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Book Review: Defeating Dementia by Richard Furman MD

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Defeating Dementia

As of today (May 9, 2018), if you Google How to Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease, you’ll be given About 25,400,000 results. That means there are A LOT of people talking about Alzheimer’s (and Dementia) prevention and even more people looking for the information.

From the Inside Cover of Defeating Dementia:

Dementia. It’s one of the most dreaded conditions we face as we age. Many people claim they would rather be diagnosed with cancer than dementia or Alzheimer’s. What many don’t realize is that dementia is not a forgone conclusion as we get older. Our own lifestyle choices and habits can have a significant impact–for good or ill–on our chances of developing the disease. And that means there’s hope.

Drawing from the latest medical research, Dr. Richard Furman helps readers understand dementia and Alzheimer’s and shows them how to make three powerful lifestyle changes that can help decrease the probability of developing this disease. He explains how eating the right foods, exercising, and sustaining an ideal weight can dramatically reduce the likelihood of developing dementia in the first place, and even how it can slow the progression of the disease in someone who has already received a diagnosis.

When you’re talking about one of the most unkind and relentless diseases of our time, “hope” is a beautiful word, indeed.

When reviewing a book on the self help blog (or any other blog, for that matter), I think it’s always important to give a little information about the author. After all, if we’re going to invest in reading what they say… we should know why we should! Richard Furman, MD, FACS spent more than 30 years as a vascular surgeon. He is the past president of the North Carolina Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, Past president of the North Carolina Surgical Society, and two-term governor of the American College of Surgeons. He co-founded the World Medical Mission (the medical arm of the wonderful “Samaritan’s Purse“) and is a member of the board of Samaritan’s Purse. He is also the author of Prescription for Life and Your Cholesterol Matters.

About Samaritan’s Purse:  Samaritan’s Purse is a non-denominational evangelical Christian International Relief organization. The author’s proceeds from Defeating Dementia will be donated to Samaritan’s Purse for World Medical Mission to assist doctors serving at mission hospitals abroad.

Defeating Dementia gives a clear and concise overview of Dementia (including Alzheimer’s Disease) – broken down in terms we can all understand… and, as you’ll see when you read the book.. understanding the disease is pivotal in preventing the disease.  There are, in fact, quite a few things we can do to tilt the odds in our favor – That is where hope comes in.

There are four distinct parts of Defeating Dementia.

  1. Understanding Dementia, The Stages of Alzheimer’s, & The Brain, Imagery, and Testing
  2. The Aging Process and the Health of Your Arteries
  3. The Risk Factors for Developing Alzheimer’s Disease (such as high cholesterol, being overweight, having high blood pressure….)
  4. Lifestyle Choices for Defeating Dementia (covers diet, physical activity, and other areas you probably haven’t even considered)

Each of the four sections are packed with valuable information and advice which is, again, presented in a very clear and concise manner. The book is very enjoyable and “reads” very fast – in fact, you should make yourself slow down every now and again to make sure you don’t miss anything. Mental fitness is one of my biggest passions in life, so I actually took notes along the way.

From the Back Cover:

In the fight against dementia, the most powerful player is you.

“While many books have been written about individuals with Alzheimer’s, none has so seamlessly connected the disease biology, the patient experience, and the preventative science as Dr. Furman does so skillfully. Dr. Furman’s work will serve as the definitive guide on preventative measures to decrease one’s chances of developing Alzheimer’s dementia.”–Senator Bill Frist, nationally recognized heart and lung transplant surgeon, former US Senate majority leader, and chairman of the executive council of Cressey and Company, from the foreword

“I had always thought that there was little one could do to prevent or slow the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. However, in this amazing book, Defeating Dementia, Dr. Richard Furman explains in an easy to understand and detailed way that there are actually things you can be doing right now to decrease your odds of developing Alzheimer’s dementia. This book can change the way you live. It can give you a new hope and practical steps to deal with–and even help prevent–Alzheimer’s.”–Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and founder of Samaritan’s Purse, from the foreword

“Dr. Furman has created a unique book for the public–one that synthesizes decades of research on the prevention and early treatment of dementia into understandable chunks and practical advice. Pairing the science with personal story provides immediacy, underscoring that this advice is not just a good idea, it’s crucial and matters now.”–Dr. Richard Ackermann, director, Hospice & Palliative Medicine Fellowship, Mercer University School of Medicine

Defeating Dementia is available on Amazon and I highly, highly recommend you click through and take a closer look.

There is NO Age Limit on Learning!

