News Archives
Like Love, embracing, empowering, engaging information never expires.
You join us wherever you are in your unique and unchartable journey – from wherever in the world you live; we endeavor you’ll have what you need when you need it. And, if you’re just beginning your journey, what some might call ‘old news’ can be highly informative to your family.
Here in our Archives, we include articles Betty’s Love has found over the years that embrace, empower, and engage Betty’s Love Families like yours. Entering our SIXTH year of News You Can Use-with-Love, we find that some articles most helpful to families like yours ‘in the trenches’ have no expiration date.
News You Can Use-with-Love™
New Autism Study: WHAT factors ‘might’ contribute – but not WHY
A new report funded by the US National Institute of Health and advocacy group Autism Speaks and published by Archives of General Psychiatry is the largest study of autism in twins. Researchers using DNA testing and health records determined familial autism: 77%/male and 50%/female in identical twins; 31%/36% respectively in fraternal twins. (Other studies have found autism in 10-20% in younger siblings of children with autism.) This study is causing debate about a mother’s stress, diet, infections, and age; another study in the same publication found a higher risk of autism among children born to mothers who took antidepressants during the year prior to birth, especially in the first three months of pregnancy. However, neither study tried to determine what risk factor(s) increase risk – nor why.
As Betty’s Love pleads re Alzheimer’s research: Please, let’s: 1. Study both the WHATs and the WHYs; and 2. Share our research!
In the meantime, there’s so much Betty’s Love CAN do with/for families living with autism – and so much JOY they can find every day! Join us for Full Spectrum™ and other Betty’s University Programs that boost nutrition and cognition – and, please, bring the whole family!
TEAMWORK proves successful in early development of brain-stimulating implant
Betty’s Love has long called for teamwork in research. In a new study using implant technology that allows people with paralysis to move prosthetic limbs, researchers from Wake Forest University and University of Southern California turn that technology ‘inward’ to stimulate brain function rather than limbs. Though research in humans is a long way off – this study (and, may we say, study in teamwork!) involves rats bred to have dementia (God bless all research animals) – it does give hope and a wider perspective for what IS possible. Read more in this New York Times article. While we continue to pray for a definitive diagnosis, a sustainable treatment, and cure for Alzheimer’s disease (and, first, an understanding of the root causes of Alzheimer’s, dementia, and all cognitive impairment), we are helping families like yours thrive despite its symptoms. Our transformational message IS a new paradigm for Alzheimer’s families worldwide: There is so much we CAN do to boost and sustain cognition and so much JOY we find every day! Please Spread the Word so families like yours CAN find Hope, Joy, and Love in 100+ free and low-cost Betty’s Programs and Services. Please, if you’re able, support our grassroots movement today. And please get busy in Betty’s Love – and start boosting your whole family’s brains and JOY today!
Why is AND such a BIG word in Betty’s Love?
A new study – of taxi drivers! – by London City University proves the correlated parts of our brains engaged in specific activity will literally grow in response. The study’s lead, Dr. Eleanor Maguire, and her colleagues agree on the neuroplasticity of our brains, saying collectively: “Cells that fire together wire together.” The study supports Betty’s Tenets about Engagement: 1. There is NO limit to what our brains CAN learn! 2. The benefits of a ‘well rounded’ brain far outweigh those of a singly developed brain – no matter how highly developed it might be! 3. Never retire – lest you “cognitively hang up [your] boots.” Cognitive aging is about engagement, not years! Read more about the study in The Irish Times. Then: Learn more about all you CAN do in Betty’s Learning Programs. Boost and sustain Mom’s cognition in Betty’s Day Out. Engage your whole family: Do Sudoku AND crosswords! Learn a new language AND dance! Play the piano AND crochet! Whatever you do, as we’ve been proving with families like yours for more than 20 years – and to learn why ‘AND’ is a very big word in Betty’s Love: Get Busy TODAY in Betty’s Love!
Please, let’s FORGET being afraid of Alzheimer’s!
Despite 111 years of study and billions spent in research, families worldwide too-often-falsely think they have Alzheimer’s and almost-always think two things: “There’s nothing we can do. Life is over.” Betty’s Love is proving every day: That is not necessarily so! Among Betty’s Tenets™ is our very real – i.e., practical, proven, positive – mantra: There’s so much we CAN do to boost and sustain cognition and so much JOY we find every day! Read this New York Times op-ed by Margaret Morganroth Gullette, a scholar at the Women’s Studies Research Center at Brandeis University and author fighting ageism … then get busy in Betty’s Love! Help us raise awareness and raise funds so that more families like yours will find support they need, get information they deserve, and take action today to boost Mom’s cognition and ensure Dad and the whole family find JOY every day! Betty’s Love: So much we CAN do. So much JOY!™
Queen Elizabeth II proves Betty’s Love!
When Queen Elizabeth II visited Ireland this May, she made history as the first British Monarch to visit the Republic of Ireland and changed the future history of both Ireland and England. Also, as she walked up and down dozens of steps (without holding a railing!), got in and out of cars (with complex brain agility!), and met people from all walks of life (with genuine interest and keen comprehension), the 85-year-old Queen Elizabeth II proved several of Betty’s Tenets™ - including: There’s so much we CAN do to boost and sustain cognition and so much JOY we find every day! How does the Queen, at 85 – and her husband, Prince Philip, at 90 – keep going? Precisely by keeping her brilliant brain engaged! [Click here to read an op-ed article by our founder about the implications of the Queen's visit to Ireland.] Take action today to boost Mom’s cognition and ensure Dad and the whole family find JOY every day!
That CTE can cause dementia proven again for Super Bowl Champion
Chicago Bear Dave Duerson, before taking his own life, wrote a note donating his brain for research. Long suffering myriad symptoms of dementia, an autopsy of Duerson’s brain confirms what many believe to be an under-reported issue for professional and amateur athletes alike: Dave Duerson did, indeed, have the tangles of dementia in an otherwise-healthy brain. Repetitive brain trauma – from impacts as violent as to a boxer or NFL player to those as simple as falling off a bicycle – can cause chronic traumatic encephalopathy (‘CTE’), a dementia-like brain disease afflicting athletes exposed to repeated brain trauma. This disturbing news (‘disturbing’ both for its veracity and its under-reportedness) supports the long-held Betty’s Tenet (and Betty’s Learning Program): A Proper Diagnosis™ is key to understanding, treating, and thriving Joy-fully despite any form of dementia or cognitive impairment. Read more about Dave Duerson’s brain tangled results and NFL players’ experience with CTE. For all the News You Can Use-with-Love, please click here. And, please: At any age, if you do fall off your bicycle, stumble and bump your head, or simply bang your forehead on a cabinet door, ice it immediately and, if appropriate to your medical health, take an NSAID to help reduce any possible swelling in your brain. Please protect, nourish, and boost your brain every day. Join Betty’s Love and ensure your family finds the support you need, gets the information you deserve, and takes action today to boost and sustain Mom’s cognition and the whole family’s JOY! God bless Dave Duerson, his grieving friends and family, and all who selflessly donate their brains and organs for dementia research and all medical studies and transplants.
