetables-and-video-games">Vegetables and Video Games</a>”
post, we noted that, individuals with faster processing speed have lower risk
of dementia, either from resistance, or brain “rewiring” around tau and amyloid
damage. Specifically, measured over a ten-year span, a 29% lower risk. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The Tohoku University
study, led by Associate Professor of Developmental Cognitive Science Hikaru
Takeuchi, PhD and by Daniele Magistro, PhD, now a Research Associate at Loughborough
University. The research report noted that: “Processing speed is considered a
key cognitive resource and it has a crucial role in all types of cognitive
performance”. The study found a positive correlation between the volume of
white matter and processing speed, measured at the whole brain level. White
matter volume in individual brain regions seemed to matter less than overall
volume. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Build a Faster Brain; Work at Peak Throughout Life</b></div>
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If we combine <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0136386">the work from Tohoku University</a>,
<a href="https://bigbrain.place/blogs/news/vegetables-and-video-games">the Indiana University study</a>
on brain training videos, and the “<a href="https://bigbrain.place/blogs/news/play-super-mario-grow-a-bigger-brain">Super Mario</a>” study at Montreal
University and The University of Newfoundland, we can make an important
judgement call. Playing video games with increasing levels of difficulty that
require spatial reasoning, and learning new activities that require fine motor
skills and concentration such as learning to ride a bike or play guitar, will
build a thicker hippocampus, faster fornix and more white matter. All things
promise better cognitive performance at any age, as well as some defense
against dementia. I.E. – a Bigger Brain!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi170GX5wV6vCQJWbRTnx5hDT7uTd1soqNI7df_CmJLqKK5zXG3W_WaUSd-l9qZHRvh61cdutDwmIk7h_JLinlWZ-fvHXwgjI9IDO_n-lupFbLiq71gc7JW3HLgApgidYSoB80/s1600/Learn+new+things.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi170GX5wV6vCQJWbRTnx5hDT7uTd1soqNI7df_CmJLqKK5zXG3W_WaUSd-l9qZHRvh61cdutDwmIk7h_JLinlWZ-fvHXwgjI9IDO_n-lupFbLiq71gc7JW3HLgApgidYSoB80/s320/Learn+new+things.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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We’re not in the video game business, but we are in the
heart-and-brain-healthy exercise business and the good-night’s sleep business
(when your brain organizes memories).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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If your 2018 goals include getting in better shape, please
consider one of our <a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/exercise-and-fitness/products/train-your-heart-train-your-brain-fitness-kit">travel-friendly
exercise kits</a>. We’ll throw-in one of <a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/sleep/products/sleep-mask">our silk
sleep masks</a> – a $7.99 value- for free.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We wish you health, prosperity and a Bigger Brain in 2018!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><b><i>Big Brain Place Offers Fun Stuff That's Good For Your Brain.</i></b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-18042725037640023302017-12-29T11:53:00.000-08:002017-12-29T11:53:32.450-08:00Vegetables & Video Games<div class="MsoNormal">
In our last post, we discussed the research about the
cognition <a href="https://bigbrain.place/blogs/news/play-super-mario-grow-a-bigger-brain">benefit
from playing Super Mario</a>. New research qualifies the kind of games that might help. Not all will.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgEot-ZMHZiO4WefJ4yO5-6JpIGH8nH-vUhs1JK41iE-y5eB-8ViSV_XM1JqSlIZFre7RYBmhdjLrFZBTMWSd0LkVYLYaFa0N0rU4WJoMnt37p9cEBeeULj3U5yRJ5k8aq48/s1600/Super+Mario+64.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="173" data-original-width="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgEot-ZMHZiO4WefJ4yO5-6JpIGH8nH-vUhs1JK41iE-y5eB-8ViSV_XM1JqSlIZFre7RYBmhdjLrFZBTMWSd0LkVYLYaFa0N0rU4WJoMnt37p9cEBeeULj3U5yRJ5k8aq48/s1600/Super+Mario+64.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Kind of Good News
