Spice it up



Curcurmin, present in the curry spice turmeric, may have some antioxidant properties as well. “The compound curcumin in turmeric can increase brain levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a growth hormone,” Palinski-Wade says. “Since diseases such as depression and Alzheimer’s disease have been linked to declining levels of BDNF, experts theorize that increasing levels this hormone may fight against these diseases of the brain.” One study found older participants who ate plenty of curry did better on problem-solving tests than those who didn’t eat curry. Read about more brain-boosting foods that will keep you sharp.

Drink coffee



Coffee appears to be a boon to brain health, according to early research. “The brain benefits from coffee come mainly from caffeine, which stimulates the central nervous system,” says Palinski-Wade. “In moderate amounts, caffeine can enhance focus and concentration. Caffeine may also boost short-term memory.” Plus, antioxidants in coffee may help protect brain cells, she says. Just don’t overdo the java: “Excessive levels of caffeine can suppress the release of serotonin in the brain” over time, which messes with sleep, another important part of brain health, warns Palinski-Wade. “Aim to keep your overall caffeine intake to less than 400 mg [about four cups] per day,” Palinski-Wade says.

Protect your noggin from bumps


Wearing a helmet when bike riding isn’t just to save your life—it’s actually important for your long-term brain health as well. The Alzheimer’s Association notes that head trauma is strongly linked with future risk of Alzheimer’s, and the earlier in life the injury occurs, the greater the chance of dementia later on. Wear a helmet when playing sports, a seat belt when driving, and take measures to prevent falls in your home such as installing non-skid carpets, railings on stairs, and keeping clutter and wires out of trafficked areas. Here are more surprising things about your brain we bet you didn’t know.

Protect your hearing

According to the National Institute on Aging, a third of people between ages 65 and 74 have hearing loss; nearly half of people 75 and older do. This can have a negative impact on your brain: Recent research reveals that hearing loss increases your risk for cognitive impairment by 24 percent. Doctors don’t know exactly why, but it could have something to do with hearing keeping your brain active; social isolation (a risk factor for Alzheimer’s) caused by hearing loss could also be a factor. But the good news is that those who are treated for hearing loss, such as with hearing aids, may be able to improve their cognitive abilities, as recent studies have found. Find out more ways your brain changes as you get older.

Use headphones


While the idea that cellphone-related emissions could harm your brain seems highly unlikely, the experts at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center still recommend minimizing your exposure until scientists know for sure. It may be decades before we learn the true impact of radiofrequency energy on the mind. The hospital advises staying on the safe side by using headphones. Just keep the volume down to help protect your hearing. Find out more ordinary things you don’t realize are messing with your brain

Go dancing

You’ve heard that exercise is good for your brain; you may also know that music is good for your brain. Then there’s the fact that socializing keep your mind healthy. Put them all together and what do you get? Dancing! A landmark study in the New England Journal of Medicine found dancing to be one of the top leisure activities in reducing the risk of dementia. Recent research backs this up: Regular dancers had fewer signs of aging in the brain. Dancing can also improve mood, which benefits the mind; learning and memorizing dance routines also present a healthy challenge to your thinking process. Read about more of the best brain-boosting activities with science on their side.

Become bilingual

Speaking a second language from childhood on can protect against dementia. But what if you haven’t already learned a language? Good news: In another study, people gained protection even if they learned the second language as an adult. “Millions of people around the world acquire their second language later in life,” study author Dr. Thomas Bak of the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom told the BBC. “Our study shows that bilingualism, even when acquired in adulthood, may benefit the aging brain.”

Get schooled

One reason why learning a language might help save your brain is that more education—in and of itself—can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. And it’s never too late to sign up for classes: Higher education leads to the development of new neurons and neural connections in the brain that can make up for age-related cognitive losses. “More education is a protective factor for dementia,” Leon Flicker, director of the Western Australia Centre for Health and Aging at the University of Western Australia, told the journal Nature. “Virtually every study finds effects; it future-proofs your brain.” These amazing facts about your brain will blow your mind.

Try out CBT

Researchers are looking into the possibility that a type of talk therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may help prevent Alzheimer’s. CBT can ease depression and improve sleep—two risk factors for dementia. With CBT, you learn how to redirect your brain away from negative or distracting thoughts; experts at Harvard Medical School suggest that the therapy can improve memory. “You’re less likely to be able to pull up information when the brain is focused on something else,” Joel Salinas, MD, a neurologist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital, says in Harvard’s Health Letter. “If excess thoughts are like flies around food, then CBT helps swat the flies so you can eat in peace.” If you’ve got brain drain, here’s how to avoid burnout.