New guidelines establish three phases of Alzheimer’s: no symptoms manifest but changes in brain are apparent; symptoms manifest but daily function is still high; dementia has developed. More pertinent to families living with Alzheimer’s is the Congressional Bill introduced in April 2011 which would create: specific cost codes for Alzheimer’s diagnosis; and steps requiring discussions between doctors and their patients. All of this supports TWO long-held Betty’s Tenets (and Betty’s Learning Programs): A Proper Diagnosis™ is key – and teaming for care sooner than later will produce the best results. For more on the new guidelines from the National Institute on Aging, please click here. Ensure your family finds the support you need, gets the information you deserve, and takes action today to boost and sustain Mom’s cognition and the whole family’s JOY! While others legislate, raise money for research, and labor tirelessly to understand, diagnose, treat, and cure Alzheimer’s disease (and all forms of dementia), Betty’s Love is only helping families like yours thrive despite Alzheimer’s, dementia, and all cognitive impairment. Please join our grassroots movement to help families like yours or donate today!
‘Inappropriate Medicines’ a Risk in Nursing Homes [Ya Think?!]
New research from the CARDI (Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland) confirms a long-held Betty’s Tenet: Medicines given to treat elders in nursing home (e.g., sedatives and benzodiazepines, administered in a common practice to address residents’ ‘agitation’) ultimately puts them at risk of falls and fractures, leading to hospital stays. The study found that 73% of Irish nursing-home residents were being given inappropriate medicines. Of 630 study samples, half were receiving 8-14 medicines each (on average, 11 medicines daily) – and, of those, one to three are ‘inappropriate.’ The annual cost to each elder of inappropriate medicines is estimated at €170 ($243) in Ireland to €356 ($509) in Northern Ireland. The study leader Dr. Stephen Byrne calls the study’s findings “a global problem.” Read more News You Can Use-with-Love. Read more about this study … then consider these two questions – among Betty’s practical, proven questions we advise families like yours to ask (and informing Betty’s Tenets for more than 12 years): 1. Why is Dad agitated? 2. Wat if it’s not agitation that’s causing Mom’s angry outbursts? Join us soon for pertinent questions AND answers Betty’s University Learning Programs like A Proper Diagnosis™ and 411-Bed™ and Finding Their Joy.™ Learn what your family needs to know, why, and ‘how to’ do it for and with Mom … -with-Love.
Note: If you find this information useful – and surprising – please support Betty’s Love today. Help us get our transformational message to more families like yours: So much we CAN do. So much JOY!
Five More Alzheimer’s-Related Genes Discovered
Two of the largest ongoing studies of Alzheimer’s disease have led to the discovery of an additional five genes (to a new total of 10) which can contribute to the manifestation of the disease and its process. The hope and Betty’s Love’s fervent prayer (for more than 30 years) is that research like these discoveries will lead to: a full understanding of Alzheimer’s disease’s root cause(s); a definitive diagnosis (other than autopsy) that is also readily available to all people; effective, sustainable treatment; and a cure.
If these studies (110 years into the study of Alzheimer’s form of dementia) makes you feel despair, lest it not produce a cure in time to help your Mom or Dad, husband or daughter, friend or resident: Every day, Betty’s Love is the only Alzheimer’s charity only helping families like yours find support you need, get information you deserve, and take action to boost and sustain Mom’s cognition and JOY. We are the only charity helping all generations of your family. We are the only charity with Betty’s Love’s positive, practical, proven message: So much we CAN do. So much JOY!
[Published March 2011 in the journal Stem Cells, this news made Maureen weep (literally):]
Breakthrough in Stem-Cell Research alters Neurons
For the first time, Northwestern Medicine researchers have transformed embryonic stem cells into a critical type of neuron that causes memory loss and is known to die early in Alzheimer’s type of dementia. This ability to reprogram and grow stem cells can enable new research and drug testing. Join Betty’s Love in praying that this research will produce definitive knowledge and sustainable treatment. Amen! Please help Betty’s Love keep helping families like yours.
Read more in this PDF from Northwestern Medicine: Stem-Cell NEWS. Thanks to Rotary Club Governor, Northwestern Kellogg School Lecturer, and Alzheimer’s ADvocate™ Robert C. Knuepfer, Jr., for sharing this extraordinary news!
Protein found to work as first “Memory Enhancer”
In a study at Mt. Sinai Medical School, researchers have found a naturally occurring, protein-like hormone called IGF II (for insulin-like growth factor, a substance that promotes cell growth, development, and repair). When injected into the Hippocampus, IGF II helps laboratory rats better capture and hold on to memories. Though its ability to enhance human memory is as-yet unknown, this research is a step in the right direction. Brava! to Christina Alberini, PhD, and her team. For more, read the published findings in this link to Nature Magazine.
“Traditional drug development in Alzheimer’s disease is taking too narrow an approach….”
Ya think?!
Supporting Betty’s Tenets about brain health (and 30 years of frustration about research), this brilliant article in the Wall Street Journal details new research that focuses on the effects of ‘hazardous waste’ on lysosomes, which process waste inside cells. In Betty’s Love’s plain language: Unprocessed waste in our cells builds up; the build-up can block connections (via axons) between brain cells; toxic material leaks. Experiments with mice support the theory that lysosomes problems are an early event in the dementia process; if treated or reversed, the disease might not take hold. [Note: The 'hazardous waste' refers to waste produced inside cells. For definitions of biohazardous agents that can cause biological waste, please click here.] To learn how to protect and promote brain health and nutrition, please join us for Betty’s Empowerment/Health and Wellness Program, All-Bra(i)n Nutrition.TM This and all Betty’s University Programs are available in person, by telephone, and via Skype. Please join us soon. Please support us today, so we can help more of the 52 Families like yours. And pleasepleaseplease begin to take Care-with-LoveTM for your brilliant, beautiful, amazing brain; your lysosomes will thank you!
Finally: Putting a New Dye in Diagnosis!
One-hundred and five years since the discovery of Alzheimer’s disease, there is still only one definitive diagnosis: Autopsy. That may – finally! – change, with the advance in the FDA approval process of a PET scan that uses a dye to identify the amyloid plaques that differentiate Alzheimer’s from other forms of dementia. Again: Finally! FDA approval might take only months (not years) and will greatly advance – via A Proper Diagnosis™ – proper treatment (albeit not sustainable – still waiting for that breakthrough). For more, read this New York Times article or the pertinent report from Eli Lilly’s newly acquired Avid Radiopharmaceuticals.
