A recent study says flat shoes can be the real culprits behind spine and leg ailments. Smita Roy speaks to city experts and gets the ideal heel size
We've heard stories about high heels being bad. Even the bootylicious Beyonce Knowles, who's known for her sexy fashion sense, was recently heard complaining about her high heels. It's a proven fact that high heels can cause several ailments related to the knees, back and spine. And when it gets too much to handle, most people simply switch over to flat shoes. While doctors say that flats are better since they relax the feet and don't let them tire soon, a recent study says wearing total flats can be a cause of trouble. For starters, it kills the sex appeal that high heels bring in! But on a more serious note, podiatrists around the world are alarmed at the rising number of foot injuries caused by moving around in ballerinas and flip-flops. Although comfortable, flat shoes can cause severe foot pain, shooting pains in the shins, bunions, back aches and arthritis. Muscular and occupational therapist Dr Preeti Jadhav says, "Walking in heels alters the centre of gravity, training your legs to produce muscle especially in the calf and thighs thus toning them. For people who suffer poor circulation and are prone to swollen ankles, shoes with one-inch heels can boost the amount of blood and tissue fluid that is returned from the legs to the upper body. Modest heels of about one or one and a half inch can improve alignment of the lower back reducing the risk of lower back pain. It also helps people with straight backs as it restores a healthy curve and eases tension in the muscle. For total comfort while walking, one must stick to the one to one and a half inch heel rather than wearing the absolute extremes." Physiotherapist Dr Priya Rathore says, "Absolute flats are fine as long as the insole is padded well. But otherwise I would agree that one-inch is the ideal heel size. It helps your calf muscles. Although here, too, I'd say that the insole has to be soft. Shoes with hard insoles can be painful — whether they are flats or high-heeled!" Research also claims that women who wear one to two inch heels may have more fun between the sheets than women wearing absolute flats. The body posture adopted while wearing heels improves the pelvic floor muscles, which eventually helps achieve a wonderful climax. The best bet hence, is to wear different kinds of shoes with variable heel lengths at different points of time. Doctors also advise against wearing any particular pair of shoes regularly. Although the absolute skyscraper kinds are still a 'no-no', a little bit of heel would only do good! smita.roy@timesgroup.com HERE'S HOW FLAT SHOES CAN ADVERSELY AFFECT THE BODY: People tend to shuffle instead of walking. This can ruin the body posture. They cause the feet to roll inward, stretching ligaments and tendons. The stretched ligaments pull toes out of alignment with the rest of the foot, causing severe pain. This can eventually cause bunions. When the feet roll in, they pull the knees with them. If forced into an awkward angle, the knee caps can become inflamed, painful, and sometimes, arthritic. Walking uphill or running in flats can also bring trouble, as the lack of support causes inflammation along the shin, prompting shooting pains.
FLAT OUT: Whether stillettos or platforms (extreme left), one inch heel is ideal
Financial planner Gaurav Mashruwala warns against rising health costs
Year 2007 will be remembered by Manoj Nirbhavane for the rest of his life. His mother Padma fell critically ill. The doctors had given her only 10% chance of survival. The family did not have health insurance. The cost of the ICU and more than three months of hospitalization ran into lakhs. All the savings had to be eroded, and some money borrowed, to cover the treatment. She is fine now, and so is the family. But had society not stood by them and helped financially, the Nirbhavanes' story could have turned out quite different. Maintaining good relations in society is the biggest wealth anyone can ever have. Manoj, 30, holds an MBA from Mumbai University. He works with a private life insurance company. His wife Shilpa is also employed. Manoj's father retired from the Brihanmumbai Municipality Corporation. He has two elder brothers. All of them live separately. WHAT ARE THEY SAVING FOR? "I want to support my children the way my father supported me," says Manoj. (1) They want a corpus of Rs 30 lakh for education, Rs 5 lakh for marriage and Rs 40 lakh to establish children in their profession etc. (2) Further, they need Rs 50 lakh for their retirement after 30 years (3) Lastly, they need Rs 5 lakh to send both Manoj and Shilpa's parents abroad for a vacation. They consider all this their responsibility. Costs are at today's rate of inflation. Further they dream of foreign travel, a holiday home and, most importantly, a corpus to support the needy. WHERE ARE THEY TODAY? Cash flow: Total monthly inflow from all