Category: civil rights

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What do daisies have to do with autism and Alzheimer’s risk?

Daisies have nothing to do with autism and Alzheimer’s risk but in order to simplify complex topics into real world strategies for preventative health care guidance the complexity has to be thoroughly understood. In the last post the medical and chemistry jargon got thicker than a field of daisies and taking a break can help the brain sort through the field to find a bouquet – metaphorically speaking.

In my real world I also found some online courses to help brush up on making sense of medical and chemical jargon for the lay reader or the health professional. I’m taking some online courses available through Coursera.org: Writing for the Sciences, Stanford University and Medical Neuroscience, Duke University, and for later in the summer: Essentials of Global Health, Yale University.

My own health has been helped by the information I gather – the bouquets of daisies can turn into good hair days and the ability to grow skin. It is easy to take health, and skin, for granted until you lose it and then a physician with a prescription pad is not always available with a helpful answer. “We don’t know what causes it or how to help you but this pain killer might leave you addicted and/or cause uncomfortable side effects” – not a helpful answer and may be a more dangerous answer than “Your lab tests are normal, why don’t you go talk to a therapist about your problems (probably psychosomatic/hypochondria).” Thanks, I’ll go for a walk and think about that, maybe I’ll be able to pick some daisies and get some fresh air and sunshine while I’m out.

Taking a break sometimes is just what is needed to allow the brain to sort through a complicated issue – the solution is there but it may need to be selected out of a field of many possible answers. Some exercise and  a little time to not think consciously about it can be what the subconscious needs to put together the pieces so the larger puzzle can be seen. (Don’t Solve Your Problems – Lolly Daskal) Taking a walk was a strategy that Charles Darwin and Charles Dickens liked to use: “If I couldn’t walk fast and far, I should just explode and perish.” – Charles Dickens – (For a More Creative Brain, Take Breaks – Inc.com) (Michael Simmons Quote)

A completed puzzle of a picture of marbles arranged in a rainbow pattern – it was more difficult than it looks.

Taking a walk may not help you solve all your tough puzzles but the exercise is still good for you.

A field of dandelions in front of a mountain (Note: Objects may be closer than they appear).

So what did daisies have to do with yesterday’s post – they represented the pause I took to let all the material that I had read settle into a few take home points about real world strategies that might help protect people with a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s Disease or autism – vigorous exercise regularly may help; a diet with a lower than typical balance of calories from carbohydrates versus fats and protein (30% carbohydrate calories); and occasional fasting for a day or afternoon (14) may all help the body to clear out the protein deposits that seem to collect and lead to Alzheimer’s or autism changes in the brain.

Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes. Thanks.

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“If you can’t see the forest for the trees”

“If you can’t see the forest for the trees” – remember all trees are beautiful in their own way.

If you can’t see the forest for the trees is an old saying not attributed to anyone person, it is a reminder to help us remember not to get too caught up in details to miss seeing the bigger picture – (urbandictionary) – and it is equally important to remember that diversity and acceptance of all our differences is what makes up an interesting world – with forests and deserts and everything in between.

Disclosure: This information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of Fair Use. While I am a Registered Dietitian it is not intended to provide individualized health care guidance. Please seek an individual health care professional for the purpose of individualized health care guidance.

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My dream – a ten year plan

It is the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr’s death, may he rest in peace. My dream is simple – promoting an equal opportunity for all of us to life, liberty, and the ability to pursue happiness. During my fifteen years working with families it became clear over the years that a larger percentage of parents and their children were having to cope with more severe health issues, both acute, short-term, and chronic, long-term, health issues whether due to infection, cancer, autoimmune, or other illnesses, or birth defects or issues related to being born prematurely.

My own health has always been not great or at least not as good as what seemed normal for my peer group, from childhood, so I have always valued health and knew that you can’t just get it back from a prescription or visit to the doctor’s office. So sharing health information with others has always been important to me and I appreciated my job for both the opportunity to share with others but also to learn from others about the strategies that helped them or their families to cope with I’ll health or to maintain good health – and I passed forward the helpful advice when it was confirmed in research fact checking and seemed appropriate to share.

