Category Archives: Brain Function

One great way to regulate mood and stave-off depression during lockdown is with activity. Of course, for many, the options available just a few months ago no longer exist. A new study published in JAMA (The Journal of the American Medical Association) found that activities are a useful form of mood regulation. They found that ...click here to read more

On sunny days, it’s even harder to stay inside. With temperatures climbing and the sun making outdoors more inviting, is getting outdoors to enjoy it worth the risk? Sunlight has never been particularly simple. For decades, we’ve been told to limit exposure to protect from harmful UV rays. With the added risk of COVID, getting ...click here to read more

A few weeks ago, I read an article about a spike in calls to divorce lawyers in and around Wuhan, China. Wuhan is where COVID-19 had its first outbreak. Lockdown restrictions were easing and couples had simply had enough of each other. Spending an inordinate amount of time in close quarters with your partner or ...click here to read more

Your dietary choices and their impact on your health is greater than the sum of its parts. For example, adding some blueberries to your pancakes and syrup every morning doesn’t make it a healthy breakfast. But when those same blueberries are added to oatmeal or plain Greek yogurt with walnuts, they are part of a ...click here to read more

Visual impairment in older women may be associated with dementia, according to a new study published online in JAMA Ophthalmology. The findings suggest new interventions for vision improvement may be needed to help reduce the risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Dementia is an overall term for diseases and conditions characterized by a decline in ...click here to read more

What foods you eat together may be associated with your risk of dementia, according to a new study published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. While it is no surprise that a healthy diet may benefit the brain, this study shows the surprising way that the combination of foods may ...click here to read more

Health advice is just that: advice. It’s not law. The truth is that there is a lot of personal variation about what works and what doesn’t, and general advice may not work for everybody. Setting a bedtime is commonly recommended for better and more consistent sleep. But does it really work? It doesn’t for me. ...click here to read more

Nutrition plays a big role in how your brain works. Aside from providing energy, food choices also influence blood flow in your brain, inflammation, and your overall health. You might not know this, but your brain uses a lot of the overall energy available to your body, to the tune of roughly 20%. One nutrient ...click here to read more

Stress is often considered a negative. It makes most people uncomfortable and impedes sleep while boosting inflammation, blood pressure, and the risk of a heart attack or stroke. It can also make you engage in unhealthy behavior like binge eating and drinking. It may feel like you have no control over your stress response. After ...click here to read more

Spending all this time inside can be frustrating, but that doesn’t mean there can’t be things to look forward to. In my home, it’s Saturday dance parties. Yep. On Saturdays, my partner and I pour a drink, log on to Instagram, and find a dance party to join. Then we dance the day away. It’s ...click here to read more

So, you want to start exercising but have no idea where to start. For one thing, you’re essentially confined to your property. You also aren’t necessarily interested in sweating, huffing, and puffing. You might not even be able to move very well. That scenario can look a little bleak at first glance. Really, what are ...click here to read more

What you eat everyday can influence how you remember and your risk for dementia. But you have to be patient. For example, if you eat a ton of veggies, fish, whole fruits, and whole grains, you might not function exceptionally different than someone that eats an unhealthier diet. It’s not like every time you eat ...click here to read more

Blood pressure normally goes down during the night, but for some, it could stay the same or even go up, leading to damage in the brain. A new study published in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, suggests that high blood pressure at night may cause damage to small areas of ...click here to read more

Too little sleep can put your health at risk. But getting too much can cause problems too. If you’re having a hard time getting out of bed these days, it could help your heart and mind to find ways to release yourself from the covers. For many people around the country, life has stopped. For ...click here to read more