Telling of an Alzheimer’s Diagnosis a “Moral Dilemna”
A New York Times article brings to the fore the very real dilemna doctors and their patients have: If there is [still!] no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, is it a good thing to tell someone that new tests (like the MRI that assesses brain-area volume and a spinal tap) indicate Alzheimer’s form of dementia? Two of Betty’s Tenets - A Proper Diagnosis and Living-with-Love - have long addressed this question. This article also wonderfully changes the focus on Alzheimer’s from “a vacant stare, unable to follow a conversation” to a vibrant, articulate person – the very essence of Betty’s Tenets. We invite you and your family to participate in Betty’s Love’s positive, CAN-do Programs and we ask you to support our work with families like yours so they know there is so much they CAN do and so much JOY they will find every day.
“An Embarrassment of Riches” in Research
New understanding of what part(s) of the brain contribute to (and foster) Alzheimer’s form of dementia give rise to hope for both treatment and cure. Amen! Read this wonderfully complex NY Times article – and please take copious notes (it’s both a great learning exercise for your brain and helps you retain what you learn!) – and then: Please take better Care-with-Love for your brilliant brain! Join us for our most popular Lessons-with-Love, like All-Bra(i)n Nutrition and let Betty’s Love help you do just that!
Help Betty’s Love Force Congress to Help Families Like Yours
Update 12/15/10: Congress has forwarded NAPA for the President’s signature. Send your comments to President Obama today!
The National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) is designed to coordinate strategic planning for the Alzheimer’s Tsunami™ that is coming as Baby Boomers begin to turn 65 in 2011. December 2010, Senate Committee responsible for NAPA will decide the whether or not to put it before the Senate for a vote. Please make five minutes to call your Senators and urge them to pass NAPA – and let them know how important this issue is to the Alzheimer community – and to your family. Click here to find your Senator’s contact information. Please learn more about Betty’s Love, the work only we do only for families like yours … and, if you’re able, please join or support our grassroots movement today. On behalf of all Betty’s Love Families worldwide - and the 52 more Americans diagnosed every hour: Thank you for your support!
So much we CAN do! A story of brain recovery….
This CNN article about a young woman’s recovery from traumatic brain injury. Then, please, focus on all that remains (it’s always a lot!) and get busy in Betty’s Love to boost and sustain your brain and find JOY every day!
BIG News – and it’s good news – at last!
Supporting Betty’s Tenet that we all should never retire, an 84-year-old scientist – working independently from mostly private funding – has discovered how to, in mice, stop the production of the protein that makes beta amyloid. The mice? They appear “perfectly healthy” and did not develop plaque. Read more about this extraordinary man – and his dog – in this NYT article. Read the findings here, in Nature magazine – and join me both in Joy-full gratitude and in wondering why this isn’t on the cover of every newspaper?!
Take your Cal & D today … but not too much!
A recent report released by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) has released new findings on the optimal intake for Calcium and Vitamin D. Both are necessary to long-term bone, body, and brain health – but, IOM challenges, more is not necessarily better. For more, see the IOM’s Consensus Report or read this article from The New York Times. To read all Betty’s Love’s News You Can Use, please click here. Then … please be sure to nourish your beautiful brain, body, and bones. Join Betty’s Love – from wherever in the world you are – for our popular program, All Bra(i)n NutritionTM. And, every day, please make time to Care-with-LoveTM for yourself.
Other ‘Breaking News’ That’s NOT New to Betty’s Love
In other news, a non-scientific, “observational study” says what many (and we) do: That keeping your brain engaged can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s (and other dementia). However, a contrary “observation” is made (and, unfortunately, focus is placed hereon): That, once AD manifests, it might progress more rapidly in people who have been exercising their brains. The net: We expect that the AD was there all along; it just didn’t manifest because of the lifelong brain engagement! In a 25-year experience of AD, we’d rather engage and manifest symptoms for the last five (even if AD might more quickly progress) than to slowly decline for all 25 years. Therefore, we invite/implore you: Adopt Betty’s Tenet for staying engaged at the highest possible level for the longest period of time to enJOY the highest possible quality of life. Please do! And please call 708-420-LOVE and get engaged in Betty’s Love today!
Smoking is to Alzheimer’s … as Cause is to Effect?
A recent Archives of Internal Medicine study report connects middle-aged smokers - in the 1970s and ’80s, they smoked more than a half a pack of cigarettes every day – with an increased risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and Vascular disease in the present day; smoking more causes more risk. Ya think?! It’s long been a Betty’s Tenet that the brain is not immune to the long-term effects of smoking (N.T. Aggarwal, M.D., et al, Rush University publication, 2006). In Betty’s Love, we understand stress and the need to assuage it. Join us for Embrace Support Group – or, at least, talk to someone about your worries and find a healthier ‘escape’ (Movie Madness and dark chocolate are great for your brain!). In any and every case: Please don’t smoke!
[Getting to] “Alzheimer’s Unlocked”
Another article, this in Time Magazine, hopefully discusses the change in how research is being done because research heretofore has been rersoundingly unsuccessful. Thanks for adding your prayers to ours that pooling Alzheimer’s research will become reality – and from it will come: definitive understanding of the root cause(s); conclusive diagnosis; sustainable treatment; and a cure. In the meantime, join the movement that IS Betty’s Love – only serving families living with Alzheimer’s, dementia, and cognitive impairment to do all they CAN do to boost and sustain cognition and find JOY ever day!
Alzheimer’s? … or Sleep Apnea?!
In yet-another affirmation of Betty’s Tenet: A Proper Diagnosis, this New York Times article describes one woman’s experience of nearly being misdiagnosed with Alzheimer’s. The actual problem? Obstructive sleep apnea – nighttime interruptions in breathing that can leave the brain poorly oxygenated and presenting Alzheimer’s-/dementia-like symptoms (including poor attention, waning interest, lethargy). The tip-off to a blessedly comprehensive doctor at The Mayo Clinic? “Snoring like a freight train.” The treatment? A C.P.A.P. mask – a continuous positive airway pressure mask worn at night. The result? A rapid return of cognition and “normal” neuropsychological scores upon re-testing for Alzheimer’s. The lesson? Please be sure you and your family get A Proper Diagnosis! Join us today for this Lesson-with-Love and Family Matters. Be sure you know all you CAN do with and for your Mom … and all the JOY you can find together!
Money Problems? Might be a cognitive problem….
In yet-another affirmation of Betty’s Tenet: A Proper DiagnosisTM, this New York Times article adds impaired abilities with money management as a symptom of Alzheimer’s and dementia. Ya think?! As we of Betty’s Love have been saying this for years: Please be sure you and your family get A Proper Diagnosis! Join us today for this Lesson-with-Love and Family Matters. Be sure you know all you CAN do with and for your Mom … and all the JOY you can find together!
NIH Report on Preventing AD is “depressing and distressing.”
More than 100 years into research, there is still no consensus on what (if anything) can be done to prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. This New York Times article details the report from the National Institutes of Health, calling the lack of a “magic bullet” both “depressing and distressing.” We of Betty’s Love are living in the NOW, talking to and with and through the journeys of the 5.3 million American families like yours living with Alzheimer’s disease TODAY – and assuring them, as we prove every day, that although there is no cure (nor understanding of the cause nor sustainable treatment) for Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia there IS so much we CAN do to boost and sustain Mom’s cognition and Dad’s spirit – and so much JOY we DO find every day.
