It Brain Day

I found two articles on brain health.  Hey, if you are brain dead, the best body in the world isn't going to do you any good, right?

The first one is from Future Pundit and the study cited suggests a correlation between a strong heart, one that pumps a lot of blood,  and a brain that ages more slowly.  A heart that pumps less blood may cause a brain to age more quickly.  To keep the brain functioning better, it needs more blood.  To get more blood to the brain you need to exercise to build the heart muscle to pump more blood to the brain.  Unlike other cell, brain cells do not rejuvenate, so the problem is to keep the ones you have healthy and that may mean more blood.  Simple, right?  Who knows.

The second is on brain health and vitamin D.  Vitamin D is very big right now, much the way vitamin C was big a few decades ago.  This suggests vitamin D can slow or prevent cognitive decline. Vitamin D is found in oily fish, some dairy products and good old sunshine.

Remember a few years ago how we were all told to stay out of the sun?  Mainly the advice was given to reduce skin cancers and wrinkles.  Well, staying out of the sun is not good if you want to get some vitamin D to keep you brain healthy.  Healthy brain, rotten skin.

There is a calculator here to figure out how much you need.  Here in Houston, TX, if I have done this right, I need a whole two minutes to get all of the sunshine I need on today's date.  That's pretty easy to do, and I don't think I risk any premature skin aging.  Assuming I did this correctly here is what it looks like for me here in Houston.

Looks like Mom may have been right.  Go out side and play.  It's good for you.

How much do you want to bet that in a few years the claims for the benefits of vitamin D may have been greatly exaggerated?

My numbers for today:

• Blood Glucose:  125 mg/dl.  After a weekend, OK.
• Weight:  186 lbs.  More like 186 1/2, but who's counting? 
• Exercise:  45 minute ride on my bike.  Back in the saddle again.
• Mood:  7.  I do have a job.  That counts for something.  

Menu:

• Breakfast:  Banana, oatmeal with craisins and blueberries.  Lots of blueberries.  Lots of antioxidents, but that turned out to be more than a bit of a bust.  Never mind, I still love blueberries. 
• Lunch:  Leftover black bean salsa with some rye bread and a Texas peach.  None better. 
• Paula Dean's Tortilla Soup as interpreted by the Charming Mrs. SWMBO and a small salad. 
• Snacks:  Pretzels.