Health Information Center

When you think about fitness, you probably think about marathons and muscles, but do you ever consider brain fitness? You should! Your brain plays a critical role in every area of your life, from learning, working and playing, to personality, aptitude and memory. While the brain is the body’s most important organ, it is also the most mysterious. There is a lot that science can’t yet explain, including why some people can still recall the name of their first-grade teacher at age 100, while others develop the early signs of Alzheimer’s in their 60s. But emerging research indicates that with a few relatively simple lifestyle choices, you can maximize your brain health while minimizing the risks of age-related memory loss and brain diseases like Alzheimer’s. Here’s how.

Continue reading ‘Tips for Brain Health’ »

One could assist the person to engage in activities like supervised gardening, singing, cooking, painting and drawing as long as routine is established. It is very important to engage in these activities on a regular basis for this could help the person establish a sense of stability.

People who are not much into mental pursuits or work that do not much involve mental strains will also most likely develop the disease compared to people who often stretch their mental muscles. In fact, one of the way to prevent the onset of dementia is to exercise the brain all the time especially during old age.

Continue reading ‘Alzheimers Effects on The Brain And How It Effects The Aged’ »

We hear a lot these days about stem cell research, but many of us are unaware of what exactly stem cells are and what can be done with them. There are several types of stem cells including adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells. Adult stem cells reside throughout the human body within tissue, blood and organs; they are plentiful and readily available. Adult stem cells refers to the stage or maturity of the stem cell. They are also found in the tissues of the umbilical cord (after live birth), spinal cord, fat, bone marrow, dental pulp, nasal cavity, brain, peripheral blood, blood vessels, skeletal muscle, skin, cornea, digestive system, retina, liver, and pancreas.

Peripheral stem cell transplantation is the process of removing the stem cells from one person and donating them to a recipient- in my case it was my brother. In most cases donors are siblings since tissue type is most identical to the patient’s own. After it had been determined that I was a perfect match for my brother, I had a physical and endless blood work. I passed my tests and then it was on to phase one.

This involved six days of receiving neupogen shots which stimulate the release of stem cells from the bone marrow into my blood so they can be harvested for my brother. It’s important during this period to drink plenty of water. I had decided to go to the hospital each day for the shots, but some people opt to inject themselves at home. The shots sting a bit and after the first several days, mild bone aches began- mostly in my hip and sternum. It was nothing that an occasional tylenol couldn’t remedy. Continue reading ‘A Personal Account of Stem Cell Donation’ »

Old age may begin much earlier than thought if you believe age is defined by mental functions. According to new research conducted at the University of Virginia and published in the Neurobiology of Aging many cognitive functions demonstrate peak performance at age 22. By age 27 some cognitive functioning begins to decline while others such as memory decline around 37.

This study was conducted using standardized cognitive tests on 2,000 men and women aged 18-60 years of age and covered nearly seven years. Participants were in good health and well educated. Continue reading ‘When does old age begin?’ »