Sharing Information Leads to Progress in Research: Ya Think?!
What a concept! Betty’s Love has lamented for years that ‘silos’ of research (i.e., different groups doing different research – and never the twain meeting!) have stymied results – especially, fundamentally, in even understanding the root cause(s) of Alzheimer’s disease. Thankfully, a group started by the National Institutes of Health and others started sharing their information – and the result? Progress! Read this NYT article for more … and please join Betty’s Love in demanding the same from other researchers. Please keep praying with us for the 5.3 million American Families living with Alzheimer’s disease (only one form of dementia) and for Betty’s Love, as we endeavor to help the 52 Families like yours who begin an Alzheimer’s journey every hour.
Spinal-Fluid Test Can Predict Alzheimer’s Disease
While the test and its results are new (Amen!), the ‘new concept’ that Alzheimer’s disease begins long before memory issues are noticeable is NOT news to Betty’s Love. This New York Times article, which reports on new findings that might be diagnostic, supports Betty’s Love’s long-held belief that Alzheimer’s can be detected early – without a medical test – by simply observing Mom or Dad while knowing the signs and symptoms! Join us for Betty’s Love University’s A Proper DiagnosisTM or a Private Family MattersTM Workshop and let us help you recognize early and start right now to restore, promote, and sustain Dad’s cognition and preserve and perpetuate Mom’s Love and Joy for life. And, of course, please bring Mom or Dad, too!
Women Who Weigh More Have More Memory Issues.
Of course they do! This CNN ‘news’ is at the heart of one of Betty’s Tenets: Body Health IS Brain Health! Sugar imbalance (e.g., Diabetes) can be a direct contributor to dementia. (See ‘Type 3 Diabetes’ below.) Poor nutrition (from lost appetite) means the blood can’t carry nourishment to the brain: direct contributor. Heart disease means the heart can’t pump blood (and its oxygen and nutrients) to the brain: direct contributor. Please, Betty’s Love Families: Get and keep body AND brain healthy! Enjoy this much-more positive (and, therefore, more Betty’s Love-like) NYT article about Frenchwomen aging beautifully. And RSVP today for Betty’s University Health & Wellness Programs – and Language Lessons-with-Love, which are magnifique for your brain! – and our Activities-with-Love, all of which are great for your brain and your body – and your Spirit, too!
‘New’ Approach Expands AD Diagnosis Criteria This one makes us especially crazy – as non-dementia-specializing (if well meaning) doctors ask 30 questions and ‘diagnose’ Mom or Dad with Alzheimer’s! Betty’s Tenets have always included: Get a Proper Diagnosis! Read this NYT articleor the National Institute on Aging’s report AND please visit our July 2010 Betty’s Tenet. Then RSVP today and learn in Family Matters that with which, for years now, we’ve been empowering Families just like yours: Why and ‘how to’ get a Proper Diagnosis!
Comment allez vous?
Enjoy this interesting read on how Language forms our thinking … then join us soon and often for Language Lessons-with-Love and all our brain-boosting Activities!
This Is Your Brain. This Is Your Brain on….
As our world becomes an increasingly permeated-with-info-/input/-electronics/-noise place, a group of neuroscientists took a sabbatical from attention-tapping input and tested what happens to a brain when its attention is less dissected. Wanna guess the result? Read for yourself … take The Unplugged Challenge (oh, g’head and try!) … and the, please, practice Betty’s Tenets and make time to just BE to give your beautiful brain a much-needed and brain-boosting break!
A New Diabetes: “Type 3 – Brain Diabetes”
The “undeniable” relationship between Diabetes Mellitus (DM – “Type 2″) and dementia; numerous studies report the increased risk of cognitive decline, dementia, and AD – by as much as three times. The results of a recent studysuggest that AD is both a neurologic and a neuroendocrine disorder. A new Harvard study reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine shows the benefits of brown rice in reducing the risk of DM. Please read all these findings, make the decision to eat more healthfully, and join us for Betty’s University’s All-Bra(i)n Nutrition and all our Betty’s Love Activities and Events – all of which are great for your brain, body, and Spirit! And please Care-with-Love for and Nourish-with-Love Yourself and your beautiful, brilliant brain today – and every day!
There really IS such a thing as Brain Food (Ya Think?!)
Have you had your cod liver oil today? Author, doctor, and evolutionary biologist Frank Ryan recently appeared on RTE (Irish Radio) program Today with Pat Kenny – focusing on what to eat to boost cognition among students taking ‘Leaving Cert’ exams (an exceedingly high-pressure experience in the Irish school system). Think Omega 3! And remember (!): Long-term cognition is all about feeding your brain nutritionally and in every way. Concept! In Betty’s University, we’ve long taught the need and benefits for feeding your brain to boost and sustain cognition. Please join us soon for All-Bra(i)n NutritionTM – and please bring Mom, Dad, and your children!
Early-Onset Alzheimer’s: An Accelerating Battle
Early-onset AD compounds every aspect of living with and Caring-with-Love for someone with Alzheimer’s disease. It starts as early as age 30; it progresses rapidly; it often brings other issues (e.g., psychoses) to complicate ADLs (activities of daily life); its heartbreak is exponential, as young children must forfeit parts of their childhoods to become their parents’ Caregivers. This New York Times article about a region in Colombia where geography and culture have virtually ‘inbred’ early-onset AD is difficult to read – AND it’s a must-read article. Please read it – and then join us for Early-Onset ACTIONTM and other low-cost and free Lessons- and Activities-with-Love that will help your family – battling every form of dementia at any age and every stage – find the embrace, empowerment, and engagement you need NOW. If you’re able, please support Betty’s Vision: Changing lives with all we CAN do in JOY. And please keep the 52 families every hour who are beginning their journeys in your good thoughts and prayers – especially the young families living with early-onset AD. We’re Betty’s Love and we’re not waiting for a cure.
Adult Stem Cells Effectively Used in Very Different Ways
Long after the debate about using stem cells (especially embryonic stem cells) in government-funded research, doctors are studying European research and ‘thinking outside the box.’ This AP story tells one story of how one man’s stem cells were used to heal his own body. While Alzheimer’s is mentioned in passing, keep in mind stem cells may provide the first sustainable treatment en route to a a cure. Please read and share the story – and then tell everyone you know about Betty’s Love and The New Paradigm: Truly ‘proving outside the box’ about all we CAN do to boost and sustain cognition and all the JOY we find every day!
Have You Seen the Sun Today?
The Bad News: Vitamin D deficiency is likely in all of Betty’s Love Families – especially our family members living in nursing homes – and can have negative effects on our bodies and minds. The Good News: Vitamin D is easy to supplement! This NYT article reviews the basics of the history of, need for and dosage of Vitamin D. We recommend you read it with a glass of orange juice or organic milk, a serving of wild salmon, and a commitment to take your 1,000-2,000 units every day! Then, get busy in Betty’s Love and get your daily dose of Vitamin D-with-Love!