About Video Games<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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A large study (2,800+ participants) performed by researchers
from Indiana University, South Florida University of South Florida and Penn
State University tracked individuals over 10 years. Participant groups received
memory, reasoning, or speed of processing training, or were part of a control
group. If you’ve had a vision study at your ophthalmologist, you’ve done
something like the speed of processing video game used in the study. To play,
you must spot something, such as a highway sign on a roadway, and then spot something
else in the periphery. The faster you identify and click on the objects, the
better you score. As the game proceeds, the background becomes more complex
making it harder to find the images. The good news: participants playing that
type of game had a 29% lower incidence of dementia than the control group. That
is a very big, important finding. As a study author Frederick Unverzagt, PhD <a href="http://www.news-sentinel.com/living/2017/12/06/health-sentinel-indiana-university-researchers-making-advancements-in-alzheimers-and-dementia-treatment-lowering-risk-of-disease/">noted:</a>
“This is the first time a study had shown a protective benefit against dementia”
using brain training.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fIu5K8TMsledMojZp8Lu_hzLBQ5ZC_vlJAScfAQdZObXt0Zz0yLah0pHftp54UMGuhwKXF1ARxI6NdLcZzlJg5DtyZaO7bSiHhJeRCY8BPokbdA8wy7fY7CR5G4Z1HVT8DI/s1600/Bullseye1_xl_15253615_%2528Custom%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fIu5K8TMsledMojZp8Lu_hzLBQ5ZC_vlJAScfAQdZObXt0Zz0yLah0pHftp54UMGuhwKXF1ARxI6NdLcZzlJg5DtyZaO7bSiHhJeRCY8BPokbdA8wy7fY7CR5G4Z1HVT8DI/s320/Bullseye1_xl_15253615_%2528Custom%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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However, the reasoning and memory training groups had no
such protective benefit. And the control group didn’t fare well. Overall, 9.2%
or 260 individuals eventually developed dementia. Currently, speed of
processing games are available at BrainHQ. Look for Lumosity to follow.
Research details <a href="http://www.trci.alzdem.com/article/S2352-8737(17)30059-8/fulltext">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUoyB7RNjkDd6AKpvOsL7deJzyqQKiVLLrAJ9I8PJJa8JCZb0TYQfHdvY1JDcPxwVzNkTsIFq9JVLyDQ9H7wD9U_-cThSeW6RVNEmQ5icD4vuPkobYpNV-PnfqY3jk_G6EPq0/s1600/Mom+was+right.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="243" data-original-width="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUoyB7RNjkDd6AKpvOsL7deJzyqQKiVLLrAJ9I8PJJa8JCZb0TYQfHdvY1JDcPxwVzNkTsIFq9JVLyDQ9H7wD9U_-cThSeW6RVNEmQ5icD4vuPkobYpNV-PnfqY3jk_G6EPq0/s1600/Mom+was+right.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Your Mom Was Right<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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A superstar team of doctors and PhD’s from Rush University
and Medical Center, and Tufts University and Medical Center, studied 960 adults
over about nine years, with an emphasis on diet. In particular, the researchers
were interested in the benefits from nutrients in leafy green vegetables on
cognitive performance. Participants with the highest consumption of leafy green
vegetables (about 1.3 servings per day on average) had far better cognitive
skills than others at the same age who ate less. This benefit is so noteworthy that
one of the study leaders, Professor Martha Clare Morris of Rush University,
illustrated the point by stating that those eating greens had mental skills
equivalent to those 11 years younger. Research details <a href="http://n.neurology.org/content/early/2017/12/20/WNL.0000000000004815">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We can’t help you with video games. But we do have some
great strategy games that make you study the whole game board and contemplate
