Throw back Thursday—the sweatshirt

The photo is only about 10 minutes old, but the sweatshirt is about 15 years old.  There are only a few days of the year that I wear it—have probably only washed it twice. 

Prologue to newly released YouCat Bible by Pope Francis

“I’ll tell you something: There are more persecuted Christians in the world today than in the early days of the Church. And why are they persecuted? They are persecuted because they wear a cross and bear witness to Jesus. They are convicted because they own a Bible. The Bible is therefore a highly dangerous book—so dangerous that you are treated in some countries as if you were hiding hand grenades in your closet.

It was a non-Christian, Mahatma Gandhi, who once said: “You Christians look after a document containing enough dynamite to blow all civilization to pieces, turn the world upside down, and bring peace to a battle-torn planet. But you treat it as though it is nothing more than a piece of literature.” “

YouCat means Catholic Youth Bible.

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/pope.francis.says.bible.is.a.highly.dangerous.book.that.he.loves.and.values.above.all.else/68097.htm

http://www.youcat.org/news/youcat-news/

Giving children a gift

Which candidate for president actually did something about giving children this gift? The Carson Scholars Fund, Inc. was founded in 1994 to address the education crisis in the United States. When retired world-renowned Johns Hopkins Pediatric Neurosurgeon Benjamin S. Carson, M.D. and his wife, Candy, read a research study about education in the United States, they were alarmed by the  findings. The study showed that our nation’s students ranked #21 out of 22 countries; next to the bottom of the list in science and math. Furthermore, the Carsons observed that many school display cases were filled with large trophies paying tribute to their sports teams’ achievements, while honor students were largely overlooked.” http://carsonscholars.org/

Appearances notwithstanding

Today the prompt at 3 Word Wednesday (a community for writers, poets and bloggers) is:

Nondescript, adjective: lacking distinctive or interesting features or characteristics.

Placid, adjective: (of a person or animal) not easily upset or excited, (especially of a place or stretch of water) calm and peaceful, with little movement or activity.

Quirky, adjective: characterized by peculiar or unexpected traits.

--------------------------------

She looked to be the perfect friend.
Just my type.
Bookish, nondescript appearance, sensible shoes.
But first glance, first impression can be misleading.
Beneath the placid wide eyes
Were archives of quirky questions never answered.

Update on exercycle “trip”

When I started this on Dec. 26, 2014, I had a nice little program that did calculations and showed me photographs, although it began at the Atlantic Ocean.  I thought I’d never get through Virginia, then shortly after I left that state, the website lost its funding, so I’ve been on my own (which isn’t too hard since I only go 5-7 miles a day, 26-27 calories for each mile.  In December I said I would ride to Indianapolis to see my sister-in-law Jeanne who is always our fantastic hostess when we travel to Illinois, but I’d soon zipped right on past.  So now I’m at 1583 miles on October 28, 10 months later.  I passed 35 pounds sometime in July, but haven’t lost any more weight, probably it was all that bread, wine and dessert for menu del dia in Spain in September. So I’ve decided to continue on to see in-laws Rick and Kate in Huntington Beach, and  Debbie, of course, Greg and Kari and the twins, too, who must be about two now (Nov. 22). Only 670 more miles to go.

The unhinged left

Melissa Harris Perry of MSNBC, who makes $1.2 million a year reading aloud for TV shows and is worth about $40 million while owing $70,000 in back taxes, chastised a guest for using the words “hard worker” when talking about Republican Paul Ryan. Seems that term is reserved for blacks who were slaves working in the cotton fields, which obviously isn’t her, since she’s bi-racial from a Mormon family. She also is the one who ridiculed Mitt Romney’s black grandchild and is a self-proclaimed chief of the word police. This woman has serious problems with race, words, and just being polite. She gives liberals a bad name.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/oct/26/melissa-harris-perry-rants-about-slavery-after-gue/#!

The plan to elect Hillary

There are so many things wrong with the Donald Trump run for President as a Republican I'm convinced he's a Democrat plant. Unfortunately, many Republicans either lost or never had conservative values and are falling hook, line and sinker. Go back and read about how Germans hungry for change and self esteem followed a man who promised them the moon with feel-good shouting and bombastic speeches.

The reason we've got an Obama second term is because so many Christians (I've heard 54 million, but don't really know) sat out the election and pouted because they didn't want a Mormon, or their favorite didn't run. Now much of that same group is set to do the same thing and elect Hillary Clinton. I think they are the children of the folks who voted for Ross Perot and elected Bill Clinton.

English services in Whittenberg, Germany

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDO2LlQRnhA

In 2 years (2017) we'll be celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. The cathedral in Whittenberg, Germany, shown in this video is being renovated for the influx of tourists.  There is an English language ministry here of visiting Lutheran pastors for English speakers and tourists at Whittenberg.  You'll hear some really ragged congregational singing of "A Mighty Fortress," but lots of heart. Pastor this week (earlier this month) is Rev. Ronald Stehl of Red Wing. MN.  "How are you going to get to heaven" was addressed, and even Lutherans in his own congregation got the answer wrong, he says.

Bienvenidos Pto. Vallarta, Patricia

Hurricane Patricia was the strongest hurricane on record, and just messed up some trees and houses a bit when hitting Mexico, and there seems no loss of life.  Of course, there was a sand sculpture of Mary on the beach at Puerto Vallarta that was untouched. But surely prayer couldn't stop a hurricane.

Some politicians keep their promises

When Obama was running in 2008 he promised to fundamentally transform America. He's certainly kept that promise. There are times I don't recognize America. In Ohio we have legalization of marijuana on the ballot. Before you say, “Great, it didn't hurt me I still have half my brain after losing all those cells”, you must understand the money lobby is going for revising the state constitution and allowing only about 10 mega investors in the trade to grow, process and sell it. Sweet crony capitalism if I've ever seen it. Could beat Al Gore investing in cap and trade. Criminal elements in Ohio could match DC. We got casino gambling the same way—locally citizens voted it down several times until they weaseled in and made it state wide.

As he chases the wind and solar dream, Obama puts coal mining industry in 9 states at risk with new EPA regulations and is destroying the small businesses and non-profits set up in the 1970s to fight the oil interests of the middle east since coal is one of our biggest assets. Only fracking is keeping our energy costs low (while Obama takes credit for lower gasoline prices). Meanwhile we’ll be supporting the out of work miners and all the supporting businesses with our higher taxes for unemployed and 123 wealth transfer programs.