Our Amazing Brains!
A CNN article about studies of the complex, always-amazing functions of our brains:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/08/25/nostrils.tone.deaf.lost/index.html
Sirtuin May Have Positive Result in Treatment of Alzheimer’s
A protein, sirtuin, found to extend life in laboratory animals, is thought to, when activated, suppress Alzheimer’s disease in the same animals. While it is a new pursuit in studies (this one from MIT), it raises hopes for treatment of Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases with drugs that activate sirtuin. To all doctors and researchers who are thinking/looking/researching ‘outside the box:’ Thanks. To all of you who are living with AD and other forms of dementia and cognitive disabilities: Please don’t wait to get busy in Betty’s Love and boost and sustain cognition and nourish your beautiful brains today!
Initial Study: Insulin Effective in Treating Mild Cognitive Impairment
A four-month study in Seattle, Washington’s VA Puget Sound Health Care System has found ‘significant improvements’ in delayed story recall (if not in ADLs) with intranasal insulin and ‘improved’ memory and function status with insulin via spinal tap. A large, multi-center study is planned. Please scroll down for other articles on the indisputable link(s) between Diabetes and AD – AND please get busy today in brain-boosting Betty’s Activities and University Programs like All-Bra(i)n Nutrition!
Depression May Increase Risk of Dementia
From Betty’s Symposium, November 2008: “An emotional depression left untreated becomes
a clinical depression. A clinical depression can cause dementia.” — Neelum T. Aggarwal, M.D.
Nearly two years later, this common conversation with Betty’s Love Families and part of our standard procedure toward a proper diagnosis is in the news, as researchers seek the link between depression and dementia. The bad news: Depression is an oft-overlooked symptom of and/or contributor to dementia. The good news: Depression is easily, successfully, and sustainably treatable. Please address it! Please be sure you and your Family get A Proper Diagnosis – a Tenet of Betty’s Love.
AND, read this New York Times article and then join us for Family Matters, everything a Family needs to know at the start of (or at any point on) their Alzheimer’s journey … beginning with ensuring a proper diagnosis.
Taking Chances in Studying Alzheimer’s
We’re Betty’s Love and we’re not waiting for a cure. Similarly, his brave woman is participating in a clinical trial studying gene therapy in diagnosis of and treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Betty’s Lament? That we are 104 years into the study of Alzheimer’s, that billions have been raised and spent in research, and that there is still no understanding of AD’s root cause(s), no sustainable treatment, and no cure. Blessings on this study – and on the brave people like Gloria who are willing to try everything to help herself, her family, and all the world. Amen!
Excercising Your Noggin, BMP, and, yep, Noggin
A recent Northwestern University study considers exercise and the fine ‘fence’ between too-little and too-much exercise and the effect of each on your brain. According to this New York Times article, the net for your noggin is: Both exercise and Betty’s Love are great for your brain! Doing some exercise is always good – and necessary. Walk. Pedal. Dance. Join in Betty’s Love Activities – soon and often!
New Dye and Scan Can Show Plaque Buildups
In a remarkable breakthrough in Alzheimer’s diagnosis, Dr. Daniel Skovronsky has developed a scan and dye that can show the presence in the brain of the plaques that mark Alzheimer’s form of dementia. If the study holds, this can become a tool also in the study of the effectiveness of medicines – as one patient can be scanned while on medication for progression of the disease. Read this New York Times article for more on Dr. Skovronsky’s study. And please keep praying with us for an understanding of the root cause(s) of Alzheimer’s disease, for sustainable treatment, and for a cure. And, in the meantime, please get busy in Betty’s Love as we work with families like yours who are living with – and thriving every day despite - Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia and cognitive disabilities.
State-of-the-Science Conference concludes: Old News – and New News is desperately needed; and Betty’s Love Works!
The National Institutes of Health State-of-the-Science Conference concludes what we have been advocating for so long:
1. After 104 years of studying Alzheimer form of dementia, research remains inconclusive and a ‘clearing house’ (our term) for sharing and standardizing research is necessary. Soon, please!
2. Engaging the brain in multiple abilities (we say, in all and new abilities, every day!) is the best prescription for delaying the onset of and/or minimizing the effects of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
For the statement, please click here. To get busy in Betty’s Love this month, please click here. Please do both – and please include Mom and Dad!
Broken Hearts
Though “the heart is just a pump” (neuropsychologist Paul Nussbaum), the brain’s emotions take a toll on this vital organ. This article cites celebrity passings to bring back into focus a 2005 New England Journal of Medicine study that ‘Broken Heart Syndrome’ might be more prevalent than commonly considered. In Betty’s Love, we encourage families to consider all aspects and potential effects of the sadnesses and losses of living with Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive disabilities. Join us for Betty’s Health and Wellness Programs like Caring-with-Love for Yourself™ and All-Bra(i)n Nutrition™ and let us help you take holistic care of all your family … -with Love.
Stickers or Floaters? At last! A change is coming in research?…
Betty’s Love has long lamented the questionable direction of AD reserach – i.e., its continuing direction sans conclusive results, sustainable treatment, and cure. This AARP article reviews the work of Dr. Sam Gandy, M.D., of Mt. Sinai (New York) Alzheimer’s Research Center. Dr. Gandy focuses on floating proteins rather than the sticky plaques of the past 20 years’ research. His work on mice suggests that current meds targeting plaques not only won’t help – they could hurt a brain. Please join Betty’s Love in our fervent prayer for proper research – and, ’til it happens and results in sustainable treatment and a cure, for all our brain-boosting Activities-with-Love! Betty’s Love: So much we CAN do. So much JOY!
Pesticides and Your Brain….
A common focus of Betty’s Love re both prevention and diagnosis is toxins – environmental (e.g., smoke, pesticides), topical (e.g., aluminum, antiperspirants), and nutritional (e.g., hormones and steroids in meat and dairy, pesticides on fruits and veg). Duke University’s K.M. Hayden has led a study that concludes an increased risk of Alzheimer form of dementia for people aged 65 and older with occupational exposure to pesticides. Please, Care-with-Love for ALL of you! Join us for Family Matters and All Bra(i)n Nutrition, just two of our Lessons-with-Love that focus on your brain’s holistic health!
Insight Test? Probably not….
The FDA has not approved an over-the-counter test (now for sale) of people’s genes for a propensity for various diseases, including Alzheimer’s. We of Betty’s Love do not encourage you to ask, “Do I have a propensity for AD?” Rather, we ask: “How would you live your life today if you were ‘predisposed?’” AND we implore you to nourish and boost and sustain your brain every day no matter your genetic ‘predisposition’ and to Care-with-Love™ for your family and your brilliant brains of all ages. Come join us as we do that every day in Betty’s Love!
Two More Genes Linked to AD. Please may we find a pathway?!