sources is in the range of Rs 40,000. Total outflow is Rs 36,000, going towards their insurance premium, household expenses, taxes, entertainment and savings. About Rs 17,500 is saved every month. Net worth: The value of total assets apart from the house is Rs 7.10 lakh. Against this, the outstanding liability is Rs 50,000, or about 7% of the assets. Contingency fund: Against mandatory monthly expense of Rs 16,000, funds in form of cash at home and savings bank linked FD is Rs 70,000. This is about 4.5 months' reserve. Health & life insurance: They have a family floater health care policy totalling Rs 3 lakh, which covers the spouse and dependents parents. Sum assured for life is Rs 20.65 lakhs. This is in the form of term plans and endowment policies. Savings & investment: Cash at home is Rs 20,000. Rs 50,000 is kept in the bank. The value of direct equity is Rs 15,000 and of the equity mutual fund is Rs 3 lakh, Bonds/FD total Rs 80,000. Balance in EPF/PPF is Rs 2 lakh and post office schemes, Rs 45,000. Debt:Equity ratio is 55:45 FISCAL ANALYSIS: They are living well within their means. Excess funds are lying in cash/near cash assets. We recommend independent health insurance policies for each family member, and also a larger sum assured. Life insurance is insufficient. Borrowing is well within limits. Debt:equity ratio is well balanced. WAY AHEAD: Contingency fund: Keep aside Rs 35,000 in a savings bank linked to an FD and Rs 15,000 in cash at home. Any surplus funds should be utilized to buy additional health cover for family. Health & life insurance: As far as possible, opt for independent health cover for each family member. Also, when parents are nearing 60 years, try and get maximum health cover for them. Bearing in mind future financial responsibilities, incremental life insurance cover of Manoj should be Rs 80 lakhs—through term plans only. PLANNING FOR FINANCIAL GOALS: Children: Funds required more than a decade from now. Systematically invest in an index fund and a gold fund. Allocation should be about 90% equity and 10% gold Retirement: Retirement is more than three decades away. Therefore, start another systematic investment in an S&P 500 index fund. This kind of fund is more risky compared to Sensex/Nifty fund, but since retirement is more than three decades away it is worth the risk. Parents' vacation: Use existing investment into equity, mutual fund, bonds and post office schemes to fund parents' vacation. Slowly start transferring existing mutual funds as well as maturity proceeds of bonds and post office schemes in the next two years into a a mutual fund with 80% debt and 20% equity. Further, the couple should create a corpus for funding parents' illnesses if any. Park the amount in a debt-based mutual fund. PLANNER'S EYE Nothing in life is more frustrating than facing a situation where funds are not available to treat illnesses of our near and dear ones, especially when it comes to the parents who lovingly brought us up. Opt for maximum possible health cover for them. People often compromise on the sum assured, thinking the amount is too large. Never gauge this from the current levels of treatment costs. Coverage of Rs 5 lakhs at today's rate might be high in some cities, but ten years later it may not be sufficient. By then, your parents would be old and insurance companies may not be willing to enhance sum assured. No expense in life is more important than health cover for parents and our dear ones.
HAIR LOSS AND BALDNESS IS AFFECTING BOTH MEN AND WOMEN TODAY. FIND OUT THE REASONS BEHIND THIS AND WHETHER YOU CAN REALLY GET YOUR LOST HAIR BACK
The primary function of hair is protection and hence if we see pictures of our ancestors, you'll always find men covered with thick bushy hair as a protection against the vagaries of nature, but today we are living in the world of diminishing returns as far as the hair is concerned, both men and women are facing the harshness and reality of scanty hair and baldness. Hair in today's world is not only your crowning glory but a measure of ones self image, prestige and confidence. A person's body language has a lot to do with the way a person perceives himself or herself to look and hair plays a great role in this perception. Baldness can lead to body dismorphic disorder, which is characterised by the patient being preoccupied by a perceived flaw in the appearance of the hair specially thinning and balding.The patient may spend an inordinate amount of time in front of the mirror or may refuse himself / herself to look in the mirror. He / she may avoid social contact, refuse to have photograph taken and experience extreme self-consciousness eventually leading to depression. Trichology, the science of hair and scalp care, offers hope to millions of people suffering from baldness and its associated health problems through, 1. Proper diagnosis 2. Correct counselling 3. Treatment process THE TREATMENT PROCESS Baldness is broadly classified into: 1. Androgenetic alopecia 