Obergefell (same sex marriage decision by SCOTUS): John Azumah, an ordained Presbyterian minister from Ghana taught a class at Columbia Theological Seminary (Decatur, GA), “Introduction to Islam” to seminary students, the future leaders of Christianity in America. An invited iman asserted to the class that Jesus is not the Son of God, denied the crucifixion and resurrection, and maintained the Bible had been falsified. The students all listened passively with respect and responded only with very timid and politically correct questions. Until. . . a question on homosexuality. When the guest instructor answered that it was un-Islamic, not of God and unnatural, the respectful, timid class which had heard him deny all the basic tenets of the Christian faith turned on him with shock and rage. Some wanted to cancel a planned visit to a mosque. In our culture it’s acceptable for Christians to deny Jesus, but not their own sexual desires. (from First Things, Oct. 2015, “Through African Eyes” pp. 41-46)

Washington Post has a compelling article by a special ed teacher with a PhD who is leaving the profession because of required standardized testing. Read it, it will make you weep for our educators and children. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2015/10/25/special-ed-teacher-quits-i-just-cannot-justify-making-students-cry-anymore/

Standardized testing is not a left/right issue, but is bi-partisan disaster. They had it when I was a kid, but not as awful as today. Common Core and Race to the Top are the Obama versions, but Bush had No Child Left Behind. I’ve never heard a single teacher or administrator praise those programs.

I disagree with Pope Francis

XIV ORDINARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY

THE VOCATION AND MISSION OF THE FAMILY
IN THE CHURCH AND THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD

INSTRUMENTUM LABORIS

Chapter II

The Family and the Socio-Economic Context

The Family: An Irreplaceable Resource of Society

Economic Challenge. 14.

“The concrete aspects of family life are closely connected with economic matters. Many point out that, to this day, the family can easily suffer from a variety of things which make it vulnerable. Among the most important problems are those related to low wages, unemployment, economic insecurity, lack of decent work and a secure position at work, human trafficking and slavery.”

“The following effects of economic inequity are reflected in a particularly acute manner in the family: growth is impeded; a home is missing; couples do not wish to have children; children find it difficult to study and become independent; and a calm planning for the future is precluded. Pope Francis insists that a change in perception by everyone in society is necessary to overcome this situation: "Growth in justice requires more than economic growth, while presupposing such growth: it requires decisions, programmes, mechanisms and processes specifically geared to a better distribution of income, the creation of sources of employment and an integral promotion of the poor which goes beyond a simple welfare mentality" (EG, 204). Renewed solidarity between generations begins with attending to the poor of this generation, before those of future generations, giving particular attention to family needs.”

The girls of a Christian school in Chibok, Nigeria who were kidnapped by Boko Haram last year were not kidnapped because they were poor or their parents didn’t have jobs or they lacked an education.  Hitler didn’t imprison and gas Jews because either he or they were poor. Stalin didn’t send East Europeans to the Gulag because they were poor, uneducated, or lacked resources.  North Koreans aren’t starving to death because they are poor.  Christian Armenians didn’t die on a death march a hundred years ago because either they or the Turks were poor. No, it is a power based philosophy, not poverty. And the very entities the Pope assumes will make the decisions for the distribution of wealth are the entities which killed 100 million of their own citizens in the 20th century.

The United States has 123 programs to transfer wealth from the employed and comfortable to the low income and unemployed, and a total of 2,293 Federal assistance programs.   If the Pope were correct, there would be no poverty in the United States where we “distribute” $22,000 a year to each low income person.

If the Pope were correct about secure income solving the world’s problem (or bringing the masses to Jesus, which is why we have a Pope) why are there unhappy, mentally ill, dysfunctional, suicidal, imprisoned and wealthy celebrities, CEOs, doctors and politicians? Back to the drawing board, sir. Economic growth solves more poverty than socialist programs with a Christian veneer.

In 1820, the vast majority of people lived in extreme poverty and only a tiny elite enjoyed higher standards of living. Economic growth over the last 200 years completely transformed our world, and poverty fell continuously over the last two centuries. This is even more remarkable when we consider that the population increased 7-fold over the same time (which in itself is a consequence of increasing living standards and decreasing mortality – especially of infants and children – around the world). In a world without economic growth, an increase in the population would result in less and less income for everyone, and a 7-fold increase would have surely resulted in a world in which everyone is extremely poor. . .

The first of the Millenium Development Goals set by the UN was to halve the population living in absolute poverty between 1990 and 2015. Rapid economic growth meant that this goal – arguably the most important – was achieved (5 years ahead of time) in 2010.

World Poverty

It was rapid economic growth not redistribution of wealth that achieved that.

I’ve always wondered if there was a reason to eat celery

World’s Healthiest Foods newsletter writes:  “If you have become accustomed to thinking about celery as a crunchy, low-cal vegetable but not a key part of your health support, it is time to think again.

Recent research has greatly bolstered our knowledge about celery's anti-inflammatory health benefits, including its protection against inflammation in the digestive tract itself. Some of the unique non-starch polysaccharides in celery—including apiuman—appear especially important in producing these anti-inflammatory benefits. (Unlike starchy polysaccharides that provide plants with a way to store simple sugars, these non-starch polysaccharides in celery help provide this vegetable with its unique structure and are not made from simple sugars but rather from pectins.)

While celery is also rich in well-known antioxidants like vitamin C and flavonoids, scientists have now identified at least a dozen other types of antioxidant nutrients in celery. These antioxidants include dihydrostilbenoids like lunularin as well as furanocoumarins like bergapten and psoralen. The antioxidant support we get from celery is largely due to its phenolic nutrients that have been shown to help protect us against unwanted oxygen damage to our cells, blood vessels, and organ systems. “

Additional information on celery.

A Few Quick Serving Ideas

• Add chopped celery to your favorite tuna fish or chicken salad recipe.
• Enjoy the delicious tradition of eating peanut butter on celery stalks.
• Use celery leaves in salads.
• Braise chopped celery, radicchio and onions and serve topped with walnuts and your favorite soft cheese.
• Next time you are making fresh squeezed carrot juice give it a unique taste dimension by adding some celery to it.
• Add celery leaves and sliced celery stalks to soups, stews, casseroles, and Healthy Stir-Fries.
• Consider the purchase of celery in its non-Pascal varieties. Root celery can be served as a major plate vegetable all its own, and leaf celery can be substituted for parsley in almost any recipe.

http://www.livescience.com/50640-celery-nutrition.html

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/270678.php

Adult Sunday School, October 2015, UALC

Our Sunday school class is studying Romans, and for two weeks had an outstanding, articulate retired Lutheran pastor, Douglas McBride formerly of San Antonio, as our teacher. Class members are taking us through Romans after his excellent overview and first three chapters. I hope he can come back.