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by Brooke Faulkner

It is abundantly clear that striving to learn new things betters your life in numerous ways. Ideally, your whole life should be spent striving to learn something new every single day. Learning and wanting to enhance your intellect is a great thing for every human to aspire toward, but not everyone has the time to attend lectures on a college campus.

Technological developments have raised the bar in ways we can obtain information and learn just about anything we set our minds to. Nearly anyone can access the internet for its endless supply of information — some educational, some not. The trick is how you to make the technology work for you. Below are creative ways anyone, regardless of age, can keep a hold of their lifelong quest for knowledge.

Listen to an Audiobook on the Go

Audiobooks are a lifesaver for busy people who struggle to find the time to read. It’s not only great for travelers, but also for people who don’t want the responsibility of holding a book or don’t have the attention span required for reading. You can listen to an audiobook on the bus, in the bathtub, or while doing chores. It is a convenient method to soak up some information or finally get around to that classic novel that you’ve been putting off.

Cognitively, there is little difference between reading and listening to a book. The comprehension of information is the same, although there may be preferential reasons as to why you might like the physical presence of a book as opposed to an audiobook. Audiobooks are appropriate for all ages, so next time you’re taking the little one to the library, check out one for them as well as yourself.

Use an App to Learn a Language

Learning a second language presents the opportunity to become more in tune with the world around you and, in a lot of instances, is becoming a necessary skill to possess in our ever-integrating world. Learning a new language as a child will set you leagues ahead of other students and, as an adult, will give you a leg up in the workforce. Luckily, you can start learning a new language on your phone as soon as you download the app.

There are numerous apps to help you learn a language for free and help coach you through almost any language of your choosing. Quizzes, flashcards, and even talking amongst fluid speaking assistants will help you in practicing until you’ve mastered a new language — making it exponentially easier to master the next language.

Use the Internet for an Online College Course

The development of online college courses has eased stress and anxiety for every college student. Including the non-traditional student — who, after years or decades of a sabbatical, has finally decided they want to go back to school and finish up those last credits needed for a Master’s in Education. Or they may just have a curiosity or passion about a particular subject. Online classes have transformed the convenience and attainability of a college education. Online classes are also available for high schoolers looking to better prepare themselves for the college workload.

Through video conferencing, lots of document transferring, and emailing, you can uphold your responsibilities by fulfilling the syllabus requirements if you manage your time right and properly study for a collegiate course. Just make sure you meet the technical requirements of taking an online course, as they can require fast internet speeds and plenty of storage capacity.

Anyone can, and should, continue their life’s education whenever and however they can. The ways described above are just a few in which you can utilize technology to work to your advantage. No one should put off their desire to stimulate their mental curiosity because they don’t have time, or don’t live near a college campus. Options are available for you to maintain a lifetime of learning.


Infographic: Rising Levels of Anxiety in a Digital World

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I was recently discussing anxiety with a family member who is a close, personal friend of the disorder. While she doesn’t experience the symptoms on a daily basis, the disorder is ever-present. Sort of like those of us with asthma – we may not have trouble breathing daily, but we are never free of the disease.

We simply manage it to the best of our abilities.

The thing that fascinates me the most about anxiety is that it used to be something you seldom heard about. I’ve often wondered, as many have, what has caused the obvious surge in anxiety disorders. Through reading a great deal about anxiety (when multiple people in your family suffer from a particular disorder, you pretty much make yourself an expert on the subject), I’ve found that this is a disorder that is FAR from a “one size fits all” situation. One person’s symptoms, in fact, may not even remotely resemble another person’s.

What’s more, the things that cause “flare ups” or even “attacks” greatly differ as well.

One of the things that works against individuals who have legitimate, clinical anxiety disorders is the frustrating fact that countless people are claiming that they have “anxiety disorders” when, in fact, they simply feel “anxious” at particular times or in particular situations.

When I had to give a speech in college, for example, I felt anxious – to the point of nearly feeling nauseous (I hate public speaking!). However, I don’t – nor did I then – have anxiety. I simply felt anxious because of the situation.

The fact that so many people take it upon themselves to say they have an anxiety disorder when they actually don’t does a disservice to the men and women who actually battle the disorder.

The infographic below gives a lot of insight into how our digital world can effect anxiety. It’s actually an angle I had never considered and it’s downright fascinating.

Diet can also play a role in anxiety disorders. I’ve read MANY, MANY accounts where cutting out gluten and sugar have greatly improved people’s symptoms.

When you live with a particular disease or disorder, it’s more than worth it to try any approach you can. After all, any relief is just that….. relief! – Joi (“Joy”)

Rising Levels of Anxiety In A Digital World

Physical, Emotional, and Mental Benefits of the Recolor App: It’s More Than Just FUN!

