Algae for Your Brain

Yummy! That sounds about as good as eating liver and organ meats to me. And why would anyone want to eat algae anyway? It turns out that it’s algae that makes fish such a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, building blocks of the brain. Fish eat algae and bigger fish eat smaller fish and on it goes until there are abundant levels of these fatty acids in many kinds of fish. The gottcha is, however, that there is also a fair amount of contamination in many of the fish with high levels of omega-3s. We have all been sufficiently warned about mercury levels in swordfish and shark, for example.

So, an innovative U.S. company, The Martek Biosciences Corporation, has taken on the task of manufacturing algae! How’s that for an idea! Their senior scientist, J. Casey Lippmeier (definitely not pictured right), said in an interview on NPR this week that they were impressed by the studies a few years ago of how much improvement there was in brain development of children on formula with added DHA, one of the omega-3s. Previously, formula-fed babies always tested slightly lower in brain function and development than breast-fed babies. This finding motivated scientists to work on producing algae in laboratories as way to avoid the contamination worry of harvesting omega-3 fats from fish. Their success is admirable. They are now helping fortify foods of all kinds with the addition of their product.

I just love how creative we all can be. This is a story worth reading more about. You can go to npr.org for the whole story and for links to other research on omega-3 fatty acids and their positive impact on health. The good news is that taking omega-3 supplements seems to have similar effects. The omega-3 is metabolized the same way with supplements as with foods that contain them. Or so the early research seems to be saying. As always, you should talk with people you trust, including your doctor, before making any big dramatic changes to your diet or lifestyle that could impact your health.

I’m for anything that helps with brain fitness, as you know. We put together a brain fact this week that highlights just how helpful omega-3 fatty acids are on brain health. Be sure to also check out Brain Fitness, the software we write so much about and sell at Capabilities. The popularity of the program is growing daily. We are even working with a number of local organizations who are investigating how they can use the Brain Fitness program in the communities they oversee. Contact us if you would like more information about considering implementing the program at your retirement community, library, community center or other organization.

And let us know what you are doing to keep your brain healthy. Post your thoughts here.

What Do You Believe?

Did you hear about the Associated Press study done recently? Over a third of those interviewed said they believe in ghosts. And one in four says they actually believe they have seen a ghost. Maybe it’s just that time of year, with Halloween here and all. Or, maybe it’s that the human need to believe in things beyond what we can see and understand is so powerful, we’ll reach into the supernatural to satisfy that craving.

I listen to National Public Radio a fair amount. I am struck by a series called, “This I Believe. “ It is based on a 1950s radio program inspired by Edward R. Morrow whose own intense belief in the power of the freedom of speech pushed him into the limelight during that difficult period of McCarthyism, racism, and the specter of atomic war hung heavy on the nation.

The series host, Jay Allison (pictured right), and producer, Dan Gediman, draw parallels between those years and now. They note that we are not listening well to each other; in some cases, not at all. Our times are complex and require true dialogue. Their goal: “A public dialogue about belief…one essay at a time.” Anyone can submit a 350 -500 word essay. They read them all and post all of them on their website, thisibelieve.org. They choose several per week to air on various NPR shows. It’s remarkable to me how diverse, funny, poignant, terrifying, satisfying are our beliefs. Every time I hear one, I find myself musing about beliefs – my own, yours, the ones we believe together.

What draws the line between belief and hope, I wonder some days. When do we first believe? Is it simply part of being human, an instinct of sorts, or do we learn how to believe from those around us? How many of us express our beliefs through the lens of religion or spirituality? How many through the grit of the every day? Do beliefs change? What separates believers from non-believers? Can anyone be either all the time?

If you take a tour through some of the essays, or spend a day listening to your co-workers or family members, or watch the World Series, you see it, you feel it. (I was so taken with the faces of fans at Coors Field on Sunday as they continued to believe, to hope, to will a win for their team. Eyes closed or open, hands clasped or flailing, voices hushed or shouting. It was all about believing right up until the last swing of that bat. And when spring comes, there’ll be plenty more again!)

Belief is as much a part of who we are as the color of our eyes, the food we eat, the goals we set. The line is thin, I think, between believing and hoping. It might be an academic question, of course. But, we’ve all met someone who seemingly has neither. And recognize instantly, one who has plenty of both.

One of the “This I Believe” essayists, James Sheehan, firmly exclaims: “I believe in barbeque!”

So, when I read that a 33% of Americans believe in ghosts, I smile. That’s it! We are compelled to believe. It’s in our human code. This I believe!

What do you believe? Give us your comments and musings, especially if you believe in ghosts.