Paul wrote a letter to the Roman church, a mixed group of Jews and Gentiles, from  Corinth, while he was on his third missionary journey between 56 and 58 A.D. He was on his way to Spain.**  At the time he was gathering an offering from the Gentile Christians for the church in Jerusalem (15:25; Acts 24:17). Over half of the people he specifically mentions in the letter have Greek or Roman names, and he calls the Jews, “my brothers.” The church may have been started by his converts, but no one knows for certain. Since he first mentions Phoebe it appears that she brought the letter to Rome, so she must have been a trusted convert and helper. He greets a number of households indicating the church was made up of numerous groups, and he addresses in the letter a number of situations, many of which sound similar to our churches today. Struggles among themselves; how to deal with the government, etc.

He encourages unity and accepting one another, just as Christ accepted them. Yet it seems the church has never been more divided and scattered than today.

In the free box at church I found the New International Version of the Bible (Zondervan) on cassette.  I may be one of the few people who still have a hand held cassette player, so I’ve been listening to Romans while using my exercycle. Usually, I don’t enjoy audio of the Bible--speakers/voice actors go too fast or it’s too monotonous, but this one is really excellent.  There are music and sound effects, and when the writers reflect on OT passages of Jesus’ messages, there is a slight echo or reverberation.

* * “We know little about the early years of Christianity in the Iberian Peninsula. According to legend the apostle James --at Christ’s urging--carried the gospel to the country in 40 AD, but the early church writers have nothing to say about it. We know that St Paul intended to visit in Spain (Epistle to the Romans, XV, 24 and 28), which would suggest that there were organised groups for him to preach to. But there is no evidence that he made the trip, nor does any church in Spain popularly claim to have been founded by Paul.

By the second century, however, some Christian communities were probably established in the peninsula. We know that St Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons (France), writing around 180 AD, alludes to Christian churches amongst the Celts and Iberians.  We also know from a letter by St Cyprian of Carthage (?-258?) that by 254 AD there were Christian communities in Astorga, Mérida, León and Zaragoza.”  Source.

Obama and the military

Obama vetoed the NDAA. He stabbed our military in the back and sunk us at a very dangerous time—right on the heels of his giving the store to Iran to build nuclear weapons. Such bills had been vetoed by only four past presidents according to WSJ—in 1978, 1988, 1995 and 2007. In each case, the president objected to an actual provision in the bill, and each time Congress’s Armed Services committees were able to find a compromise that earned the presidential signature. Obama isn't about bi-partisanship or compromise.

In vetoing this legislation, President Obama has made history, but for all the wrong reasons. He has become the first commander in chief willing to sacrifice national security by vetoing a bill that authorizes pay, benefits and training for U.S. troops, simply because he seeks leverage to pursue his domestic political agenda.

The president didn’t veto the bill because of any of its policies, which make some of the most significant reforms to the Pentagon in more than 30 years, while giving troops the vital capabilities necessary to combat today’s mounting threats. (Wall St. Journal)

Defense is part of discretionary spending. It’s 16% of the $3.8 trillion compared to the 60% (mandated) spending on Medicare, Medicaid, S0cial Security, unemployment.

Bacon is good for you?

I’m having a big salad for lunch—red leaf lettuce, some shredded cabbage, sliced mushrooms, cooked beet stalks, cherry tomatoes and

bacon!

Bacon is an excellent source of high protein, low carbohydrate energy that helps to reset the metabolism, making weight loss much easier and is helpful in building muscle tissues that are lean and strong. Not only is bacon a good source of amino acids, but it does not contain any mercury – which is typically found in most seafood today. Moreover, the balance of protein to fat in bacon is a very healthy ratio of four to one; it is among the highest protein to fat balance ratios found in any source of meat, poultry or fish.

A major reason to enjoy bacon is that it contains choline, an important water-soluble vitamin in the B family; that helps boost memory and healthy brain function. Choline in our diet helps in preventing mental diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Rather than taking vitamins and minerals in a pill every day, eating bacon is a much more delicious way of providing the body with a range of essential vitamins and minerals to help the body organs function at peak efficiency. These include vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B12 (cobalamin), vitamin B6 (pyridoxal phosphate), zinc, iron and magnesium.

Bacon is a potent source of oleic acid and saturated fats. Both substances help reduce the levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL), lower’s triglycerides, and raises HDL – commonly referred to as the good form of cholesterol. Strangely enough, most foodies don’t realize that bacon is also composed of monounsaturated fats – the kind that contains lots of healthy fat soluble vitamins and minerals.

http://thesilverclouddiet.com/2013/01/consider-the-many-health-benefits-of-bacon/

http://draxe.com/what-is-choline/

http://www.simplehealthacupuncture.com/index.php/acupuncture-blog/54-7-guiltless-reasons-to-eat-your-bacon

Letting liberals do the devil’s work

As in Protestantism, the liberals are trying to destroy the Catholic church. And as in Protestantism, it is the smaller, less powerful, Africans and East Europeans who we hope will save the day. "All the old errors of the 60s seem to have come back to haunt us. By gently chiding them rather than stamping them out and disciplining or ousting their proponents, we now have seven new evil spirits along with the first infesting the Church. There are surely harder times coming with even greater confusion in the Church." When the secular media promote anything in the Christian faith, you know to look for the devil.

 https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/popes-encouragement-of-airing-formal-heresy-is-severing-the-church

http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/10/crisis-for-pope-francis-as-top-level-cardinals-tell-him-your-synod-could-lead-to-the-collapse-of-the-church/

http://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/the-city-gates.cfm?id=1176

Investing in Whirlpool

In going through my e-mail this morning I noticed we had purchased 35 shares of Whirlpool (investment advisor) for $5,124.89 at $146.4254 a share (I may own more, but don’t have that information at hand). Whirlpool is the number one major appliance manufacturer in the world, with approximately $20 billion in annual sales, 100,000 employees and 70 manufacturing and technology research centers throughout the world in 2014.  So I took a look at what had been going on and see that Whirlpool had slumped to its 52-week low Friday after it reported weaker-than-expected quarterly revenue, but beat earnings expectations in its latest quarter, thanks to cost cuts and acquisitions that drove European and Asian sales. So I guess to professionals, that’s the time to buy—don’t buy high?