options. And they are way more fun than eating kale.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/"><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">www.BigBrain.Place</span></i></b></a><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> offers fun products that are good for your brain.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-16349539459991131002017-12-21T12:40:00.001-08:002017-12-21T12:40:36.799-08:00Play Super Mario; Build a Big Brain<div class="MsoNormal">
This brain builder is so good that we are quoting the title as
published in a prestigious scientific journal<b>: “Playing Super Mario 64 increases hippocampal grey matter in older
adults.”</b> It seems that some researchers from Montreal and St. John’s
Newfoundland have nothing better to do than play video games. Well, not
exactly. Gregory L. West, PhD and Benjamin Rich Zendel PhD, put together a
research team to see if the brains of older adults would benefit from playing video
games and, if so, exactly how.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrRVq9RlXVJ04-scxsnrvJcqh0pIH8FK7fqki0yPvaaD7kxgZzS5YPnVRXU62RJPEIQ2NHJEf22ZRxrL7p-YNIWhKsPDjlGvqsm4KfSyO35-An7R-5tTJtVYTzH5LdBe3R6g/s1600/Super+Mario+64.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="173" data-original-width="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrRVq9RlXVJ04-scxsnrvJcqh0pIH8FK7fqki0yPvaaD7kxgZzS5YPnVRXU62RJPEIQ2NHJEf22ZRxrL7p-YNIWhKsPDjlGvqsm4KfSyO35-An7R-5tTJtVYTzH5LdBe3R6g/s1600/Super+Mario+64.jpg" /></a></div>
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The team from the Faculty of Medicine at Memorial University
of Newfoundland and from the Centre de Researche en Neurologie et Cognition at
the University of Montreal, recruited 33 adults from ages 55 to 75. They used
the standard test method with a control group and subject groups. The control
group continued their normal activities. A second group took self-directed
piano lessons (as we’ve covered before, research shows notable brain growth
from learning to play a musical instrument). The third group played Super Mario
64.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Guess what happened?<o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]-->Both the new musicians and the gamers had
improvements in the cerebellum. The cerebellum is a region of the brain
responsible for fine motor and muscle control, balance, coordination and
posture. <o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]-->The music students improved their dorsolateral
prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). The DLPFC seems have connections to most other brain
regions, and is also involved in memory, but also attention, and noticing when
a situation has changed. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEPVTzUs8EwBdFe6yY40uyELZUKWZUpi-9SN5pMM_iUf80EtDRmv7uqROI56GhRxOdOXDF5Q3ckEu2i6bNrgMg7vIMVATigqTeA9SKWLfVvv3O4q4Tnq-71w06jyHzV-LwbY/s1600/Play+an+instrument.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="639" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEPVTzUs8EwBdFe6yY40uyELZUKWZUpi-9SN5pMM_iUf80EtDRmv7uqROI56GhRxOdOXDF5Q3ckEu2i6bNrgMg7vIMVATigqTeA9SKWLfVvv3O4q4Tnq-71w06jyHzV-LwbY/s320/Play+an+instrument.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->The video-playing group was the only one that
experienced hippocampus growth. If you follow this blog or the sister blog at <a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/">www.BigBrain.Place</a> you’ve seen the term hippocampus enough to
know that it plays a fundamental role memory building. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->The control group, sadly, went measurably
downhill.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The researchers hypothesize that Super Mario success depends
upon building a three-dimensional mental map, which taxes the brain
sufficiently to drive neuron growth. But note the benefit from learning a
musical instrument as well. Why not do both? For those of you who want to get
deep into the science, here is a <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0187779">link
to the research</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Shameless plugs and
more<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Our window for shipping for Christmas delivery has passed.