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Recolor App Beautiful Music Lover

I’ve been wanting to tell you about one of my favorite new apps for a long time now.  However…. as is so my way… I’ve been waiting for today, National Coloring Book Day.

Yes, my brain does work like that….

The app is the Recolor App and I love it with all of my being. I have the app on both my iPad and my iPhone. I really have no idea how I ever got along without it and am anxious for you to get your fingers on the free app and fall in love too.

Recolor is a beautifully creative and high-quality coloring book on mobile, including +1100 gorgeous art illustrations. It’s as easy as possible to figure out – you won’t even need a teenager to explain it to you.

Below are a couple of benefits to this creative and fun app.

Ice Cream Cone: Some Images are Simple, While Others Are More Complex

RELAXATION: Fun Way to Relax and Unwind

People, crazily enough, seem to think that if you work from home you are a stranger to stressful days. When I encounter such mindsets (depending upon the day I’m having at the time), I either laugh or fight to contain a plethora of words that’d make my mom blush.

Regardless of your vocation – lawyer, writer, housewife, teacher, blogger, salesman, stay-at-home mom, businesswoman, nurse, office manager…. you know what a stressful day looks like, what it sounds like, and what it feels like. Basically, if you’re a human, you’re intimate with stress.

One of the best ways to deal with stress is to unwind and to get your mind as far away from the stress as possible. The Recolor app allows you to do just that by “escaping” into a fun world where your biggest concern is whether to make a cat orange, black, or white or whether you want to create a lake scene that depicts the lake during the day or evening.

Ahhhh… just thinking about this creative world makes me feel peaceful.

A “Mandala”

MENTAL FITNESS: Get in Touch With Your Creative Side

As you may know, I have a mental fitness blog (Out of Bounds) where I share tips for staying mentally sharp, preventing Alzheimer’s and Dementia, battling anxiety and stress, etc. I do untold amounts of research for my mental fitness blog (as well as each of my blogs, of course.).  The top experts in the field of mental health recommend “exercising” your creativity as well as your memorization and critical thinking skills.  Yet the creative aspect is one many people ignore. A lot of people will eat the foods necessary for brain health, read thought-provoking books, and even make sure they learn how to do new skills or educate themselves in new areas.

While each of these areas are excellent… make that very excellent… if they’re ignoring exercising their creativity, they aren’t doing all they can for their brain’s health. Your brain craves the opportunity to be creative as much as it craves the opportunity to learn new things.

Adult coloring books (physical or virtual) are a fun and excellent way to provide this creativity your brain desires. The “mandalas” (one is pictured above) can be especially mentally-stimulating. If you decide to make a certain shape a certain color, it’s kind of stimulating, mentally and creatively, to sort through the “puzzle” to find all the similar shapes.

It’s also very stimulating, creatively, to decide on harmonizing colors. Choosing a color scheme is one of my favorite things about the app.

COPE WITH ANXIETY: Entertaining Way to Keep Your Hands and Minds Busy

While I, personally, do now struggle with anxiety, I have read a great deal about the fight many people face with it. In fact, I have several members in my family who deal with anxiety and the many colorful ways it manifests itself.

One of the fastest, simplest, and most beneficial ways to cope with anxiety is simply to occupy your hands and your minds.  When you do so, it gives the “nervous energy” that’s buzzing around your head a place to go! It’s as though you usher them into the art room and close the door behind them.

Don’t worry about them, though, they’ll be far too busy having fun to worry about the door being closed.

There’s simply a lot to be said for spending time with an activity that’s all about colors, beauty, creativity, and good old-fashioned fun.  You can share your creations with others in the Recolor Community, or you can simply use it as your own personal space to unwind and experience adult recess.

Physical Benefits

No, coloring in a great coloring app isn’t going to burn enough calories to qualify as physical fitness (unless, of course, you color while on a treadmill or stationary bike – which are excellent ideas actually), but when you look at the benefits named above, you have all you need to know about the physical benefits. Where our minds and hearts (emotions) go, our physical bodies follow. When we’re under stress, dealing with anxiety, or not stimulating our minds enough, our physical health suffers.

By the same token, when we’re taking care of these other areas, our physical health responds favorably.

You might even find yourself snacking less at night (especially if you’re one who snacks as a result of stress or anxiety), which most definitely is physically beneficial.

I hope you’ll check out the Recolor App – you’re going to love it. It’s free, fun*, and… trust me… fabulous!

* It’s free to download and you receive new “free” images to color daily. There is an option to pay for access to far more pictures, colors, and effects but I personally have never done so. It simply isn’t necessary, unless you just can’t get enough of the fun!

