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power was commendable for its emphasis on good health practices that individuals should follow to prevent mental decline. You also correctly warned against taking unproven supplements that are mostly of little or no value. But you included tuna along with salmon and sardines as high-fat fish that should be eaten often. Tuna is high in mercury. Add the fact that tuna is not farmed like salmon and is increasingly threatened, and it becomes a far less attractive fish despite its versatility and portability in cans. —Lawrence Bonchek, Lancaster, PA
Our June 2022 article “Boost Your Brain Power At Any Age” revealed the newest strategies that help keep your memory sharp and enhance your thinking skills. Our readers shared their own tips. To add your voice, go to CR.org/brainboost. I ENJOYED YOUR great article on brainpower. I have to say that my wife and I follow most of those suggestions and practices. One important thing not in your article is the benefits of music—playing an instrument, singing, or just listening to music. My wife and I are both around 80 years old and full-time musicians. We know that music has a lot to do with our continued success and the fact that we are still working full-time! —Mario Tacca, Cortlandt, NY
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EDITOR’S NOTE You’re absolutely right. In fact, there has been a good deal of research on the likely brain benefits of playing a musical instrument, including findings published in 2021 that suggest making music is associated with brain resilience and may improve memory issues. Other research suggests listening to music may boost cognitive skills. I WAS PLEASED to see that the writer gave good counsel about many ordinary risk factors to be considered and also recommended to “be careful with supplements” as they have no benefits for most people. I was dismayed, however, to see that red meat and full-fat dairy were listed
under “junk food.” They may be unhealthy, but they are not junk food. Thank you for continuing a very strong record of excellent articles about health and healthcare. —Jeffrey Sneider, MD, FACP, Syracuse, NY EDITOR’S NOTE It’s true that red meat and full-fat dairy products aren’t “junk food” in the same way that a highly processed bag of potato chips is, but it’s still smart to limit your consumption of them. Research suggests that consuming a lot of saturated fat, which is typically found in those foods, may have a negative effect on cognition. TO THIS PHYSICIAN, your article on boosting brain
EDITOR’S NOTE We agree that it’s smart to consider your mercury intake, and take into account sustainable fishing practices. Still, canned tuna is an easy way for many people to eat fish. You can safely eat 2-3 4-ounce servings of canned light tuna per week, according to the Food and Drug Administration (children are the exception). If you choose albacore, the FDA recommends only one weekly serving and no other fish that week. Go to CR.org/ seafood to learn more about the differences between seafood choices. We also suggest going to seafoodwatch.org, the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch website, which has a great deal of info on sustainable seafood.
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DEALING WITH MEDICAL BILLS
I APPRECIATED INFORMATION provided in “The Remedy for Big Medical Bills” in the June 2022 issue, such as the shocking fact that even though 90 percent of Americans have some type
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