Get a pet

In the same vein of “what’s good for your heart is good for your brain,” dogs can help heal your mind. Having a canine companion can reduce cardiovascular risk—probably because that dog is going to need walks. Pets can also reduce depression, stress, and social isolation, all of which are risk factors for dementia. According to Aaron Ritter, MD, a neuropsychiatrist and Director of Clinical Trials at the Cleveland Clinic’s Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health: “I walk my dogs two times a day for a total of two to three miles—having eager and dependent exercise partners ensures that I cannot skip days. The exercise and meaningful companionship help keep me happy and healthy.” (Plus, talking to your pet means you’re smart

Go outside




Here’s another way Fido can help your brain—by getting you outdoors. Studies have shown that being in nature can improve your mood, memory, and cognitive function. One study even found that the more exposure to nature, the more gray matter (or neural cells) participants’ brains had. Anyone who’s ever felt the need to “clear their head” can attest to the power of the outdoors in recharging thinking. Read more on how nature is your brain’s miracle medicine.

Laugh more


Laughter really is the best medicine when it comes to your brain health. The act of laughing lowers stress hormones while boosting your mood. In a study of older adults, viewing a funny video boosted scores on memory tests while lowering levels of stress hormones. Study author Gurinder Bains, MD, PhD, of Loma Linda University, notes in a press release that humor could have therapeutic benefits for older people experiencing memory loss. Here are more memory-boosting tips from brain scientists.

Take up knitting



The meditative motion, the gentle clicking of needles, the relaxing knitting circles—it’s no wonder this craft is a stress-relieving hobby. And research has actually shown that engaging in crafts such as knitting or quilting reduce the chance of developing mild cognitive impairment—by as much as 28 percent, according to a recent study from Mayo Clinic. Plus, the more you do it, the better. “Our team found that persons who performed these activities at least one to two times per week had less cognitive decline than those who engaged in the same activities only two to three times per month or less,” says study author Yonas Geda, MD, a psychiatrist and behavioral neurologist, said on Mayo Clinic’s website. On the other hand, find out the habits you never knew were aging your brain

Go online





Using a computer was even more effective than crafting in reducing the risk of dementia risk, according to the Mayo Clinic study. Although the authors couldn’t say exactly why, they theorize that computers “require specific technical and manual skills and that these could be the factors that might be associated with a decreased risk of cognitive decline.”

“Even for a person who is at genetic risk for cognitive decline, engaging in [these] activities was beneficial,” study author Janina Krell-Roesch, PhD

Think quality, not quantity, of info



Be wary of information overload on the Internet: Trying to comprehend it all is just like multitasking—the brain can’t figure out what’s important, and research shows your mind won’t retain as much. “Our brain doesn’t do very well with too much information—the more you download, the more it shuts the brain down,” Dr. Chapman told Health. So sticking to one long online story is better than skipping around between lots of little tidbits. “It’s better to read one or two good articles… rather than to read 20,” Dr. Chapman says. Read more about the one surprising internet habit could put your brain at risk of dementia.

One good habit is not enough


Perhaps the best advice for brain health is that you can’t latch onto one thing and expect it to protect you from cognitive decline. Research from Finland suggests that a comprehensive program giving patients guidance on everything from diet and exercise to brain training and the management of metabolic risk factors could better prevent cognitive decline. Compared to people in the control group (who lived life as they normally would), the intervention group scored 83 percent higher on tests of critical thinking, and they could problem solve 150 percent faster. Doing this one simple thing will make your brain start craving better habits.

Keep your body healthy to save your mind

A healthy lifestyle will protect your brain, so get regular checkups and treat any issues. For example, you may need to take meds for blood pressure or cholesterol, get help for sleep apnea, or keep diabetes under control. Ongoing research may reveal how personalized prevention plans can help with your current medical issues and your future brain health. “We can’t have a one-size-fits-all approach—different people may take a different road to Alzheimer’s,” study author Richard Isaacson, MD, director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic at Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian Hospital, told the journal Nature. Next, discover more things you never knew about your brain.

Outsmart Alzheimer’s!

Protect your brain from dementia and stay sharp for life with the 75-plus tips in Outsmarting Alzheimer’s by Kenneth S. Kosik, MD. Learn more and buy the book here.