An Image I Haven’t Colored… Yet!

More About Recolor

Each image, when clicked, fills your screen. You’re presented with a palette of colors to choose from. You scroll at the bottom to find more.  Above the image, you’ll see an option (looks like a finger swiping) that allows you to “sweep” the color across an image as opposed to filling one small area at a time. You can easily undo a color if it no longer suits you… then promptly find one that does.

In addition to a great variety of colors, you can also choose an “effect” for your image. The free ones are Shadow, Wall, Crumbled Paper, and Art Paper. They’ve also come out with “Filters” for your image – kind of like instagram filters.

There are so many delicious options!

One final note – I love the diversity this app showcases. The individuals available to color cover various races and sexes. It’s just another thing this app gets “right.”

TIP: If you find a picture that was especially fun to color, go back and “edit” the picture by coloring it all over again. See the beautiful music lover at the top of the post? She has worn red, orange, gold, and purple. While she was stunning in each, she and I both decided that purple was her color. Makes her smile stand out, don’t you think?

Check out the Recolor App today.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a coffee picture to color…

Soothe Your Senses with a Luxury Spa Treatment at Home

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Get a Spa Treatment at Home!

We don’t all have the time and money to spend pampering ourselves with lavish spa weekends, but that doesn’t mean we can’t indulge at home from time to time. Read on to see how you can temporarily transform your household bathroom into a luxury treatment centre, for all of your senses.

Sight

Before you even touch a tap, make sure your bathroom is relatively tidy. Mess seems to especially accumulate around bathroom basins and tubs, so take five minutes to tidy away any bits and pieces you don’t intend to use. There’s no need to spend a lot of time cleaning, but you definitely deserve better than the morning’s towels on the floor and a full bin.

Next, adjust the lighting. Glaring task lights are great for seeing what we’re doing in the morning, but don’t lend any atmosphere to a relaxing soak in the bath. Accent lights, low-wattage bulbs and candlelight are much easier on the eyes, and can help tune your mind to a more meditative state.

Scent

A soothing scent will transport you away from a hectic household, and straight into your zen space. There are many fragrances that are said to promote calmness and relieve anxiety, and ingredients such as lavender, jasmine and sandalwood are often used in health spa products. Take your time to pick a scent that your personally enjoy, as it will help you to de-stress that much quicker.

There are lots of ways to fragrance a room, with options to suit every bathroom. Static air fresheners, plug-ins or reed diffusers are great for gently emitting a constant scent, but these can get a little lost once our noses become accustomed to them. Lighting complementary scented candles or incense will enhance the aroma just in time for your soak, or for the full spa experience, try using aromatherapy oils.

Sound

If silence is golden, why do our minds fill with obscure clutter and last minute “to do” notes at the very end of the day? Avoid your brain going into overdrive after five minutes of quiet by preparing a soothing soundtrack to help you unwind.

Most streaming services will have some ready-made playlists to choose from, with something to offer for every genre. You can even find tracks of ambient soundscapes, like ocean waves gently breaking, crackling log fires or distant, calming thunderstorms.

For particularly busy households, you will need two extra things. Firstly, some quality headphones to block out the noise. Make sure you find ones with an extra-long wire, so you can keep your music device far away from the bath. Secondly, if you don’t already have one, purchase and install a lock on your bathroom door, so that the source of the racket can’t come in and disturb your peace.

Touch

While you might not be able to recreate the exact luxury of a spa treatment, simply indulging in different products from your daily routine will tell your brain that your session is extra-special. Elevate your bath time to an extravagant, replenishing soak with two cups of Epsom salts, or by adding a squeeze of beautifully scented bubble bath.

Make sure to properly pamper yourself with a home treatment or two. If you have been waiting to use a conditioning hair balm, face mask or body scrub, now is the perfect time to let it work its magic while you soak. Spoil yourself with premium products, just as you would in a spa – it’s not like you get a chance to every day.

When you’re ready to get out, have fresh, fluffy towels waiting for you, alongside a cosy dressing gown and slippers.

Taste

It may usually be the last sense we think about in a bathroom, but your taste buds deserve a treat as much as the rest of you.

Start your treatment session with a mug of herbal tea (or glass of wine) while your bath runs. Try to find a comfortable spot to enjoy it, without interruptions from your family or phone.

Prepare yourself an extra drink and snack for when your bath is ready. Icy water and chopped fruit, for example, feel particularly refreshing during a hot soak… although so do wine and chocolate – it’s entirely your choice!

Get a Spa Treatment at Home!