I like the idea of investing in something I know, use, can see, and touch, even though I’m not the one who placed the order. The headquarters are in the mid-west—Benton Harbor, Michigan.  In the past year we remodeled our kitchen and replaced the appliances.  I now have a Whirlpool microwave and refrigerator/freezer, a GE double oven and a Kitchen Aid dishwasher.  I suppose it would be better to have all the same company to get a color match, but in all cases since these were replacements, we had to go with what would fit. The double oven replacement was a nightmare—don’t ever spec one unless you absolutely need it. I wasn’t happy that the new microwave sticks out so much further than the old one which was flush with the cabinets, but after looking at other models, magazine ads, and other homes (my daughter’s), I see they are all that way.

Also, Kitchen Aid is owned by Whirlpool which owns 13 brands, including: Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht, and Gladiator. With the housing market rebounding,  sales to new housing installers should rebound in the coming years after a slow down in 2008. If the construction trucks in our condo complex are any indication, remodeling is booming also.

http://investors.whirlpoolcorp.com/

http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Whirlpool_%28WHR%29

Wicked Columbus, Ohio

We went out with David and Beverly Meyers tonight to do a little belated celebrating for our birthdays/anniversary and came home with a copy of his new book, "Wicked Columbus, Ohio" co-authored with daughter Elise Meyers Walker. This would certainly make a fine Christmas present if you have a local history buff on your list. Royalties go to support a young woman paralyzed in a gun battle between 2 gangs.

A rich vocabulary protects against dementia

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141021085524.htm

'Cognitive reserve' is the name given to the brain's capacity to compensate for the loss of its functions. This reserve cannot be measured directly; rather, it is calculated through indicators believed to increase this capacity.

A research project at the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) has studied how having a wide vocabulary influences cognitive reserve in the elderly.

As Cristina Lojo Seoane, from the USC, co-author of the study published in the journal Anales de Psicología (Annals of Psychology), explains: "We focused on level of vocabulary as it is considered an indicator of crystallised intelligence (the use of previously acquired intellectual skills). We aimed to deepen our understanding of its relation to cognitive reserve."

The research team chose a sample of 326 subjects over the age of 50 -- 222 healthy individuals and 104 with mild cognitive impairment. They then measured their levels of vocabulary, along with other measures such as their years of schooling, the complexity of their jobs and their reading habits.

They also analysed the scores they obtained in various tests, such as the vocabulary subtest of the 'Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale' (WAIS) and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test.

"With a regression analysis we calculated the probability of impairment to the vocabulary levels of the participants," Lojo Seoane continues.

The results revealed a greater prevalence of mild cognitive impairment in participants who achieved a lower vocabulary level score.

"This led us to the conclusion that a higher level of vocabulary, as a measure of cognitive reserve, can protect against cognitive impairment," the researcher concludes.”

So instead of tweets and texting, perhaps you should blog?

"There is strong indication that a particular set of life activities are associated with a reduced risk of developing dementia and with a slower rate of memory decline in normal ageing. These include having a higher education, mentally stimulating occupations, strong social networks and having a variety of leisure interests. The amount of cognitive reserve appears to be plastic and influenced by aspects of experience in every stage of life."
Cognitive reserve--can we increase it?

3 word Wednesday on Friday—Lotza and her treats

The owner of this site provides 3 words each Wednesday as a prompt/inspiration for writers.  Entries can be an essay, poem, a blog or thought. Helps when you have a brain freeze and it encourages spontaneity. The words this Wednesday are:

Jab, verb: poke (someone or something) roughly or quickly, especially with something sharp or pointed; poke someone or something roughly or quickly with (a sharp or pointed object or a part of the body); noun: a quick, sharp blow, especially with the fist, a sharp painful sensation or feeling.

Labored, adjective: done with great effort and difficulty, (especially of humor or a performance) not spontaneous or fluent.

Makeshift, adjective: serving as a temporary substitute; sufficient for the time being; noun: a temporary substitute or device.

She’s deaf now, my little calico.
And sometimes I worry about her eyesight
If she misses it.
Sweet kitty, she’ll jab at the treat
I toss across the tile floor
Slipping and sliding,
A makeshift exercise therapy
After she labored so long at napping.

Homeschool art project

My husband works with children who are homeschooled by their mother for their art requirement.  Today they worked in watercolor; he demonstrates and then they follow what he does. Because they spend their summers at Lakeside also, today’s project was a sail boat. They have also been his models for some of his winning paintings, a current one in the Ohio Watercolor Society Traveling Show.

The younger girl won best of show this summer in the Lakeside Children’s Art show. The older girl takes ballet lessons and last winter was in the Nutcracker production here in Columbus which we went to see.  The boy likes to dress like a cowboy and at lunch today he said the Roy Rogers prayer.

“Lord, I reckon I'm not much just by myself,
I fail to do a lot of things I ought to do.
But Lord, when trails are steep and passes high,
Help me ride it straight the whole way through.

And when in the falling dusk I get that final call,
I do not care how many flowers they send,
Above all else, the happiest trail would be,
For You to say to me, "Let's ride, My Friend." “
Amen

Turmeric, pt. 3, Will it help Parkinson’s?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22211691

Curr Pharm Des. 2012;18(1):91-9.

Curcumin: a potential neuroprotective agent in Parkinson's disease

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is an age-associated neurodegenerative disease clinically characterized as a movement disorder. The motor symptoms in PD arise due to selective degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra of the ventral midbrain thereby depleting the dopamine levels in the striatum. Most of the current pharmacotherapeutic approaches in PD are aimed at replenishing the striatal dopamine. Although these drugs provide symptomatic relief during early PD, many patients develop motor complications with long-term treatment. Further, PD medications do not effectively tackle tremor, postural instability and cognitive deficits. Most importantly, most of these drugs do not exhibit neuroprotective effects in patients. Consequently, novel therapies involving natural antioxidants and plant products/molecules with neuroprotective properties are being exploited for adjunctive therapy. Curcumin is a polyphenol and an active component of turmeric (Curcuma longa), a dietary spice used in Indian cuisine and medicine. Curcumin exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, crosses the blood-brain barrier and is neuroprotective in neurological disorders. Several studies in different experimental models of PD strongly support the clinical application of curcumin in PD. The current review explores the therapeutic potential of curcumin in PD.