In more recent years my health has improved in some ways but overall the diagnosis that I received is not good. A few year’s ago this was made clear to me when a life insurance agent quoted a policy for me based on their estimate for my expected lifespan at 62 years old. This year I turned 52 , so any hope I have to share health information needs to be based on that ten year estimate, while I am also working on beating those odds. I didn’t buy the policy but in my family living to 80 or 90 or 104 is the norm. Only one of my grandparents passed away in their 50s or 60s. So my work on healthy bean soup or healthy cookies is for my own health and I share the information in case it might be helpful for other’s use in their equal opportunity pursuit of life, library and happiness. We don’t all have equal opportunities to clean air, water, and adequate food, and increased stress levels can also make maintaining health more difficult so any help I received is greatly appreciated and thanks is inadequate. The ten year plan is flexible, I do what I can as I learn and have time and resources to share information, and the age 62 estimate is based on standard medical care. I have already done better than standard with my dietary approach to health as I only needed less than two months supply of the potentially livet damaging medication that is one of the standard ones prescribed for my diagnosis. I’ve been in remission ever since – but with a few additional health issues that I’ve coped with and a significantly restricted diet from typical. So easy would not be a good description but worth it would be.

Hopefully my flexible ten year plan will extend into a twenty year plan, and a thirty, forty, and fifty year plan, and maybe I will dance at my hundred year birthday like my grandmother, but maybe isn’t as solid as today- today I take care of my health and I wish condolences to the surviving family and friends of Martin Luther King Jr.. He did get the opportunity to dance at his hundredth birthday but maybe some of his family dance at their own in his memory.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. – Martin Luther King, Jr..

The sculpture of Martin Luther King Jr. and quote are part of the Henry J Kaiser Memorial Park, see more images and information about the artist and sculpture park in this post: https://transcendingsquare.com/2018/02/13/inspiring-words-about-peace-kaiser-permanente-memorial/

Disclosure: This information is being provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of Fair Use. While I am a Registered Dietitian it is not intended to provide individualized health care guidance. Please seek an individual health care professional for individualized health care guidance. Thanks.

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Thinking about art and clean air

For an Easter treat I went to an art museum and after seeing three floors of great artwork from around the world and across time, I was exhausted.

My long time favorite was right outside near where I parked – Easter was a good day to find a good parking spot. The Thinker, a sculpture by Auguste Rodin, has always had a lot to ponder:

There were many exquisite works of art and beautiful household furnishings, costumes and painfully thought provoking works of modern art or photography. Flash photography was not allowed and standing too close to the images for photography was not allowed as the camera still makes a small flash of light even without the flash. The museum lighting was dim to help protect the works of art and these images have been photo edited to increase the light level.

The most meaningful work of art for the sake of our shared future and children’s future was among the photographs. My shadow and reflections of other artworks are captured on the tranquil looking image – of smog. “Unhealthy Air for Sensitive People,” San Fernando Valley, 1984, by Victor Landweber:

“Unhealthy Air for Sensitive People,” San Fernando Valley, 1984, Chronographic Print, – Victor Landweber, American Born, 1943 “…While appealing, the work documents smog in Los Angeles, a problem arising from the approximately four million people that call the city home.”

Some works of art had an inner glow – stained glass windows with a religious theme from 1890 by John La Farge, American artist (1835-1910), (dia.org, link for more information):

 

The architecture of the building and gift shop featuring original works of art by local and international artists are well worth a visit for their own sake.

It was a beautiful and thought provoking visit to The Detroit Institute of Art – what legacy do we want to leave the future to think about? Clean air? Faith and Hope? Beautiful architecture and flowers? Or smog?

It is a lot to think about.

The Thinker, by August Rodin, at The Detroit Institute of Art. Detroit, Michigan.

Information about smog: (Causes and Effects of Smog, conserve-energy-future.com)

Having adequate B vitamins which are important for all aspects of metabolism and energy production in the body may help reduce the harmful health effects of breathing smog-laden air: (Could a Daily Vitamin Curb Smog’s Health Effects? webMD.com)

Disclosure: This information is being provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of Fair Use. While I am a Registered Dietitian it is not intended to provide individualized health  care guidance.. Please seek an individual health care professional  individualized health care guidance.