Parkinson Disease: The Basics and Beyond

Parkinson Disease (PD) is a brain disorder. It affects roughly 1.5 million Americans, with 60,000 new cases diagnosed every year. It affects men and women almost equally, and appears most commonly after the age of 65, although 15% of cases are diagnosed in those under age 50.
When 80% of certain neurons in the brain (substantia nigra) die, symptoms of PD appear. These particular neurons are responsible for the creation of the neurotransmitter called dopamine, which allows for the smooth movement and coordinated functions of the body’s muscles. The primary symptoms, tremors and shaking, slowness of movement, stiffness and difficulty with balance, are present in nearly all who are diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Other signs may include stiff and cramped handwriting, expressionless facial appearance, softness of speech, shuffling gait and depression.

Diagnosing this disease is extremely difficult as there are no exact tests yet that can determine whether someone actually has the disease. It is more a process of elimination. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, you should consult a neurologist who can order the battery of tests necessary to discover what is going on. I know of several individuals who worked over the period of a couple of years with their neurologists trying to determine whether they were suffering from Parkinson Disease of something else.

Treatments almost always include taking some form of dopamine which, especially in early stages, eases the tremors, stiffening and walking difficulties. Over time, as more of the diseased neurons die, the effects of PD grow worse. Within the last few years an approach including brain surgery has become a salvation for some patients with this condition. It is not a cure, but does relieve some of the more severe effects for a period of time. The surgery is not for everyone, of course, and is usually not even considered unless all regimes with medication fail. I have an acquaintance who had the surgery a number of years ago, first on one side of his brain, then on the other. His symptoms diminished for many years. When I last saw him, however, he was experiencing a return of the tremors, stiffening and difficulty speaking and walking. He said he had no regrets, though, about having had the surgery when it first became available. It gave him a number of nearly symptom-free years that he enjoyed immensely. His spirits are good and he continues to lead a very productive life.

One of the many demanding challenges of PD involves walking. Often an individual will “freeze” when s/he comes to a curb, threshold or some other change in the walking surface. The brain recognizes this as a change, but cannot adapt the gait to it, so the legs and feet stop and cannot get moving easily again. While it has long been known that shining a light on the area just ahead of the feet can stimulate the brain to cause movement again, it’s the more recent introduction of the Laser Cane and Laser Light Walker introduced by U-Step a few years ago.

The Laser Cane is a bronze adjustable cane that looks for all the world like an ordinary cane. It has a small button that activates a red laser beam of light across the front of the cane when activated. Easy to use, this cane offers the user a handy and seamless way to project the beam of light necessary when episodes of freezing occur. It’s a good companion for those who suffer from PD, ALS and other diseases of the neurological system.

The Laser Light Walker has an additional feature of locking brakes that must be released by the individual before it moves. This gives extra security that the walker will not get away from the user. It only moves when s/he is ready to move. It has the easy to use button that engages the laser beam when the user needs it. It can be easily turned off when not needed. Its U-shaped base provides more security and as a result testing with the product reveal that most users can move three to four times faster with this walker than with traditional walkers. This walker also has a tighter turning radius, and at only 22 inches wide, it maneuvers easily through traditional doorways.

Actor Michael J. Fox brought attention to PD when he was diagnosed in 1991. In 1998 he revealed his disease to the public and has become one of the great champions for research. He founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation which focuses on research and support for those with the disease and their caregivers.

One of our colleagues and customers, Nick Peterson, has lived with Parkinson Disease since 1975 when he was 25 years old. Nick’s energy, liveliness and enthusiasm for life make him an inspiration to everyone. Among his many talents, Nick speaks nationally. His Colorado company, Shaky Speakers Presentations, sends him around the country with his inspirational and motivational messages. You can contact Nick at 888-757-7712 for more information about his presentations.

Do you have Parkinson Disease or know someone who does? We are always on the search of “people in the know” to give us first person accounts of experiences, treatments, tools that you find useful. Share your experiences here.

Dance, Dance, Dance

“Dance till the stars come down from the rafters.
Dance, Dance, Dance, till you drop.” W. H. Auden

I have an old, but very dear memory of a September Sunday in Paris, crossing the Pont Neuf, shadows long with the day’s end near. As I approached the end of the bridge nearest to the Left Bank, I heard music and saw a crowd gathering. A young, sexy couple in black, approached the crowd smiling. Suddenly, it was all tango, legs long and hair loose. I could not believe my eyes. Breathless with excitement, I pushed closer and watched this daring dance on the Pont Neuf at sunset in Paris. When they finished the crowd cheered. Encore, we begged. The couple bowed, smiled, waved goodbye and, strolled off. Many of us stayed together for a while buzzing about the spontaneity of it all, the passion, the beauty. Some rubbed their eyes, wondering if the whole scene had actually happened. It has stayed with me for years and years.