Interesting blog with a compilation of research. http://parkinsonsand5htp.blogspot.com/2012/04/turmericcurcumin-great-promise-for.html

Black lives matter group has legitimate issues?

The President gives comfort to rioters and criminals by saying Black Lives Matter protests bring out legitimate issues.  Where do they point out that blacks are victimized by crime 6x more than whites, by other blacks?  Do those lives matter? The violent crime rate for offenders is 8x higher  for blacks than whites (don’t confuse rate with population). He will have trouble convincing me that the claims are legitimate when he’s never defended Chicago’s blacks this way. He also can’t convince me that he has done anything in 7 years to address these concerns.

http://www.progressivestoday.com/obama-defends-blacklivesmatter-and-says-they-must-be-taken-seriously-video/#!

Important information about aging

The Hillary Benghazi hearings

I've watched some of the hearings.  It seems to me the only questions should be why lies were told after the event about a video (Ambassador Rice and President Obama need to answer for that) and what's in the e-mails. If it was a tragic mistake as Clinton claims I can understand that.  But why did the government need to lie on the eve of the election? Was his position that fragile?  Plus some poor YouTube film maker went to jail. However, since the e-mail crimes were uncovered late and were outside the committee, don't know if that can be a part of it.

The blindness of Clinton/Obama supporters and even RINOs to their crimes tells me that the U.S. is at the same level as 3rd world dictators covering up their misdeeds, but maybe not as clever. And the solution for some Republicans the other side--elect a TV reality star/real estate mogul--also sounds like we've all gone 'round the bend.

Can Paul Ryan be Speaker of the House?

Glenn Beck is beside himself and full of “righteous anger” (his words) at the freedom caucus for supporting Ryan.  I’m not sure why he thinks Ryan is so bad, but he feels that he (Beck) was lied to when he was asked to get his listeners to support Webster.  Also, why can Ryan be so feisty about family time when he had agreed in 2007 to be the Vice Presidential nominee?  Didn’t he know that was a heart beat from President?

These 13 points are from the Daily Signal. (Heritage Foundation) All are expanded at this link.

1) Abortion: Ryan has supported pro-life legislation and efforts to defund Planned Parenthood. (And that’s basic for my vote.)

2) Budget: Ryan has spearheaded several budget proposals during his time at the House Budget Committee.

3) Education: Ryan voted for No Child Left Behind in 2001 before supporting the A-PLUS Act to give more control over funding to local communities.

4) Energy: Ryan opposed President Barack Obama’s cap-and-trade initiative.

5) Financial Bailout: In 2008, Ryan voted for the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program.

6) Gun Rights: Ryan has been a strong proponent of gun rights, voting numerous times against background checks and in favor of pro-gun legislation. A bow-hunter, Ryan is also member of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus.

7) Health Care: Ryan has opposed Obamacare since its passage and recently helped spearhead partial repeal by means of the budgetary tool known as reconciliation.

8) International: Ryan wanted to lift the Cuban embargo before supporting it.

9) Immigration: Ryan has supported immigration reform bills that included amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants in the past.

10) Labor Unions: Ryan remains unwavering in his support of federally mandated, prevailing wages.

11) Marriage: Ryan voted in 2006 in favor of the Marriage Protection Act, a constitutional amendment that defined marriage as being between a man and a woman.

12) National Security: Ryan voted to go to war in both Afghanistan and Iraq, later opposing an early military withdrawal.

13) School Choice: Ryan has supported increasing school choice options for families.

Old, Tired Ideas and Candidates on the Left

Old, tired, socialist ideas from the all white, old tired,up in years Democrat candidates, pushing for more of the old, tired, expensive 1960s programs which they whine have failed us. Complaining about the very rich who are funding their campaigns.

Lots of fighting, squabbling and fresh ideas outside the political box from the Republican candidates. Seems to be a battle from the pages of history--the generations not seeing eye to eye. And yet there are "progressives" and even some “libertarians” who are leaning toward Hillary (she's not their first choice, but they know it's inevitable). "The devil you know is better than the one you don't" or something like that.

Where is the bridge for this gap? I don’t see it.

“No wonder political parties spend so much time talking about social issues. Shared religious and cultural values represent one way to bridge the country’s economic and demographic divides.

Single moms may crave security, but if they’re revolted at the killing of unborn children, or if they don’t want to see their public-school children barred from praying on campus, they’ll vote Republican.

Married moms in Massachusetts may pour countless thousands into a broken and wasteful combination of local, state, and federal welfare programs, but if they want to keep abortion legal and celebrate the upcoming nuptials of their lesbian neighbors, they’ll crawl over broken glass to vote Democrat.”

Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/425897/american-family-failure-economic-cultural-divides

Biden’s Rose Garden announcement

Joe Biden was all over the rose garden with his announcement of not running for President in 2016 which sounded a lot like a campaign speech. Like all Democrats, 

• he decried big money in political campaigns even when Hillary is the big money draw--$118 million in the first 3 quarters, plus the scam she calls the Clinton foundation;
• he said it was a shame to stop at 14 years of education, and we should go for 16, which is odd when 1 out of 5 don't finish the compulsory 12--why not finish that goal first--why not let poor black kids go to charter schools instead of blocking them;
• he moaned about divisiveness in Congress when he is the President of the Senate as Vice President of the country;
• he says our income gap is not sustainable--which in Democrat lingo means don't move up middle class, move down upper income.
• Pumping up the Obama legacy—that may be the real purpose of his non-campaign.

There seemed to be subtle digs at Hillary Clinton.  Maybe he’s leaving the door open to run, just in case Obama hasn’t killed the FBI investigation and she isn’t exposed as a crook, criminal and traitor.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/10/21/full-text-bidens-announcement-that-he-wont-run-for-president/

Sounds like my mom

My mother (1912-2000) had this attitude about all housekeeping skills, and particularly was careful to look nice when Dad came home from work. When I think back to some of the complex outfits she made for her four children, I think this must have been part of the routine. Her mother had used a dressmaker or shopped in Chicago, so Mom didn’t learn sewing as a child, but it was necessary when the children came along during the Depression.  We even had little dresses made from feed sack fabric. I never had a holiday or prom dress bought from a store—Mom made them all, a pale green organdy, the pink crystalline below (from my sister’s wedding) and a two piece with green linen top and white flocked skirt with pink flowers.  She made my blue silk going away dress for my wedding (I had started it, but didn’t use the advice from Singer, and she had to finish it).

