YOUR HEALTH

Healthy life reduces risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Doctors at the Memory Disorders Clinic at UCLA Health System say the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease is reduced with better medical care and healthier living. That includes:

• control of elevated blood pressure,
  
  
  
• control of cholesterol,
  
  
  
• maintaining a healthy body weight,
  
  
  
• having an active lifestyle and exercising,
  
  
  
• eating a healthy diet,
  
  
  
• taking an omega-3 fatty acids supplement (fish oil).
  

Here's how to get twofers or more from the most nutritious foods.

You've seen lists of the healthiest foods but may wonder how you can eat them all and how to use up the whole package once you buy it. Here are a few ideas that can help.

• Blueberries. They are believed to improve short term memory and promote healthy aging. Put them on breakfast food or ice cream. Eat a few for a snack, and put the rest into a package of muffin mix.
  
  
  
• Almonds. Packed with vitamins, minerals and lots of calcium, almonds are a great snack food. Put some in snack mixes. Chop some and put them on your salad. If you have any left, put them on store bought cupcakes or cookies.
  
  
  
• Apples. They can lower your cholesterol and glucose levels: have vitamin C and substances that keep blood vessels healthy. They're a great evening snack or afternoon pick-me-up, and they're also good in salads. Or microwave a cored apple with brown sugar inside for a dessert treat.
  
  
  
• Bananas. Good anytime, they have potassium, phytonutrients and make you feel full. Eat whole, put them on ice cream or in a Jello salad. Any leftover can go into banana bread.
  
  
  
• Broccoli. The famous source of many things healthy, cook broccoli as a side dish, put it in a casserole, eat it raw with veggie dip, or in with greens.
  
  
  
• Beans. High in minerals and protein, they can be a side dish or a main dish. Make a bean dip for crackers, eat bean soup. Add beans to soups.
  
  
  
• Spinach. Eat it fresh in a salad, cook it for a side dish or make a spinach and egg casserole. It has vitamins, minerals and compounds that help the immune system.
  
  
  
• Sweet potatoes. They're fat free and low in calories. A small one has only 54 calories, according to UCLA School of Medicine, and they're loaded with vitamins C and E. Peel and bake with a touch of brown sugar and butter on top, or boil and mash them up.
  
  
  
• Wheat germ. A highly concentrated source of vitamins and minerals. Eat it as a cereal, mix with other cereals, or toss it into other dishes you make. It has a nutty taste.

Study finds adult brain changes with learning.

You can't use the excuse now that you are too old to learn to use a computer or learn a language. A new study suggests that old dogs can, indeed, learn new tricks. Scientists using new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have offered the first evidence that the brain is malleable or plastic and will change with learning over a lifetime, not just when it's young.

The study was published in the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. It showed that, with learning, there is an increase of myelin, a fatty, white insulator that surrounds brain pathways. Reporting to Duke University, study co-author Alex Schlegel said, "This was the first study looking at a really complex, long term learning process over time, actually looking at changes in individuals as they learn a task."

The brain is often thought of as an organ that develops rapidly and extensively when we are young, but becomes less capable of learning and processing information as we age. But this new study suggests that all brain changes over time are not negative ones. The study could have implications for treatment and analysis of stroke, brain damage and new learning models. It also takes away a variety of excuses.

Eating an early lunch burns more calories.

Neuroscientists say meal timing seems to affect weight loss. One study compares those eating lunch before 3 p.m. to those who had lunch after 3 p.m. Early lunchers lost an average of 22 pounds in 20 weeks. Those who ate lunch later lost about 17 pounds. Neuroscientists at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School say the study suggests both calories and timing have an impact on weight loss.

The research included 420 overweight and obese people who participated in a 20 week weight loss program in Spain. Overall, participants consumed about 1,400 calories a day. There was no significant difference in caloric intake or energy expenditure between the early lunchers and the late lunchers. The findings were reported in the International Journal of Obesity.

Understanding Occupational therapy.

An occupational therapist is a health professional with at least a 4 year college degree that specializes in evaluation and treatment of people with limited functional independence. Recovery after an injury to your hand, wrist, elbow or shoulder can be difficult. An occupational therapist can help you return to your work, sporting and home activities.

After receiving your doctor's order, the occupational therapist will complete a comprehensive evaluation of your condition. He or she will then develop a unique, individual treatment program and provide education about preventing a recurrence of the injury or condition.

There are about 103,000 occupational therapists in the U.S. Salaries vary with industry and geographical location but run from $24 an hour to $80 in specialized fields.

It's a fact: Good lung function helps you think better.

A new Swedish study published in the journal Psychological Science shows that the brain's processing speed is better maintained with good lung health. The researchers now believe that oxygen intake carried throughout the body by the blood may affect chemicals that transmit signals between brain cells. They say regular exercise and a healthy diet enhance oxygen rich blood flow.

The study included 832 people 50 to 85 who were followed for 19 years. One bit of good news: the study found that reduced lung function was not linked with worsened memory or loss of stored knowledge in the brain.

© 2013 TLC Magazine Online, Inc.