Your Health Your Choice

From my desk:


Quote for the month February: “The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination.” - Unknown
It is a new year with pockets, bags and ships full of new possibilities. Let us make this new year the year of better planning and better eating. Cultivate time so that this could fit into the busy schedule. Remember the difference between the impossible and the possible lies in determination.Yes it is true we can subsist on bad food, but we undermine the bodies ability to heal self . We are all going to break the rules from time to time but learn to balance and to compromise.


For the more mature readers, food is medicine and food can bring about rejuvenation and prevention

ALZHEIMERS AND THE POSSITIVE EFFECTS OF:

“The Note Book,” a book and film portraying the life of an elderly couple, one of which had Alzheimer's, was a moving story and I will do everything in my power to prevent the dreadful dis-ease to take hold of my brain. Alzheimer's affects 1 in 10 people by the age of 65. Medical researchers has revealed that: Alzheimer's is not an inevitable occurrence. I will share some of the preventative methods that I think are beneficial to hold down the dreaded dis-ease and why.


Walking Protects the Brain from Cognitive Decline – why? I am not talking of a fast, heart pounding, muscle a screaming walk. This is a stroll through a (safe) neighborhood, or a safe park preferably with your dog on a leash. I tested myself the other day. While walking, my brain has to take in millions of details in a second. While not perhaps even aware if the process, chemical an electric changes are happening in the brain – stimulating the brain cells. These messages, that through your eyes, are being transmitted to the brain, by way of axons and dendrites , play a vital role in preserving the brain against Alzheimer's.


The messages moves along the dendrite as an electric impulse. When it reaches the synapse – that is the area between dendrites, the electric impulse changes into a biochemical which acts as a transmitter substance and carries the message across the next dendrite, at which point it changes back into an electric impulse.


Let’s make it simple. You are walking on the path, trees line the way – your eyes take in the leaves, the stems the colour , it tells you what type of tree you are looking at. Even if you don’t know the name of the tree – you will know by the information gathered whether it is a deciduous or a evergreen tree. Not important you might think, but your brain has been stimulated – the little dendrites has been charged electrically.


Think of it this way – if your heart stops, the Medici will most likely shock it back with electrical impulses. While walking your brain is shocked to take in, sort and file all that is going on around you. It has been shocked into living, stimulated into preserving the current brain pathways – and yes you might not even be aware of all that is taking place. Like I said I tested myself the other day in preparation for this article: I had to take in pedestrians coming towards me, cars at a stop street, dogs barking, are the dogs friendly or vicious? Trees and flowers, obstacles like road signs blocking my way, that I have to avoid. Then my nose takes in smell, my skin feels the wind and the heat of the sun, all this information must be processed. Brain and senses are being stimulated.


Try to walk a different path every day – take in everything that goes on around you and respond even if it is with a smile – it is worth the fight against the dreaded dis-ease. A bonus lies in your lymphatic system that is working , shifting and moving rubbish out of your body, rubbish that could contribute to the effects of Alzheimer's.


And this brings me to………



The effects of Vitamin E on brain health. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant. Why is anything that is high in antioxidants so important; because of free radicals.

Free radicals are chemicals that slow down metabolic processes, it affect normal cellular activity, vitamin E is a natural deterrent to their formation and if the body is already riddled with free radicals then vitamin E is capable of counteracting their destructive power. Vitamin E is uniquely valuable in circulatory and heart diseases as it dilates the arteries and strengthens the action of the heart thus improving the flow of blood. Yes the flow of blood to the brain is also improved if you take Vitamin E through the food that you eat or through supplement. I like to take a tablespoon of wheat germ every morning in orange juice for breakfast.

The results of research published in the Journal of Alzheimer`s Disease found that damage by free radicals is a primary cause of cognitive decline. Vitamin E has been shown to cross the blood-brain barrier to provide protection against oxidative damage and prevent inflammatory damage. The study demonstrated that when vitamin E levels are depleted, free radical damage accelerates and Alzheimer`s disease sets in. Nuts, seeds and leafy greens provide an excellent food source for vitamin E.

Vitamin E has been described as the “guardian angel” of the body and I use Vitamin E oil in all my facial and body products, it preserves the other ingredients and it is absolutely wonderful for the skin. It is especially good for any body suffering from eczema – but I am deviating, it is just such an overall important vitamin I can talk hours about the beneficial effects of vitamin E.

Another food supplement I would like to add is Lecithin – it is not a food as such, nor a vitamin or mineral, lecithin is an organic fat substance very high in phosphorus. It is one of the main constituents of our brain and nerve tissues and abundant in the endocrine glands. It is also present in eggs. It is a rich source of the vitamins, E D, K and choline and inositol from the B group which are key factors in holding back the aging process.

If you do have a problem obtaining wheat germ or lecithin, you could always order it from me – I am never without these two in my fridge. Yes fridge – keep it cool and out of direct sunlight.



This is so simple, walking in a relaxed mood, relaxed environment and adding Vitamin E to your diet . Make it a challenge this year to remember these two aids.

And remember it is not yet a problem if you forget where you have placed your keys, it is a sure warning sign if you cannot remember what keys are for.