2. Non-Scarring alopecia 3. Scarring alopecia ANDROGENETIC ALOPECIA As the name suggests, androgenetic alopecia is a baldness triggered off by the action of the male hormone on a weak gene. ACTION PROCESS: The male hormone, androgen is to blame. Androgen starts flowing freely in the body in the post-pubescence stage. Ironically, it is the same hormone, which causes the destruction of the hair follicles in those who are genetically predisposed to baldness.The hair follicles are attacked; the hair begins to fall off.The person begins to go bald and is diagnosed to be suffering from Male Pattern Thinning (MPT) or androgenetic alopecia. Unfortunately, one cannot tamper with one's genes and taking anti-male hormones to destroy the male hormones could have potential side effects like sexual dysfunction and depression. Women have both androgen (which is responsible for hair growth all over the body) and the female hormone oestrogen. In men, androgen ironically causes the destruction of the hair follicles in those who are genetically predisposed to this kind of baldness. Fortunately for women, the hormone oestrogen counteracts and stops this negative action of androgen. However, in periods when the oestrogen level falls, androgen starts attacking the hair follicles and as the hair follicles are destroyed, hair starts to thin. For example, before menopause, the production of oestrogen is high.This acts as protection against the small amount of androgen that women produce. After menopause, when the production of the oestrogen slows down dramatically or stops altogether, Female Pattern Thinning (FPT) in women begins.This thinning may also be triggered off by stress, the consumption of oral contraceptives, after hysterectomy, childbirth, or hormonereplacement therapy. BALDING PATTERN: Male pattern thinning usually begins during the late teens and early 20's and affected men are well on the way to baldness at early 30's. Male pattern thinning is easily recognised by its location on the scalp and by the manner in which it occurs.The thinning of the hair occurs at the temples and / or the thinning of the hair occurs in the front crown areas of the scalp.The final stage of such a loss leaves a band of hair around and back and the sides of scalp and baldness over the rest of the scalp.The diagrammatic representation of the stages of baldness to the extreme left shows us the progress of this disorder. In women, androgenetic alopecia appears as diffuse hair loss or thinning in the fronto-vortex region (i.e. - on top of the frontal region) and the frontal region is spared in most cases (Above graphic).This hair loss happens at a slower rate than in men and it happens at a much later time in life. But age does not make it less traumatic for a woman, especially if she has had luxuriant hair before. STAGES IMAGE MALE AND FEMALE How to face baldness: In their anxiety to look good and feel better, people leave no stone unturned right from applying snake oil to elephant teeth to standing on ones head or applying the so called magical lotions for re-growth of hair. Re-growth is possible only in nonscarring alopecia's and is never possible in androgenetic alopecia or scarring baldness like pseudopalade. Ninety per cent of all baldness in the world are of Androgenetic type and science today has progressed so far as to control the balding process i.e. to keep you where you are for a longer period of time. It is important to understand that male pattern thinning is a progressive disorder and hence the earlier the diagnosis, the better and longer the chances of controlling the problem. THE DISCOVERY OF NATURAL DHT BLOCKERS It was found that nature had some natural DHT blockers, which could control the action of the male hormone on the hair. Green tea and a berry seed called saw palmetto, which grows in North America and Australia were the two most prominent DHT blockers found. Saw palmetto and green tea processed as a food supplement called Serenoa Complex has turned out to be one of the most potent treatments for controlling male pattern thinning. The monitoring of male pattern thinning: The follicular count method is used by trichologists all over the world to help patients monitor the control of male pattern thinning.The process involves counting of the number of hair follicles in the fronto-vertex area and monitoring the count every three months. Hair camouflage techniques like single hair follicular grafting (surgical), carefree systems (non surgical) and hair fibres (temporary) have been developed to help you regain your lost hair. With proper care, which includes proper diet, healthy lifestyle, adequate sleep, early diagnosis and proper treatment by your trichologist, Baldness can be faced by one and all. Have a Great Hair Day!
Arthritis, one of the most debilitating diseases of our time, has affected millions of people worldwide irrespective of age and gender. Nature, being the most powerful healer, has now given a new hope to arthritis patients.
