ead to toe

Celebrating the 32 trillion cells that are your body

No doubt about it, we are wonderfully made. But when you get right down to it, we are each a collection of parts. Head to toe. Like a machine. But, oh, what a machine you are. This month, Healthy Living salutes the body … one part at a time.

Brain

The brain accounts for only 2 percent of the body’s weight, but is easily the most complex part of our being. And Alzheimer’s disease is surely one of our most baffling disorders.

Source: webmd.com/alzheimers/features/7-alzheimers-disease-myths Alzheimer’s Association nbcnews.com/health/aging/ study-fi nds-possible-recipe-preventing-alzheimers-n155586

Bill Fay of Tavares has seen the effects of Alzheimer’s disease up close and personal. For 10 years, he served as a caregiver for his wife Katherine, who ultimately succumbed to the disease. He offers several tips for caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients:

• Do not argue or disagree. If they say something inaccurate, just let it go. If you attempt to argue, they may become belligerent and difficult to handle.

• Do not take Alzheimer’s patients on yearly vacations you used to enjoy together. It’s hard for them to adjust to a change of environment. From eating to activities to bedtime, try to keep things routine as possible.

STAVING OFF ALZHEIMER’S

• When talking, do not ask them to remember certain events in life. This disease affects memory, and a “remember when” question can frustrate or embarrass them.

WHAT CAN BE DONE TO REDUCE YOUR CHANCES OF GETTING ALZHEIMER’S?

• Utilize music therapy. Remember, short-term memory is affected first, so try playing music they enjoyed as a teenager or young adult. It can bring about pleasant thoughts and remind them of a happier time.

• Eat a diet rich in dark vegetables and fruits containing antioxidants that help protect brain cells.

• Be socially active; it reduces stress levels and helps maintain healthy connections among brain cells.

• Stay mentally active by committing to lifelong learning, completing puzzles or trying memory exercises.

• Participate in aerobic exercises, which improve oxygen consumption and benefit brain function. Aerobic fitness also helps reduce brain cell loss in elderly subjects. Interestingly, a recent joint study conducted by the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and the National Institute for Health and Welfare in Finland concluded that doing a combination of all these things for two years boosted memory function.

Head injuries are common in sports, especially contact sports such as football and boxing. But over the past couple of years, several devices have been introduced that claim to reduce sports-related head and brain injuries.

None purports to prevent, diagnose or treat concussions, and none is used to any extent yet by major sports organizations, but the consensus is these devices can at least indicate a potential problem, which, in turn, will help expedite an immediate assessment that otherwise might never have happened. Still, the experts’ verdict is out on whether these gadgets are truly handy on the field.

Impact Indicator 2.0

This chinstrap powered by Battle Sports Science uses a micro-sensor and software technology to measure the force and duration of a hit to a player’s helmet. Once detected, players and coaches can know when or if a possible head injury has occurred, allowing for a prompt evaluation. That not only maximizes a player’s treatment and recovery, it can prevent further injury.

$150

Reebok Checklight

Outfitted with multiple sensors, this sleek, smart skullcap captures head impact data during the game. The LED indicator that hangs on the back of the neck, below where the typical sports helmet stops, is designed to light up whenever a blow is experienced that could cause an injury.

$150

The GForce Tracker

This small yet durable device can be attached or embedded into any helmet. It can track impacts in real time and measure their severity. It also comes equipped with an alarm that will sound when a hit exceeds the programmed threshold.

$150

HeadsUp

It looks like a typical headband but in fact it is head impact sensor designed for youth and professional athletes. In addition to assessing risky plays and recognizing high-level head impacts, this device can also track a player over the course of a season and help manage the health and performance of an entire team.

$135

Eyes

Want a glimpse into the future? Take a look at Google Glass, an Internet-connected eyepiece that allows users to check email, read Facebook posts and obtain directions through voice-activated commands. The device is a headset worn like regular eyeglasses but comes without glass in the frame. Essentially, it’s like having a computer on your head complete with a thumbnail-sized screen, a camera and a microphone. These computerized eyeglasses are not yet on the market and Google has not announced a release date.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PREVENT SEVERE VISION LOSS, WHICH AFFECTS MORE THAN 20 MILLION AMERICANS?

Wear sunglasses that block 100 percent of ultraviolet rays to delay the development of cataracts. Avoid smoking because it is directly linked to age-related macular degeneration.

Eat a diet high in vitamins C and E. A vitamin or mineral deficiency can impair retinal function.

Have a baseline eye exam beginning at age 40.

Source: sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/808965/10-tips-to-avoid-vision-loss