1955 bridesmaid dress, also prom 1956; my sister Carol had the same dress in yellow, and Mom made the wedding dress (which I then wore in 1960)

Dolls from the 1940s which I still have.

My brother Stan in cover-alls made from my father’s military clothes

Pattern of one of my favorite aprons I wore for 40 years made by Mom

My high school graduation dress which included a jacket

The problem with socialism—someone has to work

"Europe expects the Muslim world to bail out its shrinking birth rate by working and paying into the system so that its aging population can retire. The Muslim migrants however expect Europe to subsidize their large families with its welfare state while they deal some drugs and chop off some heads on the side. Once again, European values are in conflict with European survival.

Why should 23-year-old Mohammed work for four decades so that Hans or Fritz across the way can retire at 61 and lie on a beach in Mallorca? The idea that Mohammed would ever want to do such a thing out of love for Europe was a silly fantasy that European governments fed their worried citizens."

http://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/260511/death-europe-daniel-greenfield

The U.S. also has a birthrate below replacement, so our politicians look for brown people from south of the border with higher birthrates and some religious values to bail us out. We’ve aborted our future. However, the birthrate of immigrants is falling faster than native population, indicating financially they are doing well.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/dec/30/us-population-level-drops-due-low-birth-rates-immi/?

Cleaning out my old paintings

About 40 years ago I took some painting lessons using acrylics. Most I’m going to pitch because they were unfinished or not worth keeping.  These I will give away if I can find a happy home. At the top with the blue skies are farms near Franklin Grove. I think I see some from along the Olentangy River. The pots and baskets were mine that I used for paintings. Only one has a frame. Some are on boards; other are stretched canvas.

How my children did it

I had a 50’ cord on the kitchen phone so I could keep an eye on the children and walk into the living room to see what was going on.

Bobby Jindal—it’s not that complicated

These shootings are a symptom of deep and serious cultural decay in our society.

Let that sink in for a minute.

These acts of evil are a direct result of cultural rot, and it is cultural rot that we have brought upon ourselves, and then we act like we are confounded and perplexed by what is happening here.

Consider the following brew of decay, and you will realize exactly what is happening here:

• We glorify sick and senseless acts of violence in virtually every element of our pop culture, and we have been doing that for at least a generation.
• Our movies and TV shows feature a continuous stream of grotesque killing of every kind imaginable. And this is true of virtually every genre, from horror to drama to comedy.
• We celebrate and document every kind of deviant behavior and we give out awards to producers who can push the envelope as far as possible. Rape, torture, murder, mass murder, all are cinematic achievements.
• Our music does the same thing, we promote evil, we promote the degradation of women, we flaunt the laws of God and common decency and we promote it all and we flood our young people with it.
• We have generations of young boys who were raised on video games where they compete with other young boys around the country and the world to see who can kill the most humans. We make it so fun, so realistic, so sensational.
• We devalue human life, we have no regard for the sanctity of human life in any regard, from the unborn, to the old, and to every single person in between, we devalue it and act as if we have almost no regard for humanity.
• Our families are a complete mess, and we have raised tens of millions of young boys who will never become real men because they have no values whatsoever, they have no truth in their lives, and they have no regard for common decency.
• Oh, we make sure that we stop them from bullying at school, but we are completely fine with them watching people get murdered and raped on the internet after school, and we are willing to let them go to the basement and join a fantasy world where they pretend they are killing people for 2 hours after school.
• And who is it that generally commits these evil acts of mass murder that are becoming routine? It’s almost always young men who have either no father figure in their lives, or a broken relationship with their father. Is this just a coincidence? Of course not.
• Now, let’s get really politically incorrect here and talk specifically about this horror in Oregon. This killer’s father is now lecturing us on the need for gun control and he says he has no idea how or where his son got the guns.
• Of course he doesn’t know. You know why he doesn’t know? Because he is not, and has never been in his son’s life. He’s a complete failure as a father, he should be embarrassed to even show his face in public. He’s the problem here.
• He brags that he has never held a gun in his life and that he had no idea that his son had any guns. Why didn’t he know? Because he failed to raise his son. He should be ashamed of himself, and he owes us all an apology.
• When he was asked what his relationship was with his son, he said he hadn’t seen him in a while because he lived with his mother. Case Closed.

This mess is not nearly as complicated as we pretend.

It’s the old computer axiom – garbage in, garbage out. We fill our culture with garbage, and we reap the result.

https://www.bobbyjindal.com/jindal-we-fill-our-culture-with-garbage/

Clean out time.

Going, going, gone. About 5 years ago we did a massive, huge, gigantic sort, clean and pitch effort. Now it's all come back--things we saved were like rabbits and multiplied without permission or purpose. I had stored some old paintings (most unfinished acrylic) in my bedroom closet. I looked through them this week-end and it's time to say good-bye. There are one or two (completed) I might offer to  my son, but that's about it. If he doesn't want them, it's the trash man's delight.

I have been encouraged in this effort hearing about an acquaintance who has been a hoarder all her life, and is now in the early stages of dementia. A professional agency has been called in, but after 3 months, little progress has been made.  In a recent stay in a nursing home (she has returned home), she even managed to save things in her room.  I'm not a hoarder, but have some odd and unusual piles of junk.

Turmeric, pt. 2

“Turmeric is the spice commonly found in curry — and, according to new research published in Stem Cell Research and Therapy, it may boost your brain proliferation or its power to repair itself.”

I looked through my blogs to see what I’ve written about turmeric—not much, and usually I wrote that I don’t use it.  But since writing about it last week after watching a review of Brain Fog, I’ve been trying it in apple cider.  That sort of covers up the taste and color.  A few sprinkles on food or salad dressing probably isn’t enough, so I’m trying about 1/2 teaspoon in cider until I get used to it.  So far, no stomach upset, and it’s not awful.

“Outside of this study [on neurodegenerative diseases], turmeric is considered the “spice for life.” Another one of its active ingredients is curcumin, and curcumin is considered an anti-inflammatory. This ingredient has also been associated with the ability to prevent diabetes, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s. But as is the case with the rat research, the potential of turmeric acting as modern medicine is uncertain, though adding turmeric powder to food or tea is believed to supplement a well-balanced, healthy lifestyle. Doing so sets you ahead of the game if turmeric is found to be capable of repairing the human brain.”

http://www.medicaldaily.com/turmeric-helps-your-brain-heal-itself-spice-your-brain-power-curry-305242

Source: Hucklenbroich J, Klein R, Neumaier B, Graf R, Fink G, et al. Aromatic-turmerone induces neural stem cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Stem Cell Research & Therapy. 2014.