THÔNG TIN Y HỌC VỀ BỆNH THIÊN ĐẦU THỐNG (MIGRAINE)
Lynn Ly tổng hợp thông tin về Bệnh Thiên Đầu Thống (Migraine)
từ các bài Thời Sự Y Học của Bác Sĩ Nguyễn Văn Thịnh


THỜI SỰ Y HỌC SỐ 35 - BS NGUYỄN VĂN THỊNH ( 17/7/2007 )

5/ BỆNH MIGRAINE VÀ LỢI TỨC THẤP

Một công trình nghiên cứu trên 32.000 thiếu niên khắp Hoa Kỳ đã nhận thấy rằng chứng đau nửa đầu (migraine) thường được thấy nhiều hơn trong những gia đình có lợi tức thấp, khi không có tiền sử gia đình về chứng đau đầu như thế.

Công trình nghiên cứu cũng nhận thấy rằng migraine thường thấy ở con gái nhiều hơn ở con trai và ở thiếu niên da trắng hơn là da đen. Tỷ lệ mắc bệnh migraine ở người trưởng thành cũng cao hơn nhiều trong những nhóm có trình độ giáo dục thấp hoặc lợi tức thấp.

Công trình nghiên cứu được công bố trong số 3/7 của tờ Neurology. Các nhà nghiên cứu đã sử dụng một bảng câu hỏi để nghiên cứu một mẫu khảo sát gồm 120.000 hộ, phân tích các dữ kiện từ các trả lời của 18.714 trẻ em tuổi từ 12 đến 19.

Khi cha hoặc mẹ bị bệnh thì không có sự liên quan giữa tỷ lệ mắc bệnh migraine với lợi tức thấp. Nhưng khi cả cha lẫn mẹ không bị migraine thì tỷ lệ mắc bệnh migraine trong các thiếu niên giảm khi lợi tức gia đình tăng cao.

2,9 % các thiếu niên trong các gia đình có lợi tức 90.000 dollar hoặc hơn bị migraine, so với 5,5% các thiếu niên trong gia đình có lợi tức dưới 22.500 dollar.

Các tác giả công nhận rằng mối liên hệ có thể không phải do lợi tức thấp nhưng do bệnh trầm cảm hoặc những yếu tố khác. Thế nhưng bảng câu hỏi đã không đánh giá những vấn đề như vậy. «Dầu lợi tức thế nào chăng nữa, migraine vẫn là một bệnh sinh học. Nhưng stress là một yếu tố nguy cơ và những kỹ thuật xử lý stress sẽ có ích trong điều trị migraine ». BS Marcelo Bigal, tác giả lãnh đạo công trình và phó giáo sư thần kinh học thuộc trường Y Khoa Albert Einstein ở Nữu Ước đã phát biểu như vậy.
(INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE 12/7/2007).

5/ CHÂM CỨU ĐƯỢC CÔNG NHẬN LÀ CÓ HIỆU QUẢ

Nhiều công trình nghiên cứu lâm sàng đã chứng tỏ tính hiệu quả của châm cứu, kỹ thuật xa xưa này ở châu Á.

Mặc dầu chưa có một giải thích khoa học nào về các hiệu quả của châm cứu, hàng ngàn các thử nghiệm lâm sàng đã chứng tỏ rằng châm cứu có thể có hiệu quả để điều trị một vài rối loạn. Ngay năm 1997, các Viện Y Tế Quốc Gia của Hoa Kỳ đã xác nhận lợi ích y khoa của châm cứu để điều trị các triệu chứng nôn và mửa sau hoá học trị liệu pháp hoặc sau một phẫu thuật, các triệu chứng nôn trong thời kỳ thai nghén và các đau đớn sau khi giải phẫu răng.

« Từ năm 1973, BS Johan Nguyễn thuộc Collège français d’acupuncture nói rõ, đã có hơn 3000 thử nghiệm lâm sàng trong đó châm cứu được so sánh hoặc với một châm cứu giả (acupuncture factice), hoặc với một điều trị khác nơi các bệnh nhân được lựa chọn bằng cách rút thăm. Các kết quả thử nghiệm đã chứng tỏ lợi ích của châm cứu đặc biệt đối với đau lưng mãn tính (lombalgie chronique), bệnh hư khớp (arthrose) gối và các viêm gân ở cùi chỏ. Nơi các bà mang thai với thai phô mông (présentation du siège), cứu một huyệt nơi ngón chân út gây nên sự xoay thai, như vậy tránh được 62% các trường hợp (so với 47% nếu không được cứu), thai phô mông, nguồn gốc của những biến chứng và mổ césarienne phòng ngừa. ». Đó cũng là ý kiến của Edzard Ernst, chuyên gia người Anh về đánh giá các nền y học cổ truyền.