OVERVIEW: View 2 minute Video Clip of Dr. Nancy Emerson Lombardo summarizing a few key brain healthy lifestyles
“Healthy Living for a Healthy Brain”™ Brain Health &Wellness Center® BeWell Program© 2000-2016
- My team’s Brain Health & Wellness Center® program has been evolving for 16 years, inspired by the 1998 Amsterdam ICAD Research Conference and suggestions from my friend Xiu Wen Zhang (now 87!)
- Leaders in brain healthy lifestyles in US, Europe and across the world…all have been doing their work in just the last 5-15 years.
- Dr. Lynn Serper began her work in 1990’s—visionary leader in proving brain plasticity (link to Serper website http://www.serpermethod.com/drupal/
- 2007-2008 in US- critical mass reaching public attention of research emphasizing importance of lifestyle in both prevention and treatment of AD
US Nation-wide Public Brain Health Programs (link to new nested webpage)
- US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has a Healthy Brain Initiative in partnership with Alzheimer’s Association.
- 2 Year Planning Effort resulted in Report 2008- HEALTHY BRAIN INITIATIVE: A NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH ROAD MAP TO MAINTAINING COGNITIVE HEALTH available on www.alz.org Note the date; nothing happened.
- National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) legislation signed January 2011 – a national strategic plan for Alzheimer’s disease. Advisory Council formed.
- Other ADI countries have similar initiatives or plans
Brain Basics
Once one understands the basics of brain structure, composition and function, it is easier to see how and why many lifestyles would affect its peak health.
Brain Basics-Summary
- Delicate, intricate, complex
- Uses ¼ of all of the nutrients, resources, and energy we consume
- All key body systems need to work well—glucose metabolism, heart & blood vessels, blood flow, energy engines inside brain cells, removal of toxins.
- Brain cells, most important parts for thinking and feeling comprised heavily of delicate, easily oxidized Omega 3’s
One Goal of the Brain Health and Wellness Center is to help others: Create Healthy, Robust, More Resilient Brain Tissue –
- Healthy Brain tissue better withstands ravages of age, genetic vulnerabilities, environmental stresses, accidents, toxins (including certain anesthesias), and disease.
- Nutrition, Exercise, Cognitive Training and Healthy Lifestyles help us enhance and strengthen brain neurons, synapses & dendrites and other body & brain cells relevant to brain health.
These lifestyles are also synergistic and interactive, as suggested by the Beagle Dog Study outlined elsewhere
The 11 Brain Healthy Lifestyles supported by the Brain Health and Wellness Center (Click on Each One on Menu to Learn More)
The Brain Health and Wellness Center® to date has identified 11 different healthy lifestyles established by some or many scientific studies to be related to improved brain health.
Click on the lifestyle of interest to learn more:
ELEVEN (11) DOMAINS OF BRAIN HEALTH™
1. Nutrition and Hydration: Memory Preservation Nutrition®
2. Physical Exercise
3. Mental & Cognitive Stimulation including Cognitive Education/The Serper Method™, Memory Techniques & Medication Management
4. Management of Stress and Depression
5. Social Engagement & Support
6. Sleep needed for brain health
7. Balanced Chi (Energy)
8. Music (listening to and playing music) and Other Creative Arts & crafts, story-telling.
9. Spiritual Practices – Pray, Meditate, Forgive, Let Go, Be Kind & Loving, Practice Gratitude, Be Positive
10. Humor, Fun, Laughter & Joy
11. Sense of Meaning and Purpose in Life
Many Lifestyle Factors Common to Body & Brain Health – e.g. Blood Sugar Health (preventing or treating diabetes) is tied to Cognitive Health
- Physical Exercise
- Sleep
- Managing Stress & Depression
- Nutrition
- Social Engagement & Community
Many Lifestyle Factors are Common to Brain and Heart Health
- Physical Exercise
- Sleep
- Managing Stress & Depression
- Nutrition
- Social Engagement & Community
- Spirituality
- Creative Expression
- Meaning & Purpose
- Humor , plus many others!