But given how often the theme of exercise being a foundation of brain health recurs
in research, you might just want to get one of our cool, lightweight,
travel-friendly <a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/exercise-and-fitness/products/train-your-heart-train-your-brain-fitness-kit">exercise
bands and straps kit</a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSR7RJ9HYclKxtWf1nPxBRsc7v8JT05eUbhwmTxjXvJwtvNoo9foesLkE58FSOaM_dKkTvrkl85TZTMtvWG8nJ4mlQ5tAlp_6uW6H7MwCYobLpCjEPdQPywF3PemGT8MXtdFc/s1600/Exercise+kit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSR7RJ9HYclKxtWf1nPxBRsc7v8JT05eUbhwmTxjXvJwtvNoo9foesLkE58FSOaM_dKkTvrkl85TZTMtvWG8nJ4mlQ5tAlp_6uW6H7MwCYobLpCjEPdQPywF3PemGT8MXtdFc/s320/Exercise+kit.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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for that New Year’s
resolution. Or treat yourself to a <a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/mind-games/products/colorku">brain-challenging
puzzle</a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyciELWdte8kKyHbVKZE7YbIeVtbMhKQJSZ46O6bR6pMixjyQr6eo0E2c2KH6OTDan5S5vW1-xQ_-KEQKtUNYzxotmeBEjkWAQj0pQ_RzJ49hhMmCTd3nqO7YNSZ3NEzKv7M/s1600/Lo+Shu+Square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyciELWdte8kKyHbVKZE7YbIeVtbMhKQJSZ46O6bR6pMixjyQr6eo0E2c2KH6OTDan5S5vW1-xQ_-KEQKtUNYzxotmeBEjkWAQj0pQ_RzJ49hhMmCTd3nqO7YNSZ3NEzKv7M/s320/Lo+Shu+Square.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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or <a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/games-for-2-or-more-players/products/go">strategy
game.</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5vousoOMVcHEnVuknsrfggNCocewrY6NUgA2M15FXia7A__ZJW-5W-EVZLVanVLW4XuM76OU1iciXttIqH0E31iEflEi0y18pmfFkyBzN7iWuOkgH7M_kkK8GfNTItKyTNc/s1600/Six+Making.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="364" data-original-width="384" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5vousoOMVcHEnVuknsrfggNCocewrY6NUgA2M15FXia7A__ZJW-5W-EVZLVanVLW4XuM76OU1iciXttIqH0E31iEflEi0y18pmfFkyBzN7iWuOkgH7M_kkK8GfNTItKyTNc/s320/Six+Making.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/"><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">www.BigBrain.Place</span></i></b></a></span><b><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> offers fun products that are good for your
brain.</span></i></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-3923928489657977502017-12-14T06:16:00.000-08:002017-12-14T06:16:39.200-08:00Do These Two Things: Have a Bigger Better Brain<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Get Married; Have a
Better Brain<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Married couples have a significantly lower risk of
Alzheimer’s disease than single individuals. We didn’t see that finding coming.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A research paper in
the <a href="http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/early/2017/10/30/jnnp-2017-316274">Journal
of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry reported</a> that singles had a 42%
higher risk of dementia than couples. Widowed had an average of 20% higher.
Curiously, divorced individuals had the same risk as married. Andrew Sommerlad,
MD of the University of London, along with fellow researchers Joshua Ruegger
and Archana Singh-Manoux MD, speculate that the benefit comes from social
contact, communication, looking-out for each other and more mental activity.
(We’ve written before on the extreme detriment of loneliness on health in
general and brain health in particular).<o:p></o:p></div>
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We’re speculating that the punch line is to get married if
you’re not….<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfTm4vdKwj_sg81PiOM_nheGlAsjVeD406DugK56DuXhylxgygmL6zOE4efTccio2DoPWUOPUxgbY5hfHgGK9_j5mdtRLZlLrHEAxgoGBgRlYQAKZbwLmDyR7Yr3OYpHndpw/s1600/Flower+Crown-+Polyvore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfTm4vdKwj_sg81PiOM_nheGlAsjVeD406DugK56DuXhylxgygmL6zOE4efTccio2DoPWUOPUxgbY5hfHgGK9_j5mdtRLZlLrHEAxgoGBgRlYQAKZbwLmDyR7Yr3OYpHndpw/s1600/Flower+Crown-+Polyvore.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Build Up Endurance;
Build Better Working Memory<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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We were recently explaining to someone that one of the
reasons that biological medicines are so expensive is that the factory workers
include post-docs. Someone asked us what a “post-doc” is. It’s someone who
