Over the last few years, quite a bit of attention has been paid to the subject of dementia. The information has included ways to reduce your risk, as well as lifestyles that may contribute to cognitive decline. I originally began this blog back in 2015 as a kind of continuation of the stories collected in a book I wrote about our family’s experience with my Mama when she had dementia. The book shares our family’s quest to help her find joy in the journey and finish well. As time has passed, I find myself and those around me – especially caregivers, becoming more interested in ways they can lower their own risk.
Category: Food/Drink
Finding Joy at Christmas Despite Dementia
Even though this is supposed to be “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”, when you are a caregiver for a loved one with dementia, celebrating Christmas can become challenging.
When my Mama, who had dementia for well over a decade was in the early stages of the disease, she was still aware of seasons and most holidays. As time went on, she became less so. Dementia stole her ability to look forward to Christmas, birthdays, or any other previously meaningful day or time of the year. The pages turned on the calendar, but her days remained the same.
Olive Oil offers many health benefits – plus flavor!
What does a small city in northern California have in common with several Mediterranean countries? Olives! More specifically, olive oil.
Having lived in an olive-growing region most of our lives has allowed us to develop a certain fondness for high-quality olive oil.
MIND(full) Eating may Reduce your Risk of Dementia
What do you get when you cross the Mediterranean and the DASH diet? You get the MIND diet. It was developed by nutritional epidemiologist Martha Clare Morris, ScD, and her colleagues at Rush University Medical Center. They used the best of both diets to create a powerhouse meal plan for the brain. Just what we need – one more diet, right? But don’t be too hasty to dismiss this as just another fad. A variety of studies have confirmed that the effects of the MIND diet on brain function showed greater benefits than either the Mediterranean or the DASH diet alone.
Dark Chocolate for Enhanced Health
Wayne’s parents came up from Florida to spend Christmas with us this year. While preparing for their visit, we called and asked what food and drinks they would prefer. Our new Mom (the bride of his 90-year-old dad) immediately said, “Dark Chocolate hot cocoa.” I didn’t know there was such a thing as dark chocolate…
Can De-Hydration Mimic Dementia?
I recently read an article about the seriousness of dehydration. It can have severe effects – especially in older folks. Among other things, it cautions that dehydration can cause symptoms that resemble dementia. Unfortunately, it is not always obvious when someone is suffering from a lack of fluids.
Can Apples Help Reduce Dementia Risk?
Along with the joys of being with family, this season up north offers the splendor of spectacular fall foliage and juicy, crisp apples. I love apples. One of the traditions that my husband has established with our grandsons is to hike a nature trail that has a lot of wild apple trees. They produce smaller apples, but the boys like them well enough. There are numerous deer who roam the area, and the ones they don’t eat, they feed to the deer. It turns out deer also love apples.
Red, White, & Blue on Preventing Skin Cancer
In the world of gardens, I’m a shade plant. I’ve always been that way; the hot summer sun makes me miserable because I don’t handle the heat very well. As true as that was when we lived in the hot and dry climate of northern California, it is especially the case now that we live in the hot and humid climate of the south. Even with all the misery of wilting in the damp heat, that is not the only reason that I’m a shade plant.
The Beautiful Benefits of Bananas for Dementia
When Wayne and I were first married, I found myself doing a lot of baking, gardening, canning, and even sewing. It was an enjoyable necessity grown from our reality of having more time than money. Eventually, many of my domestic endeavors fell away as life and responsibilities shifted and changed. We refer to the activities done back then as things Wayne’s ‘first wife’ did.
Honey, Bees, and Dementia
I always wanted to be a beekeeper. When my husband and I retired to North Carolina, we were finally able to pursue our dream. We began our quest rather naively.