There is evidence of dance on the walls of prehistoric caves. Figures in movement, repetitions, rituals. And they say kids dance before they walk and until they learn that everything is not music. We are meant to move, we are meant to dance, I think. My brother met his wife while teaching dance at Arthur Murray Studios in the late 50s. Our family watched, mesmerized, as they took to the floor at every gathering, liquid, silky, saying things with the samba and cha-cha that no one would ever say out loud. And how my mother could dance! Even into her 80s she would join a line dance or accept the invitation of a stranger to move onto the dance floor. It’s a theme that runs through my family and my life. I came of age, though, just as dancing became an individual kind of thing, when young people would flock onto a floor with or without a partner and wiggle, bump, grind into the wee hours of the morning. If there was any slow dancing, it was simply two bodies hugging each other, moving in circles. But it was fine. It did whatever it was supposed to do at the time – create closeness, establish rituals, define a kind of community.

I heard an interview the other day with the lead dancers of Dancing with the Stars. Did you know that this “reality” show is among the most watched on television these days? The premise is that stars and celebrities of all kinds compete with each other by dancing. Once chosen for the show the individual has three days to practice with the professional lead dancer in choreographed programs. They appear in front of an audience and the judging begins. The television audience participates in the judging, too. There are elimination rounds over a period of a week or two. (I have never seen the show, so I’m piecing what I’ve read and heard about it together). These two dancers spoke about how challenging it is to teach someone to dance traditional and formal moves in so short a time. They love it, they say, because they witness how many of these stars, so comfortable in their usual forms of celebrity, struggle at first with their discomfort dancing, then melt into the fun of moving with discipline and flair. The interviewer asked if there were a story of failure, of someone who simply could not do it in the end. “Never, not ever!” they chimed at the same time.

Miss Wheelchair Colorado 2000 is a dancer and actress. I remember being moved watching her and an ambulatory partner dance in a parking lot, celebrating her victorious reign. And at Pam’s birthday party two years ago, a friend with MS, confined to a power chair, took the hand of another and rocked the night away. She said moving to a beat feels so wonderful, so liberating!

We all know that dancing is good for us besides. Did you know you can burn hundreds of calories dancing even just for 60 minutes? And learning the patterns of ballroom and formal dances does wonders for your brain fitness. The camaraderie and enjoyment of dancing contribute to forming and strengthening social networks and community, which recent studies show help ward off depression and the ill effects of aging.

And yet, in spite of all these positive outcomes, it’s another one of those things that people tend to leave behind, feeling self-conscious, foolish or not so nimble anymore. How about declaring a day of dance, especially if you haven’t danced in a while? Or, a day to watch someone else dancing, at least? Tune in to that crazy TV show, or sign up for dance lessons at the local Fred Astaire Studio. Let your children or grandchildren talk you into a few go rounds of Ring Around the Rosey. Invent some new steps. “Dance till the stars come down from the rafters. Dance, dance, dance till you drop.”

Do you dance? Tell us your dancing story.

EasyPivot Patient Lift

If you are a caregiver for someone who cannot stand or pivot from one place to another, you know how difficult it is. It is literally backbreaking work, not to mention extremely uncomfortable and sometimes painful for the individual under your care. In hospitals or other medical facilities, there are often three people or more who lift and move patients. This is just not possible when someone goes home to continue rehabilitation. Thankfully with transfer boards and the array of lifting mechanisms now available to everyone, not just health care professionals, moving individuals from place to place is more possible. However, for some the use of a traditional transfer board or sling still does not create the right conditions.

In 1973, Joel Lerich, a mechanical engineer, had a life-changing car accident, leaving him a quadriplegic. Joel did master most daily tasks again after months of rehabilitation, except transferring from place to place. But, he never felt stable or safe in a traditional patient lift sling or on a transfer board. He was acutely aware, too, of the impact on his wife who was his primary caregiver. So with his mechanical engineering mind, Joel created the EasyPivot, a streamlined machine designed for safe, efficient transfers. With this machine neither the size, strength or agility of the caregiver or patient are a factor.

The EasyPivot pulls the individual forward into a leaning position instead of suspending the person from the back with the use of a sling. With a variety of models to suit any number of individuals and their lifestyles, the EasyPivot is a great solution for the single caregiver situation. At our New Product Showcase event many of our testers tried this incredible machine, in some cases agreeing to be the “patient” and in others the “caregiver.” While trying anything new for the first time is sometimes unsettling, it was great to see the curiosity and the willingness to truly test these products. See Kristy, a product tester, and Ed Kalin, the Rand-Scot representative using the EasyPivot below.

Take a closer look at the EasyPivot here or stop by Capabilities for a demo.

Sign up to volunteer as a product tester for future New Product Showcases. We’ll be doing another one in the Spring of 2008!