How true.

What computers used to cost, Dec. 2007

Today I was cleaning out a drawer (something I need to do more often) and came across the receipt from Staples for the computer I’m using as I write.  A Dell Inspiron 530S loaded with VISTA. The total bill came to $895.50 with various price over rides amounting to $39, a flash drive of 4 GB (I still have it in the package and not sure I ever used it), something that looks like a 2 year warranty, taxes $53.59, a holiday cd for $6.  Can’t be sure from the codes but it looks like I also bought a monitor and paid for data transfer from the old computer (which I think is still in the basement storeroom, and occasionally has been called into service when this one failed). Photo below.

The new Inspiron seems to be about the same price ($50 less), but with Windows 10, wireless, 1TB hard drive, 8GB system memory (compared to 250 GB and 2 GB)

My 530S is clunky and slow, it’s been repaired twice, and really resisted when I updated to Windows 10 (had to use Firefox).

Mammograms—do they help, hurt or save?

You may wish to download this booklet on screening for breast cancer.

"When we first published this leaflet in 2008, the Summary was:

"It may be reasonable to attend for breast cancer screening with mammography, but it may also be reasonable not to attend, as screening has both benefits and harms.

If 2000 women are screened regularly for 10 years, one will benefit from the screening, as she will avoid dying from breast cancer.

At the same time, 10 healthy women will, as a consequence, become cancer patients and will be treated unnecessarily. These women will have either a part of their breast or the whole breast removed, and they will often receive radiotherapy, and sometimes chemotherapy.

Furthermore, about 200 healthy women will experience a false alarm. The psychological strain until one knows whether or not it was cancer, and even afterwards, can be severe."

These numbers were derived from the randomised trials of mammography screening. However, since the trials were performed, treatment of breast cancer has improved considerably. More recent studies suggest that mammography screening may no longer be effective in reducing the risk of dying from breast cancer."

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/21/insider/aggressive-treatment-for-early-breast-cancer-reporters-notebook.html?_r=0

If you read the NYT article, be sure to read the comments.

In God we Trust

Food and fellowship

Do you sometimes feel like this? Too much food?

• Saturday we ate out to celebrate our daughter/SIL's 22nd anniversary at the Rusty Bucket;
• Monday we ordered pizza in from Iacono’s on Kenny Rd.;
• Wednesday we were on a road trip to Canton and the meal was catered (baked chicken);
• Thursday a church group gathered for dinner at the Crane’s lovely home on a lake (wonderful smoked ribs)
• also attended a memorial service at Friendship Village for Mary Dunbar which included a reception with food;
• Friday we attended the wedding of Tracy and Andy at the  Amelita Mirolo Barn which included dinner (lots of choices);
• Sunday we're having friends Howard and Betty here for lunch (soup and salad) before we head out for an art show in Middletown, Ohio Watercolor Society.

But I seem to be going to the store all the time.

When we point a finger, three are pointing back at us

"The family is under attack from internal forces, such as divorce, cohabitation, decline in marriage, promiscuity, abuse and violence, addictions, pornography – and the list goes on and on. The family is also under attack from outside forces, such as cultural coarsening, anti-family entertainment and rhetoric, sex trafficking and sexual exploitation, and extremists who want to shut down religious freedom and redefine marriage and family." Janice Shaw Crouse

Last Sunday our class was looking at the first three chapters of Romans.  Her quote taken from an interview reminds me of Paul's letter to the Romans. He was writing to a Christian congregation in Rome made up of pagans and Jews--all saved by grace. Pagans accepted pedophilia, abortion and homosexuality, Jews didn't. Paul calls those practices degrading, unnatural, indecent, exchanging the truth of God for a lie, and perversion, and it needed to stop. But Jews had the advantage of the law and the prophets which addressed many other sins and which were also being violated. Paul had harsh words for them for being stubborn, self-righteous, self-seeking and blind to the light. Adultery, stealing, blaspheming, gossip, arrogance, etc. The family is under attack, but we Christians weakened it to the point of collapse and now point fingers at those who violate natural law.

God doesn’t grade on a curve.

Federal Debt Held by Public Has More Than Doubled Under Obama

$57,431.65 for each of 117,343,000 households.

"Debt held by the public represents federal debt issued by Treasury and held by investors outside of the federal government, including individuals, corporations, state or local governments, the Federal Reserve, and foreign governments,”  explains the Government Accountability Office. “The majority of debt held by the public consists of marketable Treasury securities, such as bills, notes, bonds, floating rate notes, and Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities that are sold through auctions and can be resold by whoever owns them. Treasury also issues a smaller amount of nonmarketable securities, such as savings securities and State and Local Government Series securities."

"Intragovernmental debt holdings represent federal debt owed by Treasury to federal government accounts—primarily federal trust funds such as Social Security and Medicare—that typically have an obligation to invest in federal securities their excess annual receipts (including interest earnings) over disbursements,” says GAO.

“Unlike debt held by the public,” says GAO, “intragovernmental debt holdings are not shown as balances on the federal government’s consolidated financial statements because they represent loans from one part of the federal government to another."

As of the close of business on Tuesday, the total debt of the federal government was $18,150,481,620,363.39. Of this, $13,046,512,400,965.87 was debt held by the public, and $5,103,969,219,397.52 was intragovernmental debt.

The $13,046,512,400,965.87 in debt held by the public was an increase of $6,739,201,661,284.21—or 106.8 percent--from the $6,307,310,739,681.66 in debt held by the public on the day Obama was inaugurated. (CNS News)

http://useconomy.about.com/od/usdebtanddeficit/p/US-Debt-by-President.htm

Fall color in Ohio

You don't need to go to Vermont to be a leaf peeper. The fall color this year is marvelous. This is Rose Lake in the Hocking Hills State Park. It's a 17 acre fishing lake, but isn't it glorious?

http://trekohio.com/2012/04/08/rose-lake/

http://parks.ohiodnr.gov/hockinghills

Think about the civility and good manners of despots

I watched a report of viewer satisfaction with Tuesday's debate, and one thing that impressed them most about the Democrats was civility. Well, I hope so. Look at their ages--they should have good manners. However, not negotiating with Iran or Cuba for imprisoned Americans, grabbing the rights that belong to the states (10th amendment), funding an abortion organization that killed close to 400,000 unborn Americans in one year according to its own report, attacking free speech, freedom of religion and the 2nd amendment, and by default letting Russia back into the middle east power structure isn't my idea of civilized. Nor is pandering to the lowest common denominator to avoid these issues with socialist programs.