already has a PhD in, say, bio-chemistry or bio-medical engineering, and is
doing even further studies. This little piece of background is a set up for
recently reported medical news about a study led by, you got it, post-docs
Dominik Moser and Gaille E. Doucet from the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. Along
with five more research team members, they showed that physical endurance is
linked to better working memory. Working memory is crucial to learning,
professional skills and performing complex tasks. For those of you who have
been plugging away running, biking, swimming, boxing, at CrossFit, Zumba,
power-walking, dancing or any of the hundreds of other aerobic activities, you
aren’t just doing your heart and muscles good, you’re building working memory
as well. <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/12/171205091531.htm#citation_mla">Research
details here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Shameless Plugs and
More<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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If you are considering buying any of our cool, brain-healthy
products for Christmas – act now. We are down to a handful of shipping days for
Christmas delivery. We’re tossing in some extras with every order while
supplies last.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Three gift ideas. Or, you can give them to yourself- you
were good this year, right? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->We have a super, lightweight, travel-friendly <a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/exercise-and-fitness/products/train-your-heart-train-your-brain-fitness-kit">exercise
kit</a> so that you can build that working memory. Stronger muscles just a bonus. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Both our <a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/exercise-and-fitness/products/train-your-heart-train-your-brain-fitness-kit">Brain
Booster fragrance kit</a> (featuring Peppermint) and our <a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/put-your-mind-at-rest/products/energy-lift-aromatherapy-kit">Energy
Lift kit</a> (featuring Cinnamon) will fill your home with holiday scents.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->We just added a third fragrance: Rosemary Mint,
in our <a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/put-your-mind-at-rest/products/lets-just-chill-rosemary-mint-aromatherapy-kit">Let’s
Just Chill kit</a>. Rosemary, a fragrant herb used for centuries, is associated
with both memory and romance. Oh, and marriages. <o:p></o:p></div>
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(Flower bridal headpiece from Polyvore).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/"><b><i><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">www.BigBrain.Place</span></i></b></a><b><i><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> offers fun products that are good for your brain.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-62338269129481970232017-12-07T12:03:00.001-08:002017-12-07T12:03:11.833-08:00You Are Outsourcing Your Brain & It Might Be a Bad Idea<div class="MsoNormal">
Middle-age spread associated with Alzheimer’s, and why
Google may be bad for your brain. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqq_ubo7sxrwwmsmM5da_OvTAG6yVDLkITTX8z75Ms8Zq-Pw8-L0IV3deqFFLu-dVsto7SRVq_pGuBrHrxfRZooYUNzdSrbr7gjqn4GNH_nqKE5GHYo8KQPZXBKLwdmvfIQw/s1600/Outsourced+Brain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqq_ubo7sxrwwmsmM5da_OvTAG6yVDLkITTX8z75Ms8Zq-Pw8-L0IV3deqFFLu-dVsto7SRVq_pGuBrHrxfRZooYUNzdSrbr7gjqn4GNH_nqKE5GHYo8KQPZXBKLwdmvfIQw/s1600/Outsourced+Brain.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>The News About Fat
Just Keeps Getting Worse<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<u>The Journal of Alzheimer’s and Dementia</u> reported the
results of a study on fat as an Alzheimer’s factor. This very large study-1.3
million subjects- reviewed data comparing Body Mass Index (BMI) to incurrence
of dementia. BMI measures the relationship between height and weight. The
finding was stark and severe: <b><i>being over-weight at middle age increases
the risk of dementia later in life</i></b>. The study was performed by a
highly-respected research team, led by Psychology Professor Mika Kivimaki at
University College London and Ritva Luukkonen from the Department of
Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Helsinki and included experts
from throughout Europe. Study details <a href="http://www.alzheimersanddementia.com/article/S1552-5260(17)33811-6/fulltext">here</a>.