Featured Product: The Colorado Cycle by Rand-Scot

We mentioned our wonderful New Products Showcase a few weeks ago. We continue to reap the benefits of that event as we take the suggestions of our product testers and gather more feedback from customers every day. We’ve had the Colorado Cycle on our showroom floor for a few weeks and it has captured some attention. Al DeGraff, a C-5/6 quadriplegic, developed the first Saratoga Cycle in 1987. He says this invention helped keep him alive, ensuring movement and activity at a time when the array of rehabilitation was still in its infancy. The company, Rand-Scot, has gone on to enhance the product, make several models based on need, and has introduced other products designed to help those with disabilities.

The Colorado Cycle is a bi-directional hand cycle ideal for home use. It sits on a table and allows for adjustable levels of tension depending on the user. You put the pulse sensor on your earlobe to track cardio levels, and off you go. Well, figuratively. It’s a stationary cycle, of course. Their sturdy steel welded table that adjusts in height to fit wheelchairs and body types is sold separately. Stop by our showroom to see this marvelous tool. We can help you decide if it’s the right tool for you. It’s great for cross-training or doing moderate to heavy aerobics. You control the tension, so it’s great for those just trying to get a program started, too. It tracks distance, time, sped, calories and pulse. What we and our product testers like especially is that there is a wide variety of handgrips available to accommodate various disabilities, allowing you to be comfortable. Let’s face it, we are usually more motivated to stick with an exercise regimen when it is comfortable for us and works with who we are! You can exercise from a wheelchair or a straight-backed chair. It is also the lowest price cycle in the Rand-Scot collection. Take a look at this product here or stop by the store for a demo.

Life is for the Goal-Oriented... Or So It Seems

I recently read about a study at Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center, co-authored by Robert Wilson (pictured right) that examine the risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease through a slightly different lens. While much of the research on Alzheimer’s Disease has looked at genetics and general brain fitness, Dr. Wilson’s work specifically highlighted the role of “the purposeful personality.” His findings suggest that those who view themselves as self-disciplined achievers have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s than people who are less goal-oriented. The link, he explains, may be that “a purposeful personality somehow protects the brain, perhaps by increasing neural connections that can act as a reserve against mental decline.” You might wonder how scientists like Dr. Wilson do this research. They actually examine the brains of individuals after their deaths. In this case, the scientists looked at the brains of those who had been identified (or self-identified) as goal-oriented, purposeful individuals. Surprisingly, in many cases they found lesions that would have otherwise qualified as acceptable criteria for Alzheimer’s, but these individuals showed no signs of dementia before their deaths. “This adds to our knowledge that lifestyle, personality, how we think, feel and behave are very importantly tied up with risk for this terrible illness,” Wilson said. “It may suggest new ideas for trying to delay the onset of this illness.” These findings were published in a recent Archives of General Pyschiatry.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot since reading the article a few weeks ago. Aren’t we all goal-oriented? I’ve been wondering and asking folks this question. I suppose I have known some people whose qualities would not include self-disciplined, purposeful or goal-driven, although they have gotten along just fine in their careers and life in general. So, what is it that sparks drive and purpose? Are we born with these qualities, do we cultivate them through experience, can we begin to develop conscientiousness later on in life if it’s not been a key motivator for us previously? As I watch my grandchildren, it’s impossible for me to imagine that we are not born with a sense of drive and purpose. Each one of them pushes the envelope of learning and experimentation, however unique and different they each are. And yet, in my inquiries these past couple of weeks, I have had some frank answers to these musings. Many, of course, insist the lead lives of purpose and focus. Not possessing these qualities is probably a hard thing to see in oneself or to admit. On the other hand, I was inspired by some who frankly said they were not self-disciplined and spoke about the ways that has affected their lives. Some have regrets, others have focused instead on their other fine qualities. It’s one more take on the nature/nuture argument. I love thinking about these things.

What do you think? Do you identify yourself as goal-oriented? If not, how have you achieved what you have? If so, do you think you were born that way or is there a life-defining moment you could share with us that caused you to focus, to become more purposeful? Post your comments or send us an email. We’d love to hear from you.

The critical conclusion is that there is most likely not one silver bullet to unraveling the mystery of why some individuals fall to Alzheimer’s and others do not. Each finding gives another clue and, as Dr. Wilson says, another suggestion for something we might try to ward off this illness. At Capabilities we have introduced a focus on brain fitness. You can read our many Brain Tips and Facts, check out the incredible Brain Fitness program with a free demo, or try our fun Scrambles puzzles. We intend to add to our collection over the coming months. What other ideas do you have for us? Email with your ideas about specific products you enjoy or have seen that enhance brain fitness.