The largest genomewide-association study to date (35,000 people) led by researchers in The Netherlands and Boston, Massachusetts, has identified two more genes are associated with general-onset Alzheimer’s disease: one near BIN1 (which encodes a protein involved in clathrin-mediated trafficking); and one near BLOC1S3 and MARK4). Also prominent in the study were the previously identified CLU (clusterin/apolipoprotein J), PICALM (phosphatidylinositol-binding clathrin assembly protein), and CRI (complement receptor 1). [Read more here.] Though they do not enhance AD-risk prediction, they may help guide researchers to biological pathways to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Amen! While we await that pathogenesis, sustainable treatment thereon based, and a cure (sooner than later, please God), please join us for all we CAN do and let us help you find your JOY every day!
A Brain in Love by Any Other Name….
Despite cultural differences in expressing romantic Love, the brain remains the same. This interesting article about a new, global study of the brain’s neural reactions to Love invokes awe and respect for everything that our brains do for us – well, everything. Enjoy the read – and the marvel – and then, please, Care-with-Love for your remarkable, Loving brain. For more on ‘how to’ and why, RSVP today and join us for Betty’s Love University’s All-Bra(i)n Nutrition!
Wandering – and Being Found in Betty’s Love
As a veritable tsunami of people are beginning journeys through dementia (see The Realities), police and other municipal services are learning specific training in searching for, finding, and attending to people who go wandering and, too often, go missing. This New York Times article is at once disturbing and encouraging. Remember there is so much you CAN do to keep Mom and Dad safe and engaged. Thank you for your good thoughts and prayers for Betty’s Love and for all Families like yours living with Alzheimer’s. And, if you’re able, thank you for supporting Betty’s Love so all Families won’t be wandering alone through their journeys and always feel welcome at home, especially when they don’t know where home is.
Mind over (Only) Medication
Yet-more studies are proving that holistic treatment (i.e., treating the body and the mind) is key to long-term success in the treatment of depression – a too-often-overlooked symptom (and potential cause) of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. In this remarkably frank article, a psychiatrist (operating for decades, by his description, almost exclusively as a psychopharmacologist) encourages his colleagues and patients to combine psychiatry with psychotherapy to fully understand the patient (“what makes her tick”) as well as her – or his – symptoms. Concept! For years now, Betty’s Love has been preaching and practicing Care-with-Love for ALL of yourself. Please do. And please do allow yourself whatever help you need (spiritual, emotional, physical, and pharmacological) to thrive every day despite your unique and unchartable Alzheimer’s journeys. Thanks. Blessings, indeed!
Body Health IS Brain Health!
Good News: Brain health is IN the news again. Challenging News: That body-health measurements (e.g., diabetes, body weight, fat content, etc.) as indices of brain health are still being touted as ‘breaking news.’ In Betty’s Love, we’ve long ADvocated™ nourishing our brain – also simply breathing deeply! – by Caring-with-Love™ for our bodies. Limit trans fats and, please, ‘white’ foods. Be wary of hormones, steroids, and antibiotics in meat and dairies. Lose the aluminum. Positively, get busy in Betty’s Love: Eat walnuts! Drink pomegranate juice! Enjoy dark chocolate as a ‘tonic’ and a treat! Dance! Walk (a different route every day). Golf – and please take Dad with you! Do puzzles and Sudoku and word searches and card tricks…. For all the ways you can get busy in Betty’s Love, please visit our Engage-ing pages. To read a comprehensive story about some of the newer studies, please click here for a recent New York Times article. And in everything you do today: Please make time to Embrace your Spirit and to Care-with-Love™ for yourself.
Celebrating Denny
Thank you all for joining me in celebrating the Life of Denny McKillip, beLoved and Loving brother of Maggie and dear friend of Judy, both of whom you might have met at Embrace Meetings. Denny and Maggie’s Care-with-Love for him have inspired so much in Betty’s Love; it has been my great privilege to get to know and work with him. Denny passed March 30, 2010, and — having battled Down syndrome (and, in recent years, Alzheimer’s disease) with courage, Joy, and Grace – is most assuredly in Paradise. Amen! Please click here to read more about Denny or read Denny’s Prayer. And please visit our Love and Down Syndrome page. Blessings to you all on this Good Friday which, for all its sadness, makes possible God’s Promises that Denny IS in Paradise, he IS clear thinking, he IS now with his brother and parents, and Maggie WILL see him and them again some day.
Amen, indeed! God IS. Love.
Poor Lil’ Easter Bunnies!
Please keep eating those chocolate Easter Bunnies – and do make them DARK chocolate!
As we’ve been saying for years, dark chocolate is great for your brain and good for your Spirit, too!
Now, in this CNN report of a German study, we see dark chocolate’s also great for your heart.
Please Care-with-Love for yourself today – and nourish your brain and Spirit with some dark chocolate!
‘The Next Big Thing’ just might be: The Brain!
Literary scholars, seeking meaning in (and future employment teaching) the study of Humanities, are beginning to focus their research (and teachings) on the brain’s relationship with with arts. Net/Net: There is one. Says Betty’s Love – yet again: Ya Think?! Read this New York Times article … and then get reading – and asking yourself ‘why’ you like it!
Enjoying Mom’s Memories – Even When They’re Fiction
In Betty’s Tenet and Lesson-with-Love, MemoRE™, we teach Families like yours what to do, why, and ‘how to’ help your Mom ‘remember’ the people, facts, and events of her life. Sometimes, inexplicably, the memories that do ‘get in there’ – what stories Dad does retain – are fiction. In those moments of her or his storytelling – heartbreaking and Joy-full – we invite you to ‘go there,’ too. I promise: You’ll be glad you did.
Putting a Face with a Statistic: Yes, please do!
A March 2010 New York Times article sheds light on the need for doctors in Alzheimer’s practice and research to put “a face” with the work they do. This is, of course, a Tenet of Betty’s Love. Thank you for helping supporting Betty’s Vision of Joy and our Families’ stories – your stories. Together in Betty’s Love, we are changing the way the world thinks of, talks about, and lives Joyfully despite Alzheimer’s disease and all forms of cognitive disabilities.
Staying Engaged in Purposeful Life Reduces Risk of Alzheimer’s. Ya think?!
A March 2010 ABC News report covered a study out of Rush University that people who ‘have a purposeful life’ can have as much as half the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This is, of course, a Tenet of Betty’s Love. So, please: Get Busy in Betty’s Love today – wherever in the world you are.
Neurotoxins and Autism … and Alzheimer’s and dementia and cognitive disabilities and ….
The most e-mailed article on The New York Times on-line 2/26/2010 edition is by journalist Nicholas D. Kristof who asks two important questions: Are neurotoxins linked to Autism? Where is the fine line between what stories journalists need to pursue and what stories, when told, cause unwarranted (even panicked) response? Bless him for asking both questions! Neurotoxins (chemicals – many of them environmental – that interfere with brain development and function or even injure the brain) are directly in scientific studies to adult brain dysfunction; this is always addressed in Betty’s Love University’s Family Matters. This new study’s author states, albeit cautiously, that a brain exposed in the womb or shortly after birth to neurotoxins suffers consequences for a lifetime. Please be aware – and please nourish and Care-with-Love for all of your Family’s brains today!