According to a double-blind placebo controlled study conducted on 53 patients over six months in France on Gonarthritis (arthritis of the knee), the results of the trial support the effective action of Seatone (GLM extract) in subjects suffering from mild arthritis of the knee. The study was conducted by B Audeval and P Bouchacourt and published in the 'La Gezette Medicale'. The results of this trial support the effectiveness of Seatone in arthritis of the knee because the curves representing the development of the averages of seven out of the ten assessment criteria, favour this product and because the difference between Seatone and Placebo attains the threshold of statistical significance for four of these criteria: Pain assessed according to Huskisson's scale 'ARA' function stage Opinion of the patient on the result of the treatment Effectiveness as judged by the clinician Green Lipped Mussel (GLM), is an edible shellfish, commonly found off the waters of New Zealand. This edible shellfish is a major diet of the New Zealand population. In 1974, an American research program studied the marine mollusc and discovered its natural recovery potentials for the treatment of arthritis. Since then, it has been studied and shown in clinical trials to be effective in relieving the symptoms of arthritic related conditions. Healtheries – a New Zealand based multinational natural healthcare company - has introduced the extract of GLM in the capsule form under the brand name of Seatone. Today, Seatone is sold in over 30 countries and has benefited thousands of users worldwide. According to John Croft, a marine scientist associated with the research on GLM, "The various clinical studies have indicated the success rate of 75 per cent on arthritis patients, without causing any classical adverse side effects of drug therapy." In India, the cost for this therapy of 1000mg/day comes to Rs 50 per day for the first three months, which can be later reduced to 500 mg/day, with Rs 25 per day. Perma Healthcare Call: 022-65185151/ 6161/ 7171 (10 am to 6 pm, all days) Website: www.permahealthcare.com
Mumbai: If findings in a south Mumbai school are any indication, then parents in the city need to worry about anaemia among their children. A nutritionist who has been conducting research on anaemia and school health programmes tracked 497 students in a school in Pydhonie and found that nearly 70% of them suffered from anaemia. It took simple modifications—adding a dash of spinach in the green chutney or introducing idlis in the school canteen—to correct the condition. "Our preliminary study on 234 boys in the school showed that 96 of them had haemoglobin levels of less than 12 gm per decilitre,'' said nutritionist Ratnaraje Thar, who conducted the study as part of her doctoral thesis from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS). Guided by Ashok Bhagwat of NMIMS, she and her team then took blood samples of students from nursery to Std X, concluding their study in March. Calling anaemia a silent disorder, Thar blamed children's fondness for junk food, irregular snacking habits and the tendency to skip breakfast for the problem. Anaemia may skip parents' radar as it isn't visible, but doctors say they should watch out for signs of fatigue, weakness, paleness of eyes, weight loss, deformity in nails, irritability and poor academic performance as indicators of the condition. The study should serve as a wakeup call to parents. Paediatrician Indu Khosla said anaemia was extremely common among children. "Of the cases I get, 50%-60% are of varying degrees of anaemia, the most common being iron deficiency,'' she said. Nutritionist Vibha Kapadia said the problem stems from the fact that children don't like eating green vegetables, certain fruits and other wholesome food items that give them nutrition. "The canteen served vada-pav and samosas, which weren't nutritious. It took months of convincing before the authorities introduced healthier options such as idlis and sprout-bhel,'' said Thar. She and her team counselled parents and conducted fun activities with students to change their eating habits. Kapadia said, "Good eating habits should be cultivated from an early stage." A NATIONAL PROBLEM WHO estimates that over one-third of the world's population suffers from anaemia. India continues to be one of the countries with the highest prevalence of the disease. National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-3 estimates reveal the prevalence of anaemia to be 70%-80% among children, 70% among pregnant women and 24% among adult males. SIMPLE TIPS FOR YOUR CHILD Eat dates with breakfast Alter your menus to include nutritious foods. For instance, add pumpkin in tomato sauce or spinach in your chutney Get traditional food items back into your kitchen
Shortness Of Breath, Wheezing More Common In Plump Eight-Year-Olds, Say Researchers