Conestoga trip to Canton, Ohio, October 14, 2015

We had a wonderful time visiting Canton, OH to see the National Memorial for President William McKinley, the Stark County Historical museum, and the National First Ladies education and resource center.

Before he became President, William McKinley had served 14 years in the House, where he became the leading Republican tariff expert, giving his name to the measure enacted in 1890. The next year he was elected Governor of Ohio, serving two terms. McKinley was assassinated in 1901 at the beginning of his 2nd Presidential term by Leon Czolgosz who said his actions were inspired by violent anarchist Emma Goldman’s claim that “all rulers should be exterminated.” Yes, she's called an anarchist, not a communist or socialist, but if you read her writings, she was left of the Bolsheviks with whom she shared a mission and had squabbles. To this day, the leftists in the U.S. apologize for her. But put that aside for the moment since everyone's forgotten them. Capitalism has brought wealth and comfort to the very people they tried to inflame.

I'll say I was very impressed by Stark county's hard work on history and maintaining these sites without federal or state money. 25,000 school children each year visit this memorial, and the education director did a wonderful monologue for us about McKinley's life.

On the bus with Jerry passing out snacks.  We watched two terrific DVDs on architecture—Louis Sullivan and Gothic Cathedrals—on the 2.5 hour trips.

McKinley National Memorial, final resting place of the 25th president of the U.S. and his wife Ida, and their two young daughters .  There are 108 steps, and we saw people running up the steps for exercise (Rocky only had to do 72).  He died in September 1901 and by June 1903, $500,000 had been contributed for his memorial and designs were submitted.  The one chosen is laid out like a cross, in the shape of a sword. Construction began in June 1905 and it was finished by September 1907; the dedication ceremony was September 30, 1907. Ida his widow was there but died later in the year.

The Director of Education at the McKinley Presidential Library & Museum, Christopher Kenney, provided a wonderful reenactment of the President in the museum and accompanied our group to the memorial providing interesting insights about the construction and dedication. 

Entrance to the museum built in 1963; it has a Planetarium, a McKinley Gallery, a research library, and a street of shops reflecting the history of Stark County.

A room in the museum is set up with period pieces to reflect the McKinley home.

Then it was back on the bus to travel to Ida Saxton McKinley House and the First Ladies Education and Research Center on Market Avenue, South.

This was originally the home of Ida McKinley’s parents, but she and her husband also lived there for awhile.  It had fallen into disrepair in the 20th century having been used as retail space and was slated to be demolished when a relative of Ida’s stepped in to save it.  It has been completely restored and has an active group of volunteers.

The research center dedicated to the first ladies is in a former bank down the street from the house within easy walking distance. We saw a number of personal items and gowns of the First Ladies.

It’s hard to be a Kardashian male

“Lamar Odom took cocaine and as many as 10 sexual-performance supplement pills leading up to his hospitalization in Las Vegas, according to a dramatic 911 call released Wednesday by the Nye County Sheriff’s Department.

Odom, the former NBA player and husband of reality television star Khloe Kardashian, was rushed to a medical facility after being found unresponsive by staff at a brothel known as the Love Ranch in Crystal, Nev., around 70 miles northwest of Las Vegas.” http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2015/10/14/lamar-odom-cocaine-sexual-performance-supplements-brothel-hospitalization-khloe-kardashian/73960622/

http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-84708783/

http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-84707571/

Walking vs. stationary bike

"Exercise expert Dr. Kenneth Cooper ranks walking and stationary bicycling as two of the six best exercises. He writes that walking is particularly good for previously sedentary people and older people. He recommends stationary bicycling because it simultaneously strengthens bicyclists’ arms and legs and causes far fewer injuries than jogging and outdoors bicycling. The Merck Manual Home Health Handbook’s “Choosing the Right Exercise” report lists 10 exercises, including stat...ionary bicycling and walking. Walking is praised for being “relatively easy” on joints throughout the body and being better than stationary bicycling for people with knee problems. Stationary bicycling improves strength more than walking and lets people change the intensity of their workouts by changing the bicycle’s resistance." Walking is almost out of the question for me except for brief errands. That's why I just love my stationary bike, a power spin 210. http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/stationary-bicycle-vs-walking-exercise-9889.html

". . .the latest research reveals that the magic number for maintaining cognitive fitness with age and preventing Alzheimer’s is to work up to a level of 150 minutes per week of a combination of cardio exercise and strength training. Great ways to get in your aerobic exercise include brisk walking, jogging, dancing, swimming, and playing tennis, or going to the gym and utilizing an elliptical, treadmill or stationary bike." http://www.alzheimersprevention.org/.../exercise-and...

Walking in Spain with a cane and strong friend.

Turmeric and Alzheimer’s research

http://alzheimer.neurology.ucla.edu/Curcumin.html

I was watching someone plug his book “Brain Fog” today and in addition to the usual walk a mile a day, drink coffee and wine and eat blueberries, he mentioned turmeric and black pepper.  So I looked that up.  Seems to be a lot of pre-prepared items you can buy.

Curcumin (Turmeric), an ancient Indian herb used in curry powder, has been extensively studied in modern medicine and Indian systems of medicine for the treatment of various medical conditions, including cystic fibrosis, haemorrhoids, gastric ulcer, colon cancer, breast cancer, atherosclerosis, liver diseases and arthritis. It has been used in various types of treatments for dementia and traumatic brain injury. Curcumin also has a potential role in the prevention and treatment of AD. Curcumin as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and lipophilic action improves the cognitive functions in patients with AD. A growing body of evidence indicates that oxidative stress, free radicals, beta amyloid, cerebral deregulation caused by bio-metal toxicity and abnormal inflammatory reactions contribute to the key event in Alzheimer's disease pathology. Due to various effects of curcumin, such as decreased Beta-amyloid plaques, delayed degradation of neurons, metal-chelation, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and decreased microglia formation, the overall memory in patients with AD has improved. . .

Worldwide, there are over 1000 published animal and human studies, both in vivo and in vitro in which the effects of curcumin on various diseases have been examined. Studies include epidemiological, basic and clinical research on AD. . . .

Epidemiological studies have shown that prevalence of AD is 4.4 lower amongst Indian Asians as compared to people of western origin. Ann Indian Acad Neurol. 2008 Jan-Mar; 11(1): 13–19.