Vision issues a symptom of dementia?
A recent study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) finds links in uncorrected vision decline to cognitive decline. The findings indicate that, although still unexplainable, vision decline may precede the onset of dementia. Betty’s ‘vision’ for you: That you will immediately seek treatment for any decline in your eyesight!
Please Be Touchy!
A New York Times article features research by psychologists into the positive effects of what one Berkeley psychology professor calls “the first language we learn.” Touches from high fives to hugs are broadly scientifically proven to have benefits. This is especially useful in our journeys, which almost always involve moments of depression and too-often include clinical depression. [Read more about the research into massage therapy's effects in depressed pregnant women.] One of Betty’s Tenets, we have proven that touch therapy not only elevates a spirit – it can sustain it for days. So, please: Reach out and EMBRACE-with-Love today. And remember, as ‘the’ Betty always said, “Consider yourself hugged today!”
100 years old is the new 80!
ABC’s Good Morning America recently featured a Time Magazine article with basic advice for living to 100 – in a good way. Of course, the advice includes Betty’s Tenets like: Build Brain Reserve; Keep Engaged; Embrace Your Spirit; and Share Your Gifts. (Of course it does!) Join Betty’s Love today and we’ll do all that with you-with-Love!
Give ‘Roses’ to Your Brain on Valentine’s Day!
Dark chocolate actually blooms your brain. Enjoy a guilt-free treat today!
New Study Puts Adult Learning Back onto the Tip of Your Tongue!
The Pomona (California) College Project on Cognition and Aging studies this common frustration about aging: The ‘It’s right on the tip of my tongue!’ experience. This study by Deborah M. Burke also proposes ‘how to’ focus adult learning. In Betty’s Love, we also teach ‘why’ to do what we do: Everything-with-Love!
Raise a Glass of ‘Medical Food’
A study from The Netherlands shows some effectiveness of a product called Souvenaid can help people mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease taking Alzheimer’s medication. Click here for information about the second trial from The Netherlands. Please be sure you and all your family and friends also Raise a Glass to Betty’s!
Fight-or-Flight Hormone Can Be Good for Diabetes
The corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) can cause problems in the too-frequent stress common in Alzheimer’s. This Wall Street Journal article explores how CRF might have a positive use in treating diabetes. And: Eliminating diabetes is key to brain health!
‘Happy Pills Don’t Work’ – why that assessment doesn’t work for Betty’s Love
A study showed that anti-depressant medications work ‘only’ for people with sever depression. Wrong! It also is effective with chronic mild depression. A Betty’s Tenet: An emotional depression that remains untreated often becomes a clinical depression. Read more in The New York Times on the study and a differing opinion that many might be missing its point.
Get Grandma an iPod!
Music therapy – long a Betty’s Best Practice – is key in fostering memory despite stroke and dementia. Read this Wall Street Journal article … then get busy downloading your new Playlist-with-Love. More important: Get busy listening – and dancing! – to it with Grandma!
Medication slows progression of cognitive decline in Down syndrome
Neuroscientists at University of San Diego School of Medicine continue their groundbreaking work in the field of Down syndrome and cognitive decline. This study shows dysfunction actually reversed in mice by focusing on the timing of a cell’s damage and degeneration.
California ”90-Somethings” Prove Betty’s Best Practices: Engagement IS Key!
New York Times article details the world’s longest running study of aging brains. Think: DO!
Keep Grandpa Golfing, please! It’s GREAT for his Brain – and his Peace of Mind, too!
Great WSJournal article that supports one of Maureen’s personal favorite Tips o’the Day:
Focus on what Mom, Grandpa, Aunt Dot CAN do and watch her/his Joy and Love reappear!
….And if you think I’m totally nuts … well, join the club … and then read THIS!
Toddler’s Brain Size Linked to Autism
A CNN article about how a change in the size of a toddler’s brain amygdala – from “normal” at birth – might give clues to: when a child develops Autism; how to better treat it; and, please God, a cure. Amen!
Another reason we need Betty’s (The Residence) - and sooner than later!
ABC News ran this story (as did most news organizations) of the sad truth of AD-care cost.
Hoped-for drug proves dangerous in testing with late-stages Alzheimer’s.
Elan and Wyeth stop highest dose in testing Bapineuzumab because of swelling in the brain.
Wall Street Journal Blog article. Wyeth.com news release.
Is it Alzheimer’s or ‘just’ water on the brain?
Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus is often mistaken for dementia, as you’ll see via ABC News.
Do your brain and body need organic food – or just-plain real food?
A New York Times article talking about the value of healthy eating (i.e., eating real food). Read this … then join us for one of our Lessons-with-Love on Brain Health and Nutrition!
Diabetes and Your Brain – yet-another testimony to the importance of Brain Health.
A CBS News article describing the latest, profound research linking AD and diabetes.
What Is That … Caregiving-with-Love™ … ?
I often liken Caregiving-with-Love for a parent to Caregiving-with-Love for a child. This short film featured on YouTube was forwarded to me; it’s a perfect example thereof. A perfect lesson, too? (Thanks to Malcolm deB. W. Jr., devoted son of Mack & Gloria, for the link!)
My Name Is Lisa
A Shelton Films award-winning short of a girl dealing with her Mom’s early-onset Alzheimer’s.
Yankee DOODLE-ing is Dandy, indeed!
A Live Science article cleverly interprets a new study by Cambridge’s Cognition and Brain Unit.
Keep Singing to Mom & Dad!
MSN covers an Oxford Journal’s Cerebral Cortex article about why music evokes memories.
Is it safe for your Dad or Mom to still be driving?
University of Iowa research reports one surprise to Maureen: That it’s even still an option! (Thanks to Donna C. for the link.)
Vitamin D Helps Control Gene Linked to Risk of MS
BBC News reports on more research supporting adults’ and children’s need for sunlight!
Is Alzheimer’s “Diabetes of the Brain?”
A BBC link to U.K. research supporting a Betty’s Belief suggests that insulin can positively affect the brain’s memory functions.
Caregivers Will LOVE Working at Betty’s (The Residence)!
The New York Times article gives The Bad News: Exploitation of caregivers in nursing homes. The Good News: Betty’s Caregivers will work and be blessed with only one criterion: Love.
Stem Cell Research Approved!
A Wall Street Journal report of this “dawn of a new era in medical therapeutics.” And Warriors and their Families battling spinal-cord injuries, cancer, and dementia can say: Amen!
Does Smoking Pot Delay Alzheimer’s Onset?
An MSN Heart & Fitness article on recent findings about memory-protective properties in pot. (Thanks to Mary P. for the link.)
Keeping Your Blood Sugar Stable Is Smart for Your Brain
A New York Times article about how spikes in blood sugar might be linked to dementia. Betty’s Love says: Ya Think?!