New York: Children who are overweight at age 6 to 7 years are at increased risk for having symptoms of asthma like shortness of breath and "twitchy" airways when they are 8 years old, results of a study conducted in the Netherlands show. However, children who are overweight at a younger age but reach a normal weight by age 6 to 7 do not appear to have an increased risk for asthma symptoms, according to the study. "These findings suggest that being overweight may affect a child's development of asthma symptoms," Dr Salome Scholtens from the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in Bilthoven told Reuters Health. "However, if a previously overweight child develops a normal weight, then the asthma symptoms are less likely to persist. We propose that development of a normal weight might positively affect asthma symptoms in overweight children," Scholtens added. Each year until the age of 8, Scholtens and colleagues had the parents of 3756 children report their children's weight and any episodes of wheezing or other breathing difficulties as well as the use of inhaled steroids. The researchers tested the children to see how sensitive their airways were to the various allergens they inhaled. When the children were 8 years old, 275 (7.3%) wheezed, 361 (9.6%) had difficulty breathing and 268 (7.1%) had a prescription for an inhaled steroid in the preceding year. According to the investigators, children who were persistently heavy from a very young age and between age 6 to 7 years were 68% more likely to have breathing difficulties and 66% more likely to have twitchy airways at age 8 than children who were leaner in childhood. As mentioned, children who were heavier at a very young age, but who developed a normal weight at age 6 to 7 did not have an increased risk of breathing difficulties. These findings suggest that being overweight in early childhood does not have a lasting effect on breathing difficulties if the child develops a normal weight by 8 years old. The writers of a commentary published with the study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology call the findings "encouraging." According to the results of a five-year study by researchers at New York University's School of Medicine, the unusually high numbers of elementary school children suffering from asthma and other respiratory ailments in the South Bronx area of New York, can be attributed to motor vehicle exhaust fumes. The researchers say soot particles from the exhaust of diesel trucks is to blame for the alarming rise in asthma in children attending school which are close to busy truck traffic routes. It seems that on days when the traffic is particularly heavy the children's asthma symptoms, in particular wheezing, doubled because of the high concentrations of air pollution. For the study period the children carried air pollution monitors in their backpacks as they went to and from school everyday, and it was found that all of the children were exposed to tiny particles of dust that was smaller than 2.5 microns ranging from 20 to 50 micrograms per cubic meter. REUTERS
By: Heather Boerner | Source: AARP.org One of the best ways to stay sharp is to exercise that muscle between your ears, research indicates. And discussions with some of the top scientists studying the brain reveal that you can work your noggin in many different ways, every day.
Here are 50 of them:
1. Snack on almonds and blueberries instead of a candy bar. As they lower blood sugar, healthy snacks can improve cognition. In this case, the omega-3s in the almonds and the antioxidants in the blueberries can keep your brain functioning correctly.
2. Ballroom dance like the stars. Dancing is a brain-power activity. How so? Learning new moves activates brain motor centers that form new neural connections. Dancing also calms the brain's stress response.
3. Love the crunch of croutons on your salad? Try walnuts instead. Omega-3s in walnuts have been found to improve mood and calm inflammation that may lead to brain-cell death. They also replace lost melatonin, which is necessary for healthy brain functioning.
4. Take your dog—or yourself—for a walk. Walking for just 20 minutes a day can lower blood sugar. That helps stoke blood flow to the brain, so you think more clearly.
5. Add Chinese club moss to your daily vitamin regimen. Taking less than 100 micrograms of the herb daily may protect your brain's neurotransmitters and keep synapses firing correctly, tests suggest. But this herb is powerful, so check with your doctor for drug interactions.
6. Volunteer to answer questions at the library, arboretum, museum, or hospital. Playing tour guide forces you to learn new facts and think on your feet, helping to form new neural pathways in your brain. What's more, interacting with others can ease stress that depletes memory.
7. Grab a video-game joystick. New video games, such as the Wii and Ninetendo DS, offer brain teasers that make you learn the computer's interface as you master the brain games. That's a double boost to the formation of new neural connections and to response time and memory.
8. Leave your comfort zone. Getting good at sudoku? Time to move on. Brain teasers don't form new neural connections once you've mastered them. So try something that's opposite your natural skills: If you like numbers, learn to draw. If you love language, try logic puzzles.
9. Get support for stressors. You may love your ailing family member, but the chronic stress of facing the situation alone can shrink your brain's memory center. Interacting with others activates many parts of the brain—and learning new ways of coping forms new neural connections.
10. When you look around, really look. Stare straight ahead, and now—without moving your eyes—see if you can make out what's at the periphery. Do this regularly and you'll stimulate the neural and spatial centers of the brain, which can atrophy as you age.
11. When you look forward, also look around. Walking down the street, don't just keep your eyes forward. Scan to the left and to the right. These actions can activate rarely used parts of the brain. That in turn can spur brain cell growth and new neural connections.