Consumer safety tip: it contains math you didn’t see in high school.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Is Google Shrinking
Your Brain</b>?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Frank Gunn-Moore is a professor at the University of St
Andrews in Scotland, and Director of Alzheimer’s Research. In public comments
in advance of his upcoming address at an Alzheimer’s event, reported in the
Dundee Scotland <a href="https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/brain-experts-internet-warning/">Sunday
Post</a>, Moore said: “…these days we seem to outsource our brain to the
Internet. It’s an experiment the human race is running and we will have to wait
and see if this outsourcing affects dementia prevalence”.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In other words, Dr. Gunn-Moore is encouraging us to use our
recall, grab a dictionary or other reference book and so on to build and
reinforce memories rather than reaching for that smartphone.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>We’re Not Going to
Take It Anymore<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The list of things under our control that raise our risk of
dementia is solidifying: being sedentary, overweight, consuming too much sugar
and drinking too much alcohol are all associated with a higher risk. This
recent study shows that the part of the risk stemming from being fat begins at
an earlier age, specifically middle age.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Here’s our prescription and shameless plugs: get your
children off the screen and moving to develop good exercise habits at an early
age, and buy some of our <a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/for-younger-children/products/dr-eureka">cool,
non-digital toys</a> that require thinking and, in some cases, movement. For
adults, fight that expanding waist line with our light-weight, luggage friendly
<a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/exercise-and-fitness/products/train-your-heart-train-your-brain-fitness-kit">exercise
straps and bands kit</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/">www.BigBrain.Place</a>
offers fun products that are good for your brain</span></i></b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34432314.post-91512646465375425722017-11-30T08:06:00.000-08:002017-11-30T08:06:14.077-08:00Shampoo Your Brain: Lather, Rinse, Repeat Every 24 Hours<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlKE2x6PGNp9mFXeamjJvtKgC4bNzw6kERbCo330B07Or7VPxJSLflGL037WvWj-6Ve4ivb6RwCUY2UftMOpXc2cMo969b4hyQQx-5WnzvG2VNLYjxxKZZnhhNvJPTcqIL0xA/s1600/Sleep+8+hours.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1295" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlKE2x6PGNp9mFXeamjJvtKgC4bNzw6kERbCo330B07Or7VPxJSLflGL037WvWj-6Ve4ivb6RwCUY2UftMOpXc2cMo969b4hyQQx-5WnzvG2VNLYjxxKZZnhhNvJPTcqIL0xA/s320/Sleep+8+hours.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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While you sleep, your glymphatic system shampoos your brain.
It gives it a good cleaning and eliminates any toxins or bad stuff that has
managed to slip in. Of course, your brain is performing an endless number of other functions as well. But the cleaning function is different in that it only is
performed while you sleep. And if you don’t sleep enough, well, you’re trying
to do your waking tasks with a clogged-up, messy, dirty brain. It is possible-
although speculative at this point- that there may be a link between inadequate
sleep and Alzheimer’s disease.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Enough’ s Enough<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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How much sleep do you need? We came across a newsletter from
the Cleveland Clinic with some information on appropriate amounts of sleep that referenced guidelines from a variety of sources including National Sleep
Foundation, American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Sleep
Medicine.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Obviously, infants and babies sleep most of the time,
furthermore, they need to. Toddlers (ages 1-3) need 12-14 hours. Preschoolers
need 11-13 hours, which usually will include a nap. Children 6-12 need 9-12
hours. When they become teenagers, as a
friend of ours says: the hormone storms hit. Dramatic change happens to teenage
brains and bodies, and they need 8-10 hours of sleep a night as a result (other
research indicates most teenagers aren’t getting nearly that much). Adults 25 -64 need
7-9; seniors 7-8. Note that for adults, sleep under 6 hours isn’t healthy, nor
is over 10 hours. Similarly, for seniors, less than 5 hours or greater than 9
isn’t healthy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Shameless Plug<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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We offer silky-soft over-sized <a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/sleep/products/sleep-mask">sleep masks</a>
for those who have trouble falling asleep. And fragrance kits like <a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/put-your-mind-at-rest/products/40-winks">lavender</a>,
<a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/put-your-mind-at-rest/products/mega-memory-aromatherapy">jasmine</a>
and <a href="https://bigbrain.place/collections/put-your-mind-at-rest/products/meditation-master">vanilla</a>
that may help you relax and drift off for that brain-cleansing 9 hours.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Second Shameless Plug<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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After Black Friday and Cyber Monday, supplies of some of our
best sellers are already low. It’s a good time to go shopping and avoid that
last week stress.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.bigbrain.place/">www.BigBrain.Place</a> offers fun stuff that
is good for your brain.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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Coming soon: our book on brain health.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01960939882079606581noreply@blogger.com0