Raising a Glass to Betty’s Might Be Good for Your Kind Heart and Your Brain!
Another report on how moderate drinking seemingly reduces the onset of dementia.
More Men Taking a Lead Role in Caregiving
A New York Times article discusses a shift in Caregiving by Sons and Brothers.
Uncork a Bottle o’Red Wine Tonight!…
A UCLA Research Report that shows how components in red wine can thwart A’s in mice. Please remember to invite your friends to Raise a (Second) Glass to Betty’s! (Thanks to you – and to Mary P. for the link.)
Do Tofu and Estrogen Increase Risk of Dementia?
A Natural News report on a U.K. Study on tofu and estrogen and their effects on dementia. (Thanks to Mary P. for the link.)
Is It Alzheimer’s Disease or Dementia – or Something Else?
Supporting our belief in proper testing and diagnosis is this ABC News/Good Morning America article/segment addresses misdiagnoses of Alzheimer’s.
The Gene at 102: Is It Having an Identity Crisis?
With obvious application to Alzheimer’s and neurological research, this New York Times article describes how geneticists are re-thinking genes, what they are, and how they really work.
Our Bodies Begin to Slow Down at 40 Because of … Our Brains?
An Associated Press article explains why it’s hard to be a world-class athlete after 40. [P.S. Toldya!]
Ginkgo No Panacea for Alzheimer’s and Dementia
A CNN article about information released 11/19/2008 in the Journal of the AMA. (Thanks to Mary P. for the link.)
Can You Spell Nicotinamide? Even if you can’t: Let’s take it!
A Journal of Neuroscience study shows Vitamin B3 may prevent Alzheimer’s symptoms in mice.
Hispanics Might Be at Greater Risk for Dementia
A New York Times article ponders non-genetic factors which might contribute to Dementia. And, please, everybody: Please start nourishing and exercising your neart and brain!
Active Social Life Might Reduce Men’s Alzheimer’s Risk
A Health Day article which supports Betty’s Love Activitiesfor building Brain Reserve!
Two Drugs in Combination Might Delay Progression of Alzheimer’s Symptoms
A recent study from the Massachusetts General Hospital Memory Disorders Unit.
‘New’ Idea for Dementia Care a Hit in the United Kingdom
A Mirror.co.uk article about “care with a heart.” Concept! [Be ready to smile to read of a lovely lady (named Betty, of course) who wears a special 'headdress'and picture Maureen in 20 years!]
Vitamin B12 Linked to Slowing Dementia (???)
An ABC News story of a study from Oxford University. (And please remember: Shopping for vitamins online can benefit charities like Betty’s Love!…)
Robots Designed to Aid in Dementia Caregiving (Thanks to Mary P. for the link!)
A PC World article about USC research and development in robotics.
A Surprise in Protein Study
A U.S. News & World Report about protein research with surprising results.
Physical Frailty May Be Linked to Alzheimer’s
A Rush University study links common aging frailty with Alzheimer’s disease pathology.
Rember Shows Promise for Halting Progression of Alzhiemer’s
A new report, released in Chicago, garners “excitement” from doctors and the NIA.
Vaccine Reduces Placque But Does Not Stop the Progression of Dementia
An article from the Associated Press about a new study from University of Southampton.
Research Shows High Levels of HDL (“Good” Cholesterol) May Improve Memory
An article from Informify about new findings from University College London.
New Clue to Alzheimer’s Found
A Wired article about one beta-amyloid protein that might be a breakthtrough in understanding why plaques are found in people not affected by Alzheimer’s.
Can you spell Bapineuzumab?
An RTE Business article about the trial success of a new Alzheimer’s drug developed by Elan and Wyatt Pharmaceuticals.
Amber Alert for Seniors
A Chicago Tribune article about an Amber Alert-like Silver Alert System for Seniors.
Ibuprofen (and possibly NSAIDs) might reduce risk of Alzheimer’s
A Washington Post article about a Boston University School of Medicine Study.
Pomegranate Juice Can Interact with Medications
A cautionary tale from About.com. (Really. A must-read.)
A Mother’s Love, Clarified
A first-person story by George F. Will.
Is Alzheimer’s a Form of Diabetes?
A Northwestern University study on this so-interesting subject.
African Americans Need to Know Link between Heart Health and Brain Health
A joint American Heart Association joint article.
Alzheimer’s Placques Can Form in One Day
A Health Day article that supports Betty’s Tenet to be vigilant in making brain-healthy choices every day!
Genes Associated with Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease
A Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center study of interest.
Attacking Alzheimer’s
A U.S. News & World Report article on the body’s natural defenses. There are so many more than we think and appreciate!
Keeping Your Brain Fit
A 2008 U.S. News & World Report article on all you can do to promote brain health. Brain-fitness tips are never forgettable! (This pun is, though. Sorry.)
A Tale of Two Parents
A Chicago Tribune Reporter tell story of both parents’ decline into Alzheimer’s disease.
Meditation: Not Just for Yogis
An NRTI Live & Learn article on acceptance of meditation for its many health benefits.
Six Killers: Finding Alzheimer’s before a Mind Fails
Part of a New York Times series on the leading causes of illness and death in the United States. Written in 2007, it is still interesting; alas, AD is still climbing the chart (in a bad way).
Progress Is Cited in Developing Alzheimer’s Diagnosis
A New York Times article – ‘old’ news but nonetheless of interest.
Study: Hormones May Ward Off Dementia
An Associated Press article about a subject in which Betty’s Love is keenly interested.
Is it Dementia or Depression?
We suggest: What if it’s both? An article by neurologist/professor David Roeltgen, M.D.
Dementia Boot Camp: Training to be a Caregiver
Emotional insight into caregiving from a Warrior’s perspective, by Carol Bradley Bursack, author of a blog about caring for our elders. (Tip from Maureen: Read some of these articles with a box of Kleenex – and know it’s healthy to cry!)
To share breaking news, your questions for Tips o’the Day, and resources that support you and your family, please contact info@bettyslove.org.
Betty’s™ Empowering Programs and Services – starting with Family Matters™ – answer all your questions, are as diverse as your family, and are tailored to meet your family’s unique needs. Betty’s Programs are facilitated for a low fee to your family – usually in Private Family Workshops - in person, by phone, and via Internet wherever in the world you live.
Read what families like yours have to say about Betty’s Love. Then read about Betty’s Three Steps™ we recommend your family takes first.
Contact Betty’s Love today and start learning what your family needs to know, why, and ‘how to’ do it … -with-Love. Betty’s Love will help your family find JOY today – wherever in the world you live! We do it every day.
Please support Betty’s Vision of Joy. Thank you!
Important: Betty’s Love Alzheimer’s Charities neither promotes these organizations and authors and their work nor takes responsibility for the content therein. These articles have been suggested to Betty’s Love for the purpose of understanding, being able to identify with, and finding support in others’ Alzheimer’s unique experiences and unchartable journeys.