12. Show, don't tell. When you woke up this morning, how bright was the light in your room? What did the air smell like when you opened the window? How many colors could you discern in your garden? Notice and report these details to others to prompt cell growth in the visual, verbal, and memory parts of the brain.
13. Listen for details when a friend tells a story. Heed changes in the person's tone and register small facts you might otherwise gloss over. Conjure a mental image of the story. By doing this, you activate multiple areas in the brain and encourage memory formation.
14. Drink two cups of gotu kola tea daily. This ayurvedic herb, used for centuries in India, regulates dopamine. That's the brain chemical that helps protect brain cells from harmful free radicals, boosts pleasurable feelings, and improves focus and memory.
15. Try some new tea. Tulsi tea, made of an Indian herb called holy basil, and ginseng tea both contain herbs that can help reduce overproduction of the stress hormone cortisol, which can hamper memory. The herbs also help keep you alert.
16. Sit quietly, choose a word that calms you, and when your mind starts to wander, say the word silently. A form of meditation, this type of activity can reduce the stress hormone cortisol, which zaps memory. Meditation also helps mitigate focus-stealing feelings like depression and anxiety.
17. Get with the times—keep calendars in every room. Checking calendars keeps you focused and oriented, while creating a mental picture of the day in your head.
18. Get some class. Live near a college? Research shows that taking courses—even just auditing them—can stave off dementia at an early age. Don't go in for formal learning? Check out book readings, seminars, and other educational events.
19. Wear a helmet. Riding your bike is great for your health—until you fall and get a concussion. Even one serious concussion could increase your risk of developing dementia. So protect your physical brain as meticulously as you would protect its functioning by doing brain teasers.
20. Sip red wine, judiciously. Up to two glasses for women and up to three for men weekly delivers the powerful antioxidant resveratrol, which may prevent free radicals from damaging brain cells. But beware: Drinking more than that could leach thiamine, a brain-boosting nutrient.
21. Check your thyroid. It's a tiny little gland in your neck, but it could have a big effect on brain health: Thyroid hormones (T4 and T3) help nerve cells make connections. If you don't have enough of them you may be depressed, tired, and foggy-headed.
22. Choose lean pork loin crusted in peanuts and broccoli over fries and a burger. The pork and peanuts are high in thiamin, a nutrient that reduces inflammation that damages brain cells. The folate in broccoli is good for keeping synapses firing correctly.
23. Replace candy with a sweet pick-me-up of pears, apples, oranges, and cantaloupe. The combination prevents elevated blood sugar that could impede brain cells from firing correctly. It also provides fiber and antioxidants that help scrub plaque from brain arteries and mop up free radicals that inhibit clear thinking.
24. Top rolled oats with cinnamon for a brainy breakfast. The oats scrub plaques from your brain arteries, while a chemical in cinnamon is good for keeping your blood sugar in check—which can improve neurotransmission.
25. Turn up the tunes. TV may provide a lot of stimuli, but watching too much can dull brain transmission. Instead, spend an afternoon listening to your favorite music. Music can lower stress hormones that inhibit memory and increase feelings of well-being that improve focus.
26. Curry up. The active ingredient in Indian curry, turmeric, contains resveratrol, the same powerful antioxidant that makes red wine good for brain health. Eat curry once a week, or sprinkle it on salads, to protect brain cells from harmful free radicals.
27. Take a food break. Research shows that people who fast one day a week or month unlock a unique form of blood glucose that helps the brain more efficiently transmit information. Then break your fast with brain-healthy blueberries, walnuts, and maybe a glass of red wine.
28. Replace the olive oil in your favorite vinaigrette with walnut oil. Walnut oil, which is chock-full of brain-healthy omega-3s, cuts brain inflammation, a precursor to many cognitive problems. It also keeps oxygen-rich blood flowing to your brain by thinning the blood slightly.
29. Go wild with fish. While fish is generally good for you, the metals that accumulate in farmed fish like tilapia may contribute to cognitive impairments. So when you're shopping, check that the fish is from the wild, not domestically raised, and stick with heart- and brain-healthy fish like salmon and sardines.
30. Redecorate and redesign your environment. Plant new flowers in front of your house. Redecorate the kitchen. Rearrange your closets and drawers. Replace the candles in your living room with some that have a different scent. Making such changes can alter motor pathways in the brain and encourage new cell growth.
31. Choose a side. Talk sports, business, or politics. If you can do it without getting angry, which raises the memory-hindering hormone cortisol, engaging in a good debate can form new neural pathways and force you to think quickly and formulate your thoughts clearly.
32. Sleep. Shut-eye isn't a luxury. It's when your brain consolidates memories. Poor sleep, caused by medical conditions, worry, depression, or insomnia, can interfere with your rest. So treat yourself to relaxing scents like vanilla before bed. They raise the chemical dopamine and reduce cortisol, a stress hormone.
33. Check your neck. It may sound crazy, but a clot in your neck can stunt your memory by preventing enough blood and oxygen from getting to your brain. At your next checkup, ask your doctor to use the other side of his stethoscope to ensure that all's clear in your carotid artery—the main one in your neck.
34. Take a mental picture. Connect names with faces by creating mental images that trick your mind into remembering. For instance, remember Mr. Bender with the curly hair by imagining him bent over, with his curly hair facing you.
35. Read the news. Keeping up with the latest not only activates the memory part of the brain but also gives you something to talk about with friends and family. That kind of socializing can activate multiple parts of your brain and encourage cell growth.
36. Turn off the TV and pick up an instrument. Frequently tickling the ivories or blowing a horn—especially if you're trying to master it—is associated with lower dementia risks. What's more, it eliminates boredom, a brain state that can cause some thinking skills to atrophy.
37. Join a book club. Pick up a good book to cut down on brain-withering boredom. Frequent reading is associated with reduced risk of dementia. And meeting new people forces new neural connections. Besides, you might enjoy the book.
38. Play Yahtzee! Whether you choose Risk, Pictionary, Scrabble, or Boggle, board games are associated with a lower risk of developing dementia. They activate strategic, spatial, and memory parts of the brain, and require you to socialize, which can help form new neural pathways.
39. Parlez-vous brain health? You don't have to be a linguist to benefit from learning a new language. Adopting a foreign tongue boosts the verbal, language, and memory parts of the brain.
40. Savor a sensory experience. Those with the best memories take advantage of all their senses. That's because memorization is a cohesive brain effort. So head to the garden or the kitchen and take in the sights, smells, sounds, tastes, and sensations.
41. Quick temper? Instead of yelling, take a few minutes to cool down. The stress of chronic anger can actually shrink the memory centers in the brain. Get to know the signs that you're seething and address the problem before it erupts.
42. Replace your salt shaker with a sodium-free alternative. We all know that hypertension can lead to heart problems, but new evidence suggests that decreasing the salt in your diet can also improve blood flow to the brain and decrease dementia.
43. Have a chat. Instead of popping in another movie rental, pick up the phone. Talking with someone else not only gets you out of your rut—lack of activity can decrease brain-cell formation—but the socializing can also reduce potentially memory-sapping depression.
44. Check your meds. It may not be you having the memory problems; instead, it could be your medications impeding your memory. Older antidepressants, anti-diuretics and antihistamines—all block a critical brain chemical from doing its job. Ask your doctor for an alternative.
45. Bear some weight. Adding a little strength training to your daily walks can help protect brain cells from damage done by free radicals—and encourage new brain-cell growth. So strap some weights on your ankles or wrists as you walk, or practice gentle yoga.
46. Let yourself sleep in. Research shows that when you're chronically sleep-deprived, your body doesn't have the time to build proteins and other brain- boosting components. So instead of waking yourself early, sleep until you wake naturally.
47. Take an afternoon catnap. Most of sleep's boost to concentration and memory happens in the first stage, so even a snooze as short at 30 minutes can benefit your brain.
48. Switch hands. It may be uncomfortable, but writing with your nondominant hand or operating a computer mouse with that hand can activate parts of the brain that aren't easily triggered otherwise. Anything that requires the brain to pay close attention to a formerly automatic behavior will stimulate brain-cell growth.
49. Shake your body. Gentle bouncing of your knees and shaking out of your limbs reduces the brain-sapping stress hormone cortisol, research shows. It also triggers relaxation and alertness that keeps your brain sharp. Do it for a few minutes in the morning and at night.
50. Tour your neighborhood. If your neighborhood is growing, check it out. The exploration will change your mental map of the neighborhood. Along with learning new and better routes to your favorite stores or restaurants, you'll forge